Monday 24 April 2006

The Upham medals are Upham's medals, not yours

Are New Zealanders the only ones to get so all out sanctimonious over things that are none of their business? I haven't commented on this yet since it seemed so clear that comment wasn't necessary. Sadly, it is. Talk still continues that the government should either use taxpayers' money to stump up the huge sums the medals are worth, ban them from leaving these shores, or simply confiscate the medals in 'the public good' -- in other words either rob 'Peter' to pay 'Paul,' or just simply rob 'Paul.' Either would be equally wrong.

Charles Upham's medals belonged to Charles Upham. He earned them. Twenty years ago Charles Upham was offered US$1 million up front for his complete set including the Victoria Cross & Bar, Greek Medal of Honour and African Star if he left them to the buyer in his will, an offer which he turned down, leaving them to his family instead with the full knowledge that they themselves could earn such a sum if they wished.

So the medals are the property of his family, and now they've been offered something substantially more, why the hell shouldn't they take it if they wish to? The medals are not your property; they are not 'common property'; they are Upham property, and as Amanda Upham told the Sunday Star, they want to sell.
Her logic for selling the medals, which have been on loan to the military museum at Waiouru since her father's death in 1994, is simple. "I see little point in having a valuable asset when we don't even get to see it. If they were worth a dollar, we would not be selling them, but as they are worth a lot more than a dollar it seems a very stupid person who wouldn't sell them."
If you own something valuable and you choose to sell it that's your business, so what makes the Upham's business your business? Is this just another example of the great mass of New Zealanders wanting something for nothing? Of everyone wanting to mind everyone else's business?

Leave Amanda Upham and her sister alone. Mind your own business.

LINKS: Charles Upham's daughters should spurn cash - Rosemary McLeod, Sunday Star
Daughter explains desire to sell medals - Sunday Star

TAGS: New_Zealand, Heroes

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

If the Rosemary McClod's of this world want a VC and Bar they should pick up a fucking gun and go and earn it the way Charles did:

Charging German troop lorries and tanks with a pistol and a sack of hand grenades.

But seeing as the Cluck government so abhors war and VCs - to the point of appointing a minister for disarmament, abolishing the strike arm of the air force and the 2 extra ANZAC frigates and abolishing the VC in favour of some politically correct NZ knock off - one wonders why they give a shit at all. I mean, what ever happened to the RNZN troop ship that bore Charles' name?

In fact - why don't all the shit-heads who are giving the Uphams a hard time band together and raise the $3.3 million between themselves privately?

Why? Because the ~DO~ want something for nothing...

McClod was right, Charles Upham had class, the pin heads who want to appropriate the Upham's property by force (including McClod) have none.

Anonymous said...

The irony is that it was against these very sort of people that Upham was fighting which earned him those medals.

Little Red Riding Hood said...

Talk to anyone over 60 and they'll tell you that Upham's medals should be owned and available to the public.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

Pretty presumptuous to claim you know what everyone over 60 thinks.

Anonymous said...

Good and seeing as most people over 60 are in their twilight years and have more assets than the rest of us - let ~THEM~ buy the fucking things and preserve the very thing that Charles Upham and his contemporary soldiers were fighting for: The right to be free and its corrollary, the right to do what you want with your own property.

Sir Charles Upham VC & Bar left those medals to his daughters in his will. Those were his last wishes.

Who the fuck are YOU or anyone else to countermand them? What gives you that right?

What even gives you the right to even clear your throat on the topic of Sir Charles Upham, VC & Bar? Did you fight with Charles in Crete and Egypt? Did you suffer the Prison Camps with Charles. I doubt it, you haven't even got the balls to use your real name!

You -anonymous - and your cohorts are just another bunch of second-handers, grasping shit-heads who think they have a right to someone elses property without paying for it with your ~OWN~ cash!

You make me sick to my stomach.

Anonymous said...

Pardon, that should read:

You -Pamziewamzie- and your cohorts are just another bunch of second-handers, grasping shit-heads who think they have a right to someone elses property without paying for it with your ~OWN~ cash!

Anonymous said...

What kind of moron wants to buy someone else's medal anyway...???

Anonymous said...

"What kind of moron wants to buy someone else's medal anyway...???"

Maybe someone who understands what it signifys and the blood,sweat and tears that were spilled to earn it...?

Maybe someone who respects the price payed by the recipient for the freedom we enjoy today?

Maybe by someone who wants to honour the memory of the medal winner and the millions of others who recived no offical recognition for their efforts...?

Least we forget......?....mmmmm!

Dave said...

OY OY OY Robert Winefield - whats this about over 60's. Watch it mate, or the beer fridge will be empty on your next visit!

Dad

Anonymous said...

Yeah and Manahi should have got his when recommended by 5 generals in 43' not a pretty sword 60 yrs later. now that's bullshit. Oh yeah, Maori gotta die gettin theirs eh cuz...