[Misc] White poppy?

[Eeyore]

White poppy = PC Bollocks from a bunch of *****. Wearing a Poppy is a mark of respect for people who gave their lives and or were injured. In the main poor working class men who had very little or no choice. The first person who tells me I'm a warmonger for wearing one and supporting these people it is likely to have their own personal war about 2 seconds later...

What is it with people who have to disparage genuine and well intentioned sacrifice to make a sad political point? Respect for the people who served the country is an entirely different thing to supporting say the war in Iraq, one is duty, the other is a corrupt decision made by governments. How difficult is it to see the difference?

So, not being a warmonger, you don't fancy talking about it first....

What harm do they do ? Except that which is imagined. Folk place their own interpretations on them. You have chosen to see a threat neither intended or present. Those who wear them feel for those who suffered as much as you.

The red poppy is a symbol of remembering, the white a hope for the end to wars. I have no problem with either. For me neither takes from the other.

To respect those who have fallen is to hope that such circumstances never arise again. But they will. There will always be warmongers among us.

How is this 'PC bollocks' ? How is the desire for lives to be spared in future 'PC bollocks' ? The countless young men and women who will be asked by governments of all nations to lay down their lives for dubious causes will never dwindle. We will always remember them, always. Loyal, faithful, revered. True heroes.

Many past conflicts have been just. WWII not least. But to me, questions need to be asked about how such outstanding young folk should protect us to the fullest of honour. Not for political follies and empirical ideology.

Red to remember, white to hope. I have no problem with that.

 

[SussexSeahawk]

I completely agree that wearing a red poppy SHOULD solely be about remembrance, and for most people it is, but there is also a whole load of b*llsh*t out there from a variety of newspapers and britain first etc. that try to make wearing a poppy to be about much more than remembrance, by shaming those who don't wear one and generally politicising it. I can therefore understand why some people are uncomfortable wearing a red poppy: I certainly am more uncomfortable wearing it now than I was a few years ago before it became such a contentious issue.

Can't we just agree that wearing a poppy (of whatever colour) has a different meaning for different people? I'm pretty sure that anyone wearing a poppy of any colour (and probably also those not wearing any) are remembering and grateful to those who have sacrificed their lives for this country. If you also choose to remember those who have sacrificed their lives for other countries (at least those who did not sign up for war for evil reasons) it's hardly a bad thing.

 

[pastafarian]

White Poppy for this lot?
No thank you.

 

[Seasidesage]

What pretentious garbage.

Where has it been said that wearers of the white poppy aren't showing respect for the dead?

As for your warmongering comment, can you spot the irony?

My opinion is pretentious because it doesn't align with yours? Take your head out of your arse. I have seen that very opinion concerning warmongering spouted several times by proponents of the white poppy. The Red poppy is about Remembrance and fund raising to look after the injured, not about politics in any way.

 

[Wilko]

Don’t make me laugh.
“What about our troops who are trying to kill other people”... bloody heroes the lot of them.
And the fact that you are even bothered about enemy troops sums up how pathetic you are!
And quite what the hell living abroad or learning about other cultures has absolutely anything to do with how pathetic and disrespectful those white poppy’s are I don’t know!

Well, if you must know I will be wearing the red poppy albion badge. Your view that our troops are always heroes and that everyone else is a bad guy however is how I thought when I was about 6 years old. Why should I not be bothered when another human loses their life in often futile circumstances? Would I care for a Palace fan that was stabbed by a Brighton fan over a fight over football? Yes I would.

Call me a leftie looney if you like but losing lives for the sake of a battle is often and usually tragic, it cannot be as simple as our guys are the good guys and the others are all nasty. In any war thousands upon thousands of innocent civilians die and you are saying that unless they are British then it does not matter? We will have to disagree.

 

[atfc village]

What about our troops who are trying to kill other people? I love how the media brainwashes people that our guys must be by definition brave, wonderful good guys and anyone on another side is an evil, sadistic, murdering brute.

And not just the media.

 

[Seasidesage]

So, not being a warmonger, you don't fancy talking about it first....

What harm do they do ? Except that which is imagined. Folk place their own interpretations on them. You have chosen to see a threat neither intended or present. Those who wear them feel for those who suffered as much as you.

The red poppy is a symbol of remembering, the white a hope for the end to wars. I have no problem with either. For me neither takes from the other.

To respect those who have fallen is to hope that such circumstances never arise again. But they will. There will always be warmongers among us.

How is this 'PC bollocks' ? How is the desire for lives to be spared in future 'PC bollocks' ? The countless young men and women who will be asked by governments of all nations to lay down their lives for dubious causes will never dwindle. We will always remember them, always. Loyal, faithful, revered. True heroes.

Many past conflicts have been just. WWII not least. But to me, questions need to be asked about how such outstanding young folk should protect us to the fullest of honour. Not for political follies and empirical ideology.

Red to remember, white to hope. I have no problem with that.

The harm that they do is the attempt to paint the 'standard' poppy as in some way glorifying war? Why the need for another Poppy otherwise? Does anyone seriously want to see another war? Even that idiot Trump has managed to avoid that thus far, wearing a Red poppy directly benefits those who made a sacrifice for their country. Servicemen don't get to pick and choose which conflicts they are sent to. Blame for wars lies solely with politicians.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

Why should I care about the people that were trying to kill our troops?

