This story hit the blogosphere the other day. In sum, a man in Kent (England) was arrested for posting a picture of a burning poppy. The poppy is used for in the Commonwealth for Remembrance Day, our version of Veterans Day, and comes ultimately from the poem, "In Flanders Fields:"
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
Suffice it to say that burning a poppy is offensive, akin to the activities of Westboro Baptist Church in the United States.
Many who have commented on the arrest have used the occasion to deride the UK. Before we get too comfortable in our judgment, we might want to remember that it wasn't too long ago that many in this country were trying to get flag-burning outlawed. Also, the temptation to censor is ubiquitous; otherwise, why would we need the existence of groups like F.I.R.E? So while we should condemn the Brits' enthusiasm for this arrest, we should also use the occasion to take heed that it could just as easily be us.
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