Wearing a poppy at job interview

[YouThank]

AIBU to wear a poppy on my shirt when I go to a job interview? I have two interviews lined up this week, one on Tuesday and one on Friday.

My sis says I shouldn't wear a poppy for an interview and certainly not after the remembrance day e.g. on the Friday.

I think we will just have to agree to disagree. From a unionist point of view I absolutely feel that ALL protagonists have done things they should be utterly ashamed of. What I find frustrating living back in Belfast is that things really are not any further forward and sectarianism is still very much alive, and there appears to now be the opinion that Sinn Fein are acceptable and the actions of the IRA have been forgotten about and the dialogue changed to it was everyone else’s fault (now even innocent war veterans), it is totally ok to attend the funeral of a senior IRA member but yet Poppy’s are offensive, with absolutely zero accountability shown for the heinous things republicans did for years.

Might depend on the job you're going for. In public sector where I'm an interviewing manager we discourage people from wearing any political symbols as we need to be seen as neutral. Even if you don't regard the poppy as political, many people do, so I would avoid anything of that ilk.

My point is the army only remained here for so long because the IRA were continuing a terror campaign. Had that not been the case they wouldn’t be here. I am aware they initially arrived to provide stability.

@MissMarks

I think we will just have to agree to disagree. From a unionist point of view I absolutely feel that ALL protagonists have done things they should be utterly ashamed of. What I find frustrating living back in Belfast is that things really are not any further forward and sectarianism is still very much alive, and there appears to now be the opinion that Sinn Fein are acceptable and the actions of the IRA have been forgotten about and the dialogue changed to it was everyone else’s fault (now even innocent war veterans), it is totally ok to attend the funeral of a senior IRA member but yet Poppy’s are offensive, with absolutely zero accountability shown for the heinous things republicans did for years.

You seem to be conflating condemnation of british army murders with support for the IRA. I haven't read anything on here from anyone supporting the IRA. I absolutely condemn the actions of the IRA, The loyalist paramilitaries (about whom you have been very quiet) and the british army.

Sinn Féin are a recognised political party who made a lot of concessions to achieve the GFA. The DUP, also a recognised political party, whilst not as clearly linked to paramilitaries, were also responsible, albeit indirectly, for a lot of nationalist murders. You just have to look at Ian Paisley's speeches and sermons to see that. Ian Paisley was an odious bigoted man who eventually realised that compromise was necessary and took the path of peace. By the end of his career, I had a lot of respect for him.

@MissMarks

My point is the army only remained here for so long because the IRA were continuing a terror campaign. Had that not been the case they wouldn’t be here. I am aware they initially arrived to provide stability.

That was not what you said. Talk about re-writing history......

Well it is what I meant. I meant here in general.
I am well aware of Sinn Féin’s part in the Good Friday agreement. That doesn’t mean I in anyway think they are acceptable. I have many nationalist and republican friends. The nationalists vote SDLP. The republicans still have strong IRA links. That is the reality. I personally find that very very hard but equally recognise it is the environment they grew up in but I still don’t condone it.

And I should also say I have no interest in the DUP either and would never vote for them.

@MissMarks

Well it is what I meant. I meant here in general. I am well aware of Sinn Féin’s part in the Good Friday agreement. That doesn’t mean I in anyway think they are acceptable. I have many nationalist and republican friends. The nationalists vote SDLP. The republicans still have strong IRA links. That is the reality. I personally find that very very hard but equally recognise it is the environment they grew up in but I still don’t condone it.

Well it is what I meant. I meant here in general.

It is debatable. They came in to quell the riots that came about as a result of loyalist and RUC attacks on civil rights marches. If there was no IRA but things had carried on in the same way, would the army have continued to attack those involved in civil rights campaigns? I don't know. The fact the army were in northern ireland and murdering civilians before the IRA campaign started suggests they may have continued to do so.

And I should also say I have no interest in the DUP either and would never vote for them.

Interesting that your condemnation of the DUP is much more muted than for Sinn Féin.

To compare the DUP and Sinn Fein is ridiculous. Which DUP politicians planted bombs, shot prison officers in the head, directed terrorism, where members of a paramilitary organisation and released under the Good Friday Agreement??
The DUP politicians are sectarian bigots and religious extremists but the last I checked they haven’t actually murdered anyone.

