Did you know that during World War I, an organization entitled, Order of the White Feather got men men to enlist in the British Army by telling women to present men do did not enlist in the army with a white feather, that symbolized cowardice? Because it became shameful, and embarrassing not to enlist many men joined the army, and the government had a problem managing them all in the beginning. Even men with wives and children decided to join the army because their masculinity were questioned when they had not enlisted. (Women would stick a white feather on the coats and jackets of men who did not enlist to ridicule them)
This campaign was a smart and effective way to recruit men for the army, and not only did it force men into enlisting, it created an atmosphere where it was the norm for women to wait for a man who was off to war. The whole idea sold to women was that if a man wasn’t wearing khaki (army uniform) and protecting his motherland, how could he be worthy of you? And, a man who was off to war, is a worthy man.
When googling about where this originated from, I found this on Wikipedia: The white feather as a symbol of cowardice comes from cockfighting and the belief that a cockerel sporting a white feather in its tail is likely to be a poor fighter. Pure-breed gamecocks do not show white feathers, so its presence indicates that the cockerel is an inferior cross-breed.
This is just something to think about, but, I do think not protecting your motherland is a symbol cowardice, white feather or not.
– Vaanmathy
Tags: Cafe
