Opinion
Peace-keeping veteran says only the red poppies please
Submitted by Mark E. Meincke
About those white, and rainbow poppies……
Here is what the poppy means, and why I implore people to STOP with both the white poppy, and the rainbow infused poppy. Contaminating the poppy through co-opting, is NOT ok.
The Poppy was first adopted as a symbol of recognition, and remembrance for soldiers in WW1 and was inspired by the poem, In Flanders Fields. Since then, the poppy has become such a sacred symbol, that it has formed part of the Canadian Military uniform during Remembrance Day ceremonies.
The poppy is a very specific symbol, meant to be used exclusively to respect the ineffable sacrifice of our Military and Veterans, especially the soul gouging sacrifice associated with battle. Any co-opting of the hallowed flowered symbol can do nothing but diminish the original intentions for the poppy.
The White Poppy, though arguably ill conceived from it’s outset, is almost as old as the Veteran’s poppy. The altruistic original intent of the white poppy however, stands in opposition to the unwelcome perceived meaning which it tends to emit. Today the white poppy stands as a beacon of anti-veteran sentiment, which makes it very disrespectful to wear on November 11th.
Pro-Peace is a noble pursuit, however wearing a white poppy to promote peace is a risk free lip-service which spits in the face of those who actually risked it all to physically fight for peace.
If you wish to promote peace, wear a white dove on your lapel, or better yet, sign up for the Military Reserves and jump aboard the next peace-keeping mission that comes along. The dove offends no one, so please wear that instead of slapping Veterans and Military members in the face.
And now, about that rainbow infused Poppy….
Seriously, WTH? Is the point of this sacrilegious co-opting to acknowledge the fact that within the military, and Veteran community, we too have a segment who identify themselves as being within the LGBTQ+ community? If so, then you have NO idea what being a soldier is all about. We are the most pro-LGBTQ advocates ever!
When a soldier is in battle, NOTHING could matter less than the sexual, or gender orientation of their fellow soldier. All we care about is whether or not you have buddies six. The rest is totally irrelevant. Co-opting the poppy by infusing the rainbow creates DIVISION, not inclusion.
The battle field is the most inclusive environment on earth. If you are shooting in the same direction, then you are included as an equal…period. Nobody cares about who you are attracted to, or which gender you identify as, the only salient measure is your character, and ability to do your job. Be brave, do your job, and you have the respect of your peers. It’s that simple.
So, wear your rainbow flag, get a rainbow tattoo, commemorate the LGBTQ+ community any which way you wish, and we will ALL stand firm for your right to do so. But, please leave our poppy alone. The poppy is a hallowed symbol which must remain pure.
Mark E. Meincke
Peace-Keeping Veteran
By Cindy Harper
The platform’s age checks are part of a bigger push to create online spaces policed by biometrics.
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The rollout begins this week as an optional process and will become compulsory in December in countries including Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, reaching the United States and other regions by early 2026.
The company says these steps are meant to make its vast online world safer for younger audiences, restricting how players of different ages can interact inside user-created “Experiences.”
To take part in chat features, users must now verify their age either by scanning a government-issued ID or recording a short facial video through Persona, an outside verification company.
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Conversations are limited to others in the same or adjacent age groups unless users connect through “Trusted Connections,” which verifies they have a real-world relationship.
Roblox says the goal is to limit unsafe interactions and hopes the model will become “a new industry standard.”
While promoted as a safety improvement, this model also signals a move toward identity-linked participation in online spaces.
Digital ID verification effectively removes the anonymity that has long been part of internet culture.
It ties access to personal credentials, leaving fewer opportunities for users to interact without surrendering identifiable data.
The same technologies now appearing on entertainment platforms are increasingly being discussed by US policymakers as potential requirements for accessing social media, adult content, or even general-purpose platforms.
Several US states have already passed or proposed laws mandating age verification or digital ID checks for online activity, a trend that privacy advocates warn could erode personal freedom and create databases of sensitive personal information.
According to Roblox, “information uploaded to Persona is retained for a period of 30 days” before deletion.
Persona’s privacy policy indicates that it may collect extensive information, including device identifiers, geolocation data, and records from brokers and public sources.
This wide net of data collection extends well beyond what is required to confirm age, deepening concerns about how biometric and ID data could be reused or shared.
The company has not specified exact rollout dates for all markets but expects global enforcement to be completed within a year.
This makes Roblox the first major online platform to require facial age checks for chat participation.
The move comes as Roblox faces ongoing lawsuits and public pressure related to reports of grooming and child exploitation on the platform.
On the same day the company revealed its latest update, advocacy groups UltraViolet and ParentsTogether Action hosted an online protest, submitting a petition signed by 10,000 parents and grandparents calling for stronger child safety rules.
Roblox also introduced a new Safety Center, described as “a dedicated resource for parents and caregivers that provides clear guidance and tools to help them make informed decisions, set up Parental Controls, and support their child’s online experience.”
Still, the underlying trade-off remains significant. Roblox’s “Facial Media Capture Privacy Notice” confirms that it may conduct “other facial media processing” for “safety, assurance, or feature-specific purposes,” though the company says “Roblox does not use such facial media to identify you personally.”
Yet by normalizing ID scans and biometric checks, the company moves closer to a model of online life where anonymity is the exception rather than the rule, a change that could permanently alter how people experience privacy in digital environments.
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