Distasteful propaganda poster

Distasteful propaganda poster

The royal mint is producing a celebratory coin. It has the image of Lord Kitchener pointing a finger and displaying the mantra of the day. 'Your country needs you' That was the propaganda a mantra that consigned tens thousands of our young men to their deaths. If we must commemorate this issue then lets use a more suitable image than a distasteful propaganda poster.

There were also individuals who answered the call from what we now talk of as the commonwealth countries.  We would never for a moment dream of displaying this image of Lord Kitchener when we commemorate the armistice.

Dove of Peace

What does this coin do to recognise all those millions of non combatant men women and children who were either displaced or lost their lives. This is a mindless, crass, jingoistic, tasteless and unbelievably  inappropriate thing to do. In such a conflict there are no winners only losers. There are innocent families from both sides of the conflict who still hold dear the memory of their kinsfolk.

This is amply demonstrated each year by the numbers we see at local gardens of remembrance  and the names we can see echoed on monuments. Its time to put behind us this patriotic fervour for war and to take a lead from the late Nelson Mandela and South Africa. Its now a time for reconciliation and to ensure that this can never happen again. It has been said before this conflict was a war to end all wars.

In 1995 the Royal Mint produced a two pound coin with the symbolism of a dove which is recognised as a peace symbol throughout the world. Please sign the petition to have this coin withheld and a more appropriate image substituted.  Click Here to Sign