Poppies

[BadFish]

*Deep Breath*

Okay so here is my question.

Why does everyone suddenly seem to be so up in arms about poppies?

Don't get me wrong I wear one every year and used to go to the burma star ceremony with my granddad and agree with the sentiment.

But! it seems like the last few years we are all over the top about it. The whole England team thing seemed completely over the top (according to football weekly England have never worn poppies in 37 competitive friendlies at the beginning of November - Football Weekly). Last year i remember outrage because someone didn't wear a poppy o the telly.

I just don't remember the country being so incensed about it. You wore your poppy or you didn't. So what is going on?

As Barry and Jimbo say have we all gone stark raving bonkers or is there something else?

 

[Napper]

Social networking sites !

 

[hitony]

I wouldn’t say it's any more "over the top" as you put it, than any other year, this is the first year there is sadly no one left alive to represent from the First World War but I am not sure if that would highlight it anymore?

As for people wearing Poppy’s on TV etc, I suspect it is the PC thing nowadays around this time of year, and without wishing to sound disrespectful but I can imagine that part of the production / wardrobe / make up teams job is to ensure anyone appearing on daytime telly and news, X factor etc etc and all those sort of programmes are wearing a poppy.

From a personal point of view, I don't often wear a poppy, not through choice but I just don’t really think about it, my Grandfather was a Squadron Leader in the Battle of Britain so my respect for everyone who has fought in the different wars and defended us is quite understandably immense.

And Yes, I did stop at 11am yesterday and gave 2 minutes silence, as I do every year.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

*Deep Breath*

Okay so here is my question.

Why does everyone suddenly seem to be so up in arms about poppies?

Don't get me wrong I wear one every year and used to go to the burma star ceremony with my granddad and agree with the sentiment.

But! it seems like the last few years we are all over the top about it. The whole England team thing seemed completely over the top (according to football weekly England have never worn poppies in 37 competitive friendlies at the beginning of November - Football Weekly). Last year i remember outrage because someone didn't wear a poppy o the telly.

I just don't remember the country being so incensed about it. You wore your poppy or you didn't. So what is going on?

As Barry and Jimbo say have we all gone stark raving bonkers or is there something else?

Heightened times? The British Army are currently out in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For the record I don't wear a poppy but I did observe the 2 minute silence.

I also found the FA/FIFA carry on embarrassing. I can totally understand FIFAs position with shirts. The FA made themselves look amateur again.

 

[Hillian1]

Royal Wooton Bassett is the answer.

Untill the people of the town realised what was happening with the repatriating of the Soldiers bodies and paying their respects all we ever heard on the news was "Another british Soldier has lost their life"

The town, to its eternal credit, was instrumental in raising peoples awareness that real people were being killed, the TV cameras started showing the Hearses with Union Jack draped coffins being driven through streets lined with ordinary people, the Families of the soldiers and ex-servicemen bearing dipped standards.

It has raised the general populations awareness that remembrance day is not only about the 2 World Wars it is about the recent and ongoing conflicts in which our servicemen continue to pay the ultimate sacrifice.

 

[ifuhatepalacestandup]

its called showing you care
BBC News - UK military deaths in Afghanistan: Full list

 

[BadFish]

its called showing you care
BBC News - UK military deaths in Afghanistan: Full list

Can you care without wearing a poppy?

 

[brunswick]

most who wear poppies contribute massively to kill the freedoms that those who died fought for.....how?

supporting govs that sold us to EU.
supporting banks that sold us to EU / Central banks.
supporting mega corps that are bigger than nations.

rant over.

 

[beorhthelm]

i would like to agree with Hillain1, but its not Royal Wooton Bassett. it is the FA fluffing around with something they should have known better about. if they hadn't raised the issue of poppy, it would have been another normal rememberance week, they've (ironically) politicised the issue this year.

 

[wunt be druv]

Royal Wooton Bassett is the answer.

Untill the people of the town realised what was happening with the repatriating of the Soldiers bodies and paying their respects all we ever heard on the news was "Another british Soldier has lost their life"

The town, to its eternal credit, was instrumental in raising peoples awareness that real people were being killed, the TV cameras started showing the Hearses with Union Jack draped coffins being driven through streets lined with ordinary people, the Families of the soldiers and ex-servicemen bearing dipped standards.