 

[Seasidesage]

I completely agree that wearing a red poppy SHOULD solely be about remembrance, and for most people it is, but there is also a whole load of b*llsh*t out there from a variety of newspapers and britain first etc. that try to make wearing a poppy to be about much more than remembrance, by shaming those who don't wear one and generally politicising it. I can therefore understand why some people are uncomfortable wearing a red poppy: I certainly am more uncomfortable wearing it now than I was a few years ago before it became such a contentious issue.

Can't we just agree that wearing a poppy (of whatever colour) has a different meaning for different people? I'm pretty sure that anyone wearing a poppy of any colour (and probably also those not wearing any) are remembering and grateful to those who have sacrificed their lives for this country. If you also choose to remember those who have sacrificed their lives for other countries (at least those who did not sign up for war for evil reasons) it's hardly a bad thing.

That's just it, it really doesn't have anything to do with Britain 1st whatever that is or any other political opinion. It's a mark of respect for the sacrifice. The media may wish to hijack it but that's not its purpose. No one other than the deliberately biased or those with another agenda can see collecting a few coins to help the injured in any other light. The very reason you have become uncomfortable about wearing a Red one, is because things like the White poppy have attempted to politicise a good cause.

 

[Whitechapel]

I wouldn't expect our enemies to mourn our troops and I won't mourn theirs.
The white poppy suggests that we should mourn anyone that has died in war, including Nazi's and stretches as far as members of ISIS.

Most Germans who died in WW2 would have been young blokes fighting for the same reason our troops would have been. Roped in to it due to a mixture of patriotism and camaraderie. Whilst I will be buying a red poppy, not a white one I think it's important to remember that most of the soldiers who died fighting British troops weren't monsters plucked from the pages of comic books, they were young, naive and scared young men who just happened to be born in another country.

 

[Creaky]

If we, via taxation, supported ex-service men and women the way we should then there would be no need for a charity to fill the gap. The care taken of our ex-military is a disgrace, from housing, employment and health to family care.

The poppy shouldn’t be a symbol to say the wearer has made a monetary contribution but a reminder to those seeing it of those who have paid the ultimate price.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The poppy was the only thing that grew in the mud, chaos and filth of the war.

In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' Fields.



The poppy is

A symbol of Remembrance and hope
Worn by millions of people
Red because of the natural colour of field poppies

The poppy is NOT

A symbol of death or a sign of support for war
A reflection of politics or religion
Red to reflect the colour of blood

 

[drew]

My opinion is pretentious because it doesn't align with yours? Take your head out of your arse. I have seen that very opinion concerning warmongering spouted several times by proponents of the white poppy. The Red poppy is about Remembrance and fund raising to look after the injured, not about politics in any way.

 

[wellquickwoody]

I love how the media brainwashes people that our guys must be by definition brave, wonderful good guys and anyone on another side is an evil, sadistic, murdering brute.

If and when our guys are saving your arse, would you like to be the one to tell them that they are no different to the evil, sadistic, murdering brutes on the other side? Think you might find yourself on your own.

 

[el punal]

The white poppy is designed to raise money and remember all victims of war, including those that we fought against. Why should I care about the people that were trying to kill our troops? And why are they suddenly deciding to sell them at the same time as the British Legion?

I'll be wearing a red poppy and only a red poppy with pride.

Absolutely!

 

[swindonseagull]

As Ex RAF (30 years) i wear my RED poppy from the first day I see them on sale until the last day of November, I wear my medals at the Remberance Parade on Remeberance Sunday.

If people want to wear a white poppy then they can do it anytime of the year....Why try and piggy back the red poppy which is worn in November due to the end of World War One and Armastice day.

11.11.18 Lset we forget.

 

[Wilko]

Most Germans who died in WW2 would have been young blokes fighting for the same reason our troops would have been. Roped in to it due to a mixture of patriotism and camaraderie. Whilst I will be buying a red poppy, not a white one I think it's important to remember that most of the soldiers who died fighting British troops weren't monsters plucked from the pages of comic books, they were young, naive and scared young men who just happened to be born in another country.

Well said.

 

[Bodian]

The White Poppy is not some modern PC affair. It has been worn by people for around 80 years - not many fewer years than the red poppy.

The Red Poppy is to remember only British Armed Forces "It was adopted by The Royal British Legion in 1921 as a symbol for the Poppy Appeal in aid of those serving in the British Armed Forces." (from BL website).

The white poppy is to remember all the dead from wars. This doesn't just mean 'the enemy fighters' but all the other ancillary services caught up in wars, and all the civilians.

So - those of you on this thread saying that it is wrong to be thinking about dead military who were 'against us', I'm presuming that you have some sympathy for others killed on 'our side'? So what would you suggest to remember/commemorate all those killed in the blitz in London, killed in the bombing in Coventry, killed driving red cross ambulances to retrieve those injured in battle, killed whilst trying to put out fires in burning buildings after bombing. The Red Poppy doesn't do that, or help them. So what should we have instead?

 

[portslade seagull]

Red poppy all day long for me. If they need a white poppy day choose a different date and don't dishonour the brave souls who sacrificed their lives to keep you free

 

[Brian Potter]

I am a veteran, so it's red all the way for me. When I was in Germany, many of the German civvy staff would attend our remembrance services.

They have there own day called Vlokstrauertag which remembers both those who died in the two world wars and all those who died as a result of oppresive governments in Germany including the Nazis.

Once you get beyond the politics, there is a shared experience on both sides that is to be respected. I have drunk far far too much on several occasions in the company of some of the old German veterans from WWII.

Oh yeah, and I can't say I am overkeen on the joint poppy/club badge affairs. I am sure they are worn with good intention, but I guess I am a purist.