Ds, Remembrance Day, white poppy- Daily Mail do your worst!

[BertrandRussell]

We are a pacifist family and we have always worn a red and a white poppy together at this time of the year. This year 17 year old ds has chosen to wear a white one on it's own to his school remembrance service. I probably could have insisted he wear the two together as usual-should I have done? He was asked to take a significant role in the service and declined- the Head was very accepting of his reasons. I don't think he's just being a teenage dick-he's wearing a suit and has cleaned his shoes (is there anything more heart melting than a nearly adult boy in a suit?)-but ..but...what should I have done?

as is our family's usual practice

A practice you wouldn't have the privilege to have had those soldiers not fought for your country and lost their lives. I'm sure the soldiers of other countries died also but they did not do so to save the futures of everyone in Britain. Of course all lives are to be respected but Remembrance day is just that-to remember those who fought to save us.
Being a 'pacifist family' is a middle class self indulgence that they never had. 'Surely freedom is about being able to choose'-yes, on any other day. Can't people just give this one day, the silence and the respect enough to do something that isn't about themselves, to respect what others gave?
Get over yourself.

I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the Vietnam war, as if further argument against war was needed 😀

yes, on any other day

You don't get to put restrictions on freedom of choice. Otherwise it is NOT freedom of choice.

I prefer to support a charity that doesn't accept donations from arms dealers

Yes, twatty, that doesn't sit comfortably with me, either.

I hate the phrase 'anti-war'. Is there actually anyone who is 'pro-war', other than a few dictators? Certainly no one rational is.

I was an angst ridden teenage pacifist too. I ended up joining the Army and served in the Balkans. I am proud to have been a member of a peace keeping force, protecting the lives of vulnerable and displaced people. I am still a pacifist. Red poppies and pacifism are not mutually exclusive.

Scaryteacher Not your problem but, that picture’s making me feel ill and I can’t unsee it. (Trypophobia).

Last week this very subject came up on radio, I think LBC. The ‘expert’ whom I can’t remember Said the Red poppy was commemorating all British soldiers who had died during the wars and the whit poppy was commemorating all soldiers who had died in any war/conflict, eg including the IRA and ISIS soldiers.
On that basis, i wouldn’t wear a white poppy.

And I find the attempt to discredit Harry Smith more distasteful than anything I have read for a long time

Read what I wrote. I have followed HLS on Twitter for years. I have also purchased his book Harry's Last Stand. His tweets have changed in the last 4-5 years and I no longer believe he writes them.

He also publicised his decision to no longer wear a poppy as he believed it meant the wearers supported the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghan - which is far from the truth. The sale of the RBL Poppy provides the support that should be coming from the Government - including his beloved Labour (who sent us into Iraq in the first place, remember?)

It's deeply ironic that some people have resorted to personal attacks on OP and seem to object to her raising this issue at all. It's the very reverse of what those soldiers died for.

The white poppy people are very fluffy about where the money goes and I would like more detail.

I wouldn't worry about the Harry twitter accoubt, he's not written on that for years and the far left just use it as a way to push their agenda.

These people fought and died under horrendous conditions for political and economical gain not for some imagined "rights"

When would it be appropriate to stand up and say I think this was wrong and these people shouldn't have had to die if not the only day in the year when people are thinking about it?

Is there actually anyone who is 'pro-war', other than a few dictators?

There are people, pacifists even, who certainly seem to thrive on a bit of conflict?

I'm sure the soldiers of other countries died also but they did not do so to save the futures of everyone in Britain.

But British soldiers didn't die purely to save the futures of everyone in Britain. Look at our reasons for going to war in the first place, in both world wars. And fighting in Iraq didn't have a whole lot to do with that, either.

A red poppy commemorates the sacrifice made by soldiers. White poppies remember all those who died and the incredible loss suffered during war. I don’t see anything wrong with wearing a white poppy. It encompasses more than just military dead.

While some people wear red and white poppies for different reasons, this is my reasoning behind choosing a white poppy.
I often wear a red one as well.
But the white poppy does remember ALL who have died.

WhyDidIEatThat.
Indeed.

Scareyteacher That is beautiful

Thank You for sharing that with us .

Could start a fight in an empty room

If you spend your time focused on the colour of poppy someone is wearing it says more about you imo.

The thing is the white poppy doesn't support or help the british legion, so none of the money goes towards paying for care, offering guidance, or just providing someone to talk to, for wounded service men and women, widows of people who have served and their families.

You've a right to choose what you want to wear, but when doing so spare a thought for the millions that died or been injured giving you that right and spare a thought for the people who have died or been injured in recent conflicts too.

Where does the white poppy money go?

People pick & choose their charities to donate to every day. I have a lot of respect for the RBL - they have helped my family & many others i know - but pressurising people into donating is wrong.

Totally and utterly disrespectful. Choose a different day to make your stupid political statement. Not at a time of year dedicated to remembering the sacrifice so many made.

I used to wonder why so many people refused to wear poppies because personally i have never had comments about the ones i choose to wear. This thread has shown me the reasons. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. It is really sad that people think they have the right to vilify others because they choose to remember differently.

Incidentally- not wearing a red poppy does not mean that you haven't bought one.

I don't wear a poppy any more, I'm fed up with people like posters on here policing how others do or do not show "respect'. The colour of the poppy, whether it's worn or not has no impact on the actual fallen. I give to Combat Stress at this time of year, instead of the British Legion.

@VillersBretonneux Oh I know, but I don't see how a white poppy could be disrespectful. But I'm in NI where the red poppy has a different significance.