White poppies, purple poppies...

Armistice Day officially received its name in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. It became a national holiday 12 years later by similar Congressional action. The Great War was proclaimed "the War to end all Wars," November 11 would henceforth be Armistice Day. But within 10 years nations were once again at war in Europe. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part. Four hundred seven thousand of them died in service, more than 292,000 in battle.

In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill naming November 11 as Veterans Day instead.

The General Assembly of the United Nations "proclaims the period 2001-2010 as the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World." The Peace Pledge Union UK has focused on the white poppy as part of its campaign for that 'Culture of Peace': the white poppy helps to break the silence which 'perpetuates the delusion that war, and preparing for war, can bring about peace'. http://www.ppu.org.uk/

In the USA, we have the 'Purple Heart' for combat wounded, a decoration created by General George Washington. Now we rise, women and men and children together rise, and the symbol of our pledge to a profound Peace is the Purple Poppy. Our vision and prayer is the evolution of humanity beyond the mutually assured destruction, which is war. We turn to the Mother's Day Proclamation of 1970 :

"Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. Women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons (sic) to be trained to injure theirs."

In 1870 Mother's Day was born with the Proclamation

"Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: "We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.."

Julia Ward Howe (author of Battle Hymn of the Republic).

For full Proclamation see http://www.awakenedwoman.com/offerings.htm