@MissMarks

To compare the DUP and Sinn Fein is ridiculous. Which DUP politicians planted bombs, shot prison officers in the head, directed terrorism, where members of a paramilitary organisation and released under the Good Friday Agreement?? The DUP politicians are sectarian bigots and religious extremists but the last I checked they haven’t actually murdered anyone.

Sammy Wilson, Ian Paisley, Nigel Dodds, Peter Robinson for starters. They may not have dirtied their hands directly, but they were certainly involved.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/27/troubled-past-the-paramilitary-connection-that-still-haunts-the-dup

Being on the periphery of loyalism is very different to planting bombs and going to prison for many many years. Have a read of Martina Anderson’s, Carol Cullians, Gerry Kelly’s, Alex Maskeys back stories and tell me they are comparable.

@MissMarks

Being on the periphery of loyalism is very different to planting bombs and going to prison for many many years. Have a read of Martina Anderson’s, Carol Cullians, Gerry Kelly’s, Alex Maskeys back stories and tell me they are comparable.

Setting up a paramilitary organisation and importing arms is very different to "being on the periphery of loyalism".

Do any of them have any actual convictions for this?? Or do we just have an article in the guardian? I am pretty sure if they had been charged with setting up a paramilitary organisation we would all know about it.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/dodds-urges-censure-of-paramilitary-linked-parties-1.397103%3fmode=amp

Would be very strange for Nigel Dodds to bring this forward if he himself had been a loyalist paramilitary, presumably whilst also studying for his law degree at Cambridge.

@MissMarks

I am pretty sure if they had been charged with setting up a paramilitary organisation we would all know about it.

Really? Given the level of collusion between the RUC and loyalists, the chances of them being charged with anything would have been slight.

I assume as a lack of conviction is all that's needed for respectability you have no issues with Gerry Adams?

It should be worn with pride up to and including 11th Nov. Genuinely surprised you're asking. Anyone who would question you wearing it is an ignorant twat.

Missmarks all I will add to this for you is, if you really want to learn about how the loyalist terrorists were funded and supported by the British army and government look up the Miami Showband massacre. There's a documentary on Netflix which can help. It's just over an hour long but it shows enough that you may well be encouraged to read up more. Knowledge is never wasted and you could benefit from learning (as everyone could about things they don't know about).

As I have said consistently/ many people on all sides did things that were abhorrent and wrong.
For me what is important is saying sorry for them and that hasn’t happened from Sinn Fein- now the second biggest party in NI, and it is something I personally really really struggle with.

And in fact- it isn’t just that they still haven’t said sorry, but still actively celebrate terrorism. Maria Cahill makes some very good points from a republican background.

I always wear a white peace poppy with pride end Oct/early Nov; including interviews

Can I ask where the money goes to from white poppies @EveryDayIsADuvetDay? Is it one charity like the red poppies, or different ones like my purple one?

@MissMarks

As I have said consistently/ many people on all sides did things that were abhorrent and wrong. For me what is important is saying sorry for them and that hasn’t happened from Sinn Fein- now the second biggest party in NI, and it is something I personally really really struggle with.

www.irishtimes.com/news/reaction-to-ira-apology-divides-along-usual-lines-1.1088767

There you go. An apology issued in 2002.

I wonder where you'll move the goalpost to next?

@MissMarks

And in fact- it isn’t just that they still haven’t said sorry, but still actively celebrate terrorism. Maria Cahill makes some very good points from a republican background.

How exactly do they actively celebrate terrorism?

It isn’t a proper apology- they are only apologetic for killing ‘non combatants’.
And with regards to actively celebrating terrorism- have a look at the local Facebook pages of Sinn Fein and republican socialist clubs were current politicians regularly appear to reminisce about the good old days of things such as the Maze escape.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

Can I ask where the money goes to from white poppies *@EveryDayIsADuvetDay*? Is it one charity like the red poppies, or different ones like my purple one?

White poppies are sold by the Peace Pledge Union ppu.org.uk

Organisations buy them to sell on - I can't remember if they are required to donate any surplus back to PPU, or donate to a charity of their choice. I usually get them at the Quaker centre near Euston - so whether quakers keep any surplus or donate it back to PPU I'm not that fussed.
Not sure about this year, but they had been becoming more readily available - last year I noticed them at a local university, and I introduced them to a charity I worked at alongside red ones.

Where do you buy purple ones @PinkSparklyPussyCat?
I've only ever tracked them down in metal badge form - and the one I bought was so tiny it could have been a representation of purple poo as much as a poppy!