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.

‘Just like all charities, the Royal British Legion invites you to support them and to wear a poppy.’

exactly. Marie Curie invites me to wear a little yellow flower in support of their charity, AIDS charities a red ribbon, animal charities it’s often a little animal - INVITES being the word there.
No-one should be booed for not wearing one ( as some footballers are) or criticised for not wearing one on telly.
It’s like a bloody cult, this poppy thing.

You are absolutely right 🤗

I wear a poppy and I always will. It has been something that my parents taught us the importance of when we were little because 3 of our grandparents served in WW2 and our great grandfathers served in WW1.

I married a service man, who did 35 years in the RAF and now our son has, also, served 9yrs in the army. The Royal British Legion do incredible work for veterans, those serving and their families. I, also, want to remember people who I’ve known who have died serving and as a result of their service after they’ve left.

I appreciate that people with close connections to the military probably feel differently about Remembrance Sunday and the Poppy Appeal, but no one actually cares if you wear one and you don’t need to make an announcement about it.

Imo of you want to wear a wanky, virtue signalling white poppy you should chose one of the other 364days of the year to do so.

They definitely are. And I don't think you'll get a different response from other serving or former members of the forces to be honest.

A few posters have pointed out that they were historically well-intended. Sadly those are almost never the reasons behind wearing them now, at least not in my experience. If they were I'd be less angered by it.

Thing is, the poppy is a symbol of those who have gone and not returned, doing what they felt they had to do or were told they had to do. It glorifies nothing, or certainly shouldn't though it perhaps comforts those they left behind. It symbolically acknowledges my grandfather's cousin, killed in Normandy a week after he landed on Sword beach aged 18. And my grandmother's uncle, killed in northern France in 1917. It remembers the three lads who left my village in 1914 and died together in 1915 at Loos. Normal lads who didn't get the chance to grow older. They weren't invaders. They were doing what they were told was right and believed it was. Their deaths weren't of any specific importance. But overall the multiple weren't in vain - no man is an island and all that. Sometimes somebody has to stand up against an aggressor.

Wear it or not, as I said I don't care and I won't judge you and I massively respect the poster above who would not wear it because of what happened during her childhood in Northern Ireland (not the British Army's proudest operation). Interesting about the Congo being mentioned too. My mum (yeah, I kiss her with this mouth) was a refugee from there three times in the sixties, her mother having had to leave Belgium in 1940 as a refugee ... The latter appreciated the efforts of the Allied citizen soldiers from all the villagers that allowed her to return home.

"Imo of you want to wear a wanky, virtue signalling white poppy you should chose one of the other 364days of the year to do so"

Yes, absolutely.

Agree. It's the way people declare it as though it gives them some kind of moral high ground, whilst often at the same time sneering at those who wear the traditional red poppy. No, I promise you, most people just look at you wearing it and think you're a complete nitwit.

The white poppy is worn in remembrance of all those who died in war, including those soldiers and family members mentioned above, so Remembrance Sunday is the appropriate time to wear it and there is no need to be angry about it.

What is the alternative message you are taking from a white poppy that would make you angry?

What is the alternative message you are taking from a white poppy that would make you angry?

Has anyone expressed anger? I haven’t read the whole thread.

Yes, read the thread.

Oh I just thought you were doing that passive aggressive thing of pretending people are “angry”, in response to MY non angry post. I certainly will go and look for all the anger now.

I find it strange that anyone would see this as a peaceful generation, given what’s happening around the world, and how the current conflicts in Ukraine/Russia and Israel/Palestine have direct links to the destruction and massacre that occurred in WW2.

“A bit fascist” 🙄

Er, no, it was wrong then too. It’s just that a minority spoke up

You don’t have to look far…just above you -

“A few posters have pointed out that they were historically well-intended. Sadly those are almost never the reasons behind wearing them now, at least not in my experience. If they were I'd be less angered by it.”

Further back, a poster calling people wearing them “disrespectful c….ts”.

I’m trying to understand why anyone would find a white Poppy offensive.

They were absolutely the wrong thing judged by the standards of Africans at the time.

How so?

Nothing I said was factually inaccurate. Many thousands of Irishmen died.

It's perfectly possible put respect for them above hatred and many do. I guess it depends where your priorities lie.

I hate it when people buy a handmade blingy poppy but don't donate.

I think it shows respect. I bought the traditional type yesterday.

I've not heard of the white poppy. Off to Google.

The poppy and the legion are all about support of all who served in British military forces. The reason so many Irish served in the British forces in the first world war was due to the oppression and appalling conditions in Ireland that were enforced by said forces (yes, I know that not all joined for that reason). To celebrate those is an insult to those who joined up. The Irish economy was still very poor by the time of the second WW as a result of the British legacy so again economic reasons were very common. And of course there was the continuing situation of NI.

That you cannot see that shows your lack of knowledge. Commemorating oppressors is not showing respect for those caught up in the situation. There are many alternative ways to respect and commemorate that don't involve disrespect to ones own people and history.

Not wearing a poppy isn't hatred.

Nobody has spoken about hatred here except you. When you equate not wearing the poppy with hatred, you demonstrate the kind of attitude makes people uncomfortable wearing it

It is perfectly possible to respect the memory of the dead, including Irish soldiers in the British army, without wearing a poppy.

As pp said choosing not to wear a poppy is not a message of hatred. It does not mean people don't respect those who died in the World Wars.

You are wrong if you think poppies are worn by 'many' Irish people in Ireland. Only a tiny minority wear them.

I pay £5 and wear a blind poppy some years. This year on holiday so not wearing one. It's optional not mandatory unless your job requires it.

I’ll be wearing a white poppy this year. In the current climate it’s more important than ever to advocate for peace and the safety of civilians. War is not the answer. I feel that unfortunately the red poppy has been hijacked by those who wish to glamourise militarism.