To remind you all of this BEFORE the Poppy becomes a divisive symbol

[OneAmusedShark]

That in the First and Second World Wars, literally hundreds as thousands of black and Asian people fought for Britain.

They answered the call, as volunteers, to fight in the trenches side by side with white British soldiers.

Soldiers from Africa, the Caribbean and what is now India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs…
they all did their bit.

Winston Churchill is on record praising them. He said “The bravery of Indian soldiers, both Hindu and Muslim, is unparalleled in the history of warfare”,

Don’t forget also the Eastern Europeans who fought the Nazis alongside us,
especially the Polish airmen.

And remember this, when the Americans came over with their segregated units,
and tried to impose segregation in local pubs and cafes near where they were stationed, Churchill refused to assist them.

Remember the Battle of Bamber Bridge where white US military police tried to stop black troops from drinking in certain pubs, and the local British population sided with the black troops.

So if you’re white British, next time you see someone of African, Caribbean or Asian heritage, just remember that their Grandfather or Great Grandfather or Great Great Grandfather may have fought alongside yours in WW1 or WW2.

When we wear the Poppy,
we remember ALL of them and give thanks for their sacrifice.

How?

When I was at school there was no mention of any of the other nations that fought with the British apart from America and the French resistance. I hope it has changed but without other education why would others from my class know more. I’m Indian heritage so did know (although I have no family background).

I think the other areas of the world wars are forgotten- VJ Day in the UK seems almost an afterthought in commemoration.

I wear a poppy to remember two young men who were killed in friendly fire in Iraq in the first gulf war (American planes mistook the tank for enemy tank). One had a brother in my class. The mother of the other ran a local shop.

Soldiers don’t get to pick and choose where they are deployed. At that time many signed because in our area there were very few jobs. Whether it is peace keeping that a lot of the country support or the second Gulf War that are very unpopular there isn’t a choice to opt out (I did not support that second).

I have attended the Festival of Remembrance and it is anything but glorying of war. It is a sobering reminder of the consequences.

Some evidently don’t. Some people still insist that Remembrance Sunday is ‘glorifying war’. Often a case of either stupidity or wilful ignorance, or both.

Education doesn’t begin and end at school. Plenty of ways to educate yourself if you’re interested and can be bothered.

Indeed. God forbid we'd attribute admirable qualities to working-class white Northerners from the '40s

Very well said OP. Poppies represent the sacrifices others made to keep us safe.

You need different glasses, then.

In any case, wasn’t Ireland neutral during WW2? Along with e.g, Spain and Sweden. So it’s not going to mean the same to a country whose population didn’t fight.

Quite. I live in Bamber Bridge. I know lots of very elderly people who were children at the time and do remember it. They remember their fathers/brothers/uncles being involved and all of them are very proud of the fact that they stood up against racism.

People have been concerned about poppies being used to promote unquestioning support for the British armed forces for a very long time - it’s the reason white poppies were first made back in 1933.
I did wear a white poppy for a while because they commemorate all deaths in war, civilian as well as military, which red poppies don’t. Then I stopped because white poppies seemed to symbolise an absolutist pacifism which I wouldn’t necessarily subscribe to.
Red poppies are iconic as purely historical commemoration and remembrance of the world wars. But I think when taken beyond that they can be misused. It distorts thinking about war in general just to make it about ’brave British sacrifices’, excluding wider deaths and suffering. This was really jarring for me around the time of the war in Iraq. And I do hate perfomativeness and ‘poppy-shaming’ which is a million miles away from individuals wearing poppies to remember family members who died.

I had an interesting conversation with my daughter (early 20s) yesterday. She hasn’t bought a poppy in years and says she sees it as a bit like the England flags/jingoistic.
Also that it was to honour the people who fought and died and they’re pretty much all gone now so it’s time to let it fade away. Otherwise why not have a collection for the Battle of Hastings!
I do always donate but agree it feels a bit tainted now. Maybe it will fade away in my lifetime.

The people who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan are not "gone".

OP You are just enforcing Poppy Fascism.

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER Ireland produced more volunteers per head of population than any other country except New Zealand. The country was neutral but many of its people saw the threat and volunteered, despite that not necessarily being a popular stance in the view of the Irish government of the day.
I wear a poppy in remembrance; of my great grandfather, killed on the Somme, of my great uncle shot down over Berlin and of my school mate, killed in Afghanistan. And of the others, the dead, the injured and the families left behind.
I fundraise for the RBL and the key point is clearly stated "The poppy is not political".
People will disagree and that is their right. I'd just ask them to reflect on the cost of securing that right.

Yes, I should have made it clear that I knew there were a great many Irish volunteers, despite the official neutrality.

Don't be so silly.

My father was in the 2WW. He was in Singapore. He always refused to wear a poppy or acknowledge the ceremonies that took place on 11th November.

I do not know why but suspect the sight of tanks rolling by turned his stomach. I too feel that way.

I don't wear a poppy out of respect to him - I have no idea what he suffered, but he was an intelligent man - he will have had his reasons. I remember him dur9ing the 2 minutes silence.

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER
It wasn't a dig at you, I just wanted to make the point about the volunteers and to try and also make the point that the poppy, and the idea of remembrance is ongoing, it didn't stop in 1945.
I was collecting for the RBL this week and a soldier's mother said to me "Every day is Remembrance Day for somebody".

I think one of the main benefits of it now is to remind people that our grandparents fought nazis and rejected their ideology, not voted for people who admire them.

Yes a lot of people don’t. And some that do, prefer to believe it’s some sort of untrue woke nonsense.

My father was an officer in the Royal Navy for many years both in peacetime and times of conflict. For him, ordinary people wearing poppies was a mark of respect for all those who have given their lives or continued to serve in defence of our way of life.
I always remember when he was at a rememberance event and a person next to him said it promoted empire and war mongering.
His quiet reply was:
" I don't agree with you but you can sleep soundly in your bed because people like me will stand up against foreign aggressors and defend your right to voice your opinion."
Sums it up really.
So I wear a poppy for our past armed forces personnel and those who still serve.

Quite a lot of people in the UK or their families are originally from her former colonies.
For many of those people the UK was the foreign aggressor. Yet they’re still expected to wear the poppy or face condemnation.

Likewise, the treatment of James McClean from NI regarding his choice not to wear a poppy has been totally unfair.

The British army committed atrocities in his home city.

He is on record saying he would have absolutely no issue with the WW remembrance