Editor,
Lest we forget, or possibly never knew, red poppies from the RSA are not alone in connecting with, or “challenging” colleges and young people.
White Poppies for Peace from Peace Movement Aotearoa (PMA) have been for years promoting peace education and challenging young people to think.
PMA provides annual scholarships with this aim – see the website www.converge.org.nz/pma/ and describes the white poppy as “an international symbol of remembrance for all the casualties of war – civilians and armed forces personnel – and of peace. Some people see it as an alternative to the red poppy, others see it as complementary; some choose to wear both poppies, some one or the other, and some no poppy at all.” In whatever way we choose to honour Anzac Day, white poppies have a place.
It’s a place for those of us who cannot countenance young people being undereducated in what war really means.
Shirley Murray
Paraparaumu Beach
abridged