It has raised the general populations awareness that remembrance day is not only about the 2 World Wars it is about the recent and ongoing conflicts in which our servicemen continue to pay the ultimate sacrifice.

Amen to this,too many coffins coming home.I always wear a poppy,our family lost 5 members in the 1st. & 2nd. World wars.We have a debt of gratitude to those millions of men and women who paid the ultimate price to ensure we live in a country where we are free to express our thoughts and beliefs.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

i would like to agree with Hillain1, but its not Royal Wooton Bassett. it is the FA fluffing around with something they should have known better about. if they hadn't raised the issue of poppy, it would have been another normal rememberance week, they've (ironically) politicised the issue this year.

I agree. It was embarrassing. The FA knew the clear rules about shirts, and then engaged in a unnecessary and public debate. Idiots.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Can you care without wearing a poppy?

Of course you can.

 

[Pbseagull]

most who wear poppies contribute massively to kill the freedoms that those who died fought for.....how?

supporting govs that sold us to EU.
supporting banks that sold us to EU / Central banks.
supporting mega corps that are bigger than nations.

rant over.

The Royal British Legion use money raised on Poppy Day and at other events through the year to help thousands of ex-soldiers and their families. They also organise festivals, parades and church services of Remembrance.

 

[Clapham Old Mug]

It's not the poppy which counts. It's the donation you make to the Royal British Legion. Wear one and it may remind someone else to donate too...

 

[shaun_rc]

I went along to our local war memorial at 11am, and find the whole thing unspeakably sad, but was also really embarrassed by the FA. We're still behaving like spoiled children after not getting the World Cup.

As you say, in the 93 years and 37 games played at this time of year since 1918, it has never been an issue.

I am very disturbed that the poppy is being hijacked by Union Jack waving, Nationalist sentiment. I don't think the Union Jack should be used in conjunction with the poppy for example. Sorry for those who have died yes, but it seems to be starting to become something much more jingoistic, and yes, political, which is why FIFA are right.

After all, Iran or another similar country could wear something about their wars which would inflame the West.

The poppy has never been political, but we are starting to make it so, and I find that really disturbing as the original message is so important.

 

[ifuhatepalacestandup]

Can you care without wearing a poppy?

the clue was in the word showing

 

[Hillian1]

i would like to agree with Hillain1, but its not Royal Wooton Bassett. it is the FA fluffing around with something they should have known better about. if they hadn't raised the issue of poppy, it would have been another normal rememberance week, they've (ironically) politicised the issue this year.

I do agree to an extent that this year it got alot more attention due to the FA's beligerent crusade to score a point on FIFA.

Did they really believe that we would think less of the England team for not wearing poppies, personally I couldn't think less of this particular group of England players if they killed my pet cats.

Clarkson, love him or hate him, along with many other high profile celebrities have also helped raise awareness a great deal recently with the Help for Heros charity.

 

[Brovion]

For the first year ever I bought a poppy but didn't wear it. Or rather I did wear it but then took it off before the 11th. The final straw was the EDL protestor at FIFA with a banner emblazoned with a poppy symbol but bearing the slogan 'support our troops'. The poppy is (or is supposed to be) about remembrance, not about 'supporting' the British military. I was also appalled at the appearance of giant, outsize poppies that some people are wearing. I'd never seen them before but I was at a function on Friday night at there were about a dozen of them. This too is in direct conflict with the original meaning. When the War Graves Commission was first set up it was assumed that the war cemeteries in France and Belgium would be run like English churchyards, that is individuals would be responsible for their own memorials and thus those who could afford them could have big, lavish ones whilst the poorer Tommies would have to be satisifed with a cheap wooden plaque. It was decided that all memorials would be the same size, but now we have people flaunting their, well I don't know what it is, by wearing outsize poppies as if that makes them 'better' citizens than those with standard-sized ones.

The whole combination; outsize poppies, the EDL, the pathetic row with FIFA (football shirts at this time of year never used to have poppy symbols on them) and the bullying implication that not wearing one is somehow 'un-British' has all left a nasty taste in my mouth. Sadly I don't think it's going to get better any time soon which is a crying shame.

 

[TS90]

Propaganda

 

[Dave the OAP]

the clue was in the word showing

So someone buys a poppy and pins it to a coat, then wears another coat out without a poppy and goes out.

How does that tie in your views?