Pedram Moallemian on his refusal to countenance wearing a poppy.


No, I do not wear a poppy or share your enthusiasm for "our fallen heroes" that glorifies military service and the behemoth that is the global war-machine.

For starters, I do not consider the fallen to be heroes. At least not any more than a city employee killed while sweeping the roads or transit driver murdered driving a bus. And the other two did not produce new victims out of their efforts.

As for the victims, I will use my own personal history: during WWII the British army invaded most of the country I was born in. They did it despite Iran declaring itself neutral in the conflict. Brits needed Iran to get the looted and scavenged resources out of their India colony to their troops in Europe.

Although tons of food traveled through Iran during this period, they were sure to starve the locals. The man-made famine that took over the country caused millions of deaths.The exact number is still debated but it could be anywhere between 3-6 million, out of a nation of 20 million people.

Their young victims included an uncle of mine. Mansour Moallemian was 5 years older than my father but I never got to meet him. He was malnourished and died of its complications. In fact, most of the victims were either too young or too old, those more sensitive to malnourishment.

Now you want me to honour those who fought for the invading armies and may have suffered as a result? Honour soldiers who have spread death and terror across the globe, from the Far East to Middle Asia, Africa, and South America? I didn't think so.

I'll save my enthusiasm to celebrate the day humanity drops their armies and peace is our default position across our global community. Until then.



➽Pedram Moallemian is an Iranian writer who has previously written for The Blanket.

I Will Not Wear A Poppy

Pedram Moallemian on his refusal to countenance wearing a poppy.


No, I do not wear a poppy or share your enthusiasm for "our fallen heroes" that glorifies military service and the behemoth that is the global war-machine.

For starters, I do not consider the fallen to be heroes. At least not any more than a city employee killed while sweeping the roads or transit driver murdered driving a bus. And the other two did not produce new victims out of their efforts.

As for the victims, I will use my own personal history: during WWII the British army invaded most of the country I was born in. They did it despite Iran declaring itself neutral in the conflict. Brits needed Iran to get the looted and scavenged resources out of their India colony to their troops in Europe.

Although tons of food traveled through Iran during this period, they were sure to starve the locals. The man-made famine that took over the country caused millions of deaths.The exact number is still debated but it could be anywhere between 3-6 million, out of a nation of 20 million people.

Their young victims included an uncle of mine. Mansour Moallemian was 5 years older than my father but I never got to meet him. He was malnourished and died of its complications. In fact, most of the victims were either too young or too old, those more sensitive to malnourishment.

Now you want me to honour those who fought for the invading armies and may have suffered as a result? Honour soldiers who have spread death and terror across the globe, from the Far East to Middle Asia, Africa, and South America? I didn't think so.

I'll save my enthusiasm to celebrate the day humanity drops their armies and peace is our default position across our global community. Until then.



➽Pedram Moallemian is an Iranian writer who has previously written for The Blanket.

2 comments:

  1. Being fair such is your choice however, I personally have no issue with Brits who do commemorate their dead, I wear a lilly at Easter to commemorate our fallen women and men, I am unaware of what symbols Iran may employ to commemorate their brave fallen but, go n-eiri an tad leat

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