To not wear a poppy?

[Notjustmesurely]

I just don’t like how it’s expected or assumed you will wear one.
A friend at work bought me a poppy bracelet type thing which was kind of her but I literally wore it for that one shift and haven’t worn it since.
I appreciate its symbolism but don’t appreciate the assumption that everyone is going to be wearing one or HAS
to wear one to appreciate the cause.
If I were to wear one it would be for the conscripts who had no choice in the matter during the world wars. Not for the “modern day” political wars that the UK has involved itself in. Help for heroes and all that. The charity should come from the politicians who vote for it imo?
Newsreaders and celebs slated for not wearing one as well, what’s that all about.
Dunno it just all seems a bit fascist these days.
I always have and always will observe the two minutes silence tho.

I neither said nor implied that I think I am the only person who donates without taking a poppy. Nor do I think it makes those of us who do so superior to those that don't.

My only criticism was for the broach wearers who don't contribute as often as they might. I would rather people contribute more and displayed less, but that is just me. I accept others have different opinions and this is a very personal matter.

Like the OP I feel some disquiet at Poppy time and I welcomed the chance to contribute on her post as I think it is a subject that merits some reflection.
My personal solution, imperfect as it is and which you dislike, is to contribute to the fund because I think that the ex-servicemen and their bereaved families need financial support but not to wear a poppy. I will wear one if becomes acceptable to wear a white poppy alongside the traditional red one, but at the moment wearing a white poppy angers too many of my fellow Brits and I don't want to bring anger on Remembrance Day - I hope that doesn't further increase my superiority complex.

I don’t wear a poppy. I don’t donate. I observe the 2 minutes silence.

And people on this thread are saying no one cares 🙄

No, I won't wear one.

I have enamelled brooches as I can' t be bothered to faff

I still donate every year

It’s up to you.

I do because it shows support and the donated money, supports the care home fees covered for elderly veterans, the mental health support, the financial and benefits support for the ones currently serving who are in need of financial support and the family support to those lost in recent wars and the children and parents widowed and psychologically and physical support we where needed and the help to try and left homeless veterans off the streets.

@x2boys

Don't wear one then no one really care or will notice

And that is a shame and indicative of life these days. I blame the Telly. I blame the media, I blame people like Boris Johnson who taught and encouraged us to build houses on sand and vote brexit

If I’m in a situation where a poppy is expected, I wear a white poppy.

Not true. My grandfather was a highly decorated war hero. His death in WWII is rather proof of that. But I know what damage it did to my family. I’ll wear a poppy for peace.

It's a contentious issue - wearing a poppy where I live in Northern Ireland (the oldest British colony)

I would not judge anyone not wearing a poppy. I get a poppy every year but it often falls off.

The other thread proves that this is clearly not true.

If it helps - I hate waste so brought a enamelled brooch and knitted my kids poppy brooches rather than plastic bits that can not be recycled and damage the environments.
Every year we donate to the poppy appeal - I pray for peace and the kids pray for it too. The silence is the remember the fallen and those who sacrificed so much particularly in terms of WW1 and WW2 without which our governments and political landscape and our freedom would have been very different. We live in a country with equality laws and it might not be perfect but at least people aren’t executed for being gay or Christian.

Every year we gift the cost of our poppies to the poppy appeal making it 100% gift on our donations with nothing in return - no waste, no recycling.

I know many people with an enamel pin that do the same as me and equally know pins that people like me have brought I think mine was £35 and I gifted a £100 - far more than I would on a paper poppy perhaps and I do the same each year

This is the first year poppies have been plastic free. Enamel badges are a good thing.

My life in poppies has had three stages:

Growing up between Dublin and UK. Saw them as a British tradition, did not buy, did not wear.

Young adulthood, peace process, more open discussion of Irish military experience within the UK. Bought and wore if on sale in Dublin and always if I was in the UK, in respectful memory of soldiers of either nationality.

Roughly the last ten years. Repelled by pressure on public figures and sportsmen, including young Irishmen. Donate if I pass someone selling. Do not buy or wear.

I've a lot of respect for all commemorated with the poppy, and I donate happily to a wide range of causes, but I dislike the pressure to conform and the assumption that everyone is equally comfortable with this symbol. For same reason I don't wear a white / purple alternative. And I would never wear an Easter Lily in Ireland - I respect the people and their legacy, but not all of those who have taken up their cause over the years.

I observe the two minutes' silence if I'm anywhere public when it is happening - again, as I would in any reasonable cause.

I bought an enamel one last year - it cost 3-5 years worth of what I’d normally donate for a paper/plastic one.
(last year they were still plastic and they didn’t say that they were changing to all paper)

I don't care what you do although you might have done a bit of research and seen the 24 page thread on chat which is debating this very issue, I shall donate money and wear my new enamel poppy to the church service and the service at the local war memorial along side my Grandads George Cross and my DH will be wearing his Fathers Normandy Campaign Medal

Same. It’s not a token to say you donated to charity, it’s a symbol of respect for people who died in wars, so we could have freedom and the right to democracy rather than dictatorship.

It's incredible how many British people are unable to remember that.

It's incredible how many British people are unable to remember that.

It was over 400 years ago. Is it that surprising?

The treatment of James McClean influenced me directly to stop wearing the poppy. So far as I know he has always been respectful of those who wear it, but has asked people to respect his right not to.
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/james-mcclean-i-know-other-players-who-dont-want-to-wear-the-poppy-but-they-dont-want-the-hassle/a1117017136.html

Looking it up, I see that he has a recent diagnosis of autism. I have worked a lot with people with this diagnosis. I would say that being asked to follow a rule that is not enforced as a rule but expressed as a choice makes life difficult for many of them. When the real rule is "do this or fear the social pressure", we need to think about the society we want to create.

That's not to say McClean justifies his decision not to wear the poppy on those grounds; and I don't think it should be necessary to justify it at all.

That's a pretty rough estimate for the timeline of the Troubles.

Wow, someone needs a history lesson.

I do. To remember family who died in WWI, WW2, the Falklands and Iraq.

It always seems the people most vocal about how everyone should wear poppies are also the people most in favour of starting more wars.

And don't tell me it's optional, watch the daily mails reaction if an MP or newsreader dares to not wear one.

I’ve always felt mixed about it but in the end I really want to remember the huge sacrifices made during the two world wars by ordinary people, to keep us safe and free. I hope that as the last few people that remember it die, the ritual on 11/11 will make us remember and try and avoid the same mistakes (although that’s looking less and less likely).

I have direct debits to three different charities. I don't donate to the poppy fund or wear a poppy - nothing against it as a cause, it's just that I personally choose to support other charities. I find it a bit baffling that there is pressure to wear a poppy (eg newsreaders etc). Just because they may choose not to donate doesn't make them a bad or uncharitable person. Why on earth should we police anyone's charitable giving? It's completely up to each individual which charities to support (if they can afford to support any).