The poppy field foreground, contains an image of a sculpture by Andy de Comyn of a blindfolded British soldier,17 year old Private Herbert Burden. Herbert was 16 when he lied about his age to enlist in the army. Before our current knowledge and understanding of battlefield fatigue and PTSD. Lest we forget, Herbert along with 346 British soldiers were shot at dawn for desertion. A lasting permanent tribute can be found at The National Memorial Arboretum http://www.thenma.org.uk/
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Conscientious objection today
One of the good things Britain introduced to the world was the right to conscientious objection. It was recognised in the Military Service Act of 1916.
Since then the concept has slowly extended, through the British Empire, the Commonwealth, Europe and now globally, with most countries recognising the right to refuse to bear arms against another human.
Rather than feel bad about those who were treated badly for not wanting to assist in the killing of others, one is entitled to feel proud of being from the country that recognised one should not be made to do that against one's conscience, and propagated that around much of humanity.
Now the advert.
Conscience Taxes for Peace Not War is the organisation that has being trying to get this task of conscientious objection finished off. That is, to allow people to say they do not want to fund war either, but instead have the 10% of their tax currently spent on war and war preparation spent on peacebuilding and conflict prevention instead.
They hope to get a bill presented to Parliament on the 100th anniversary of the Military Service Act 1916 which will allow just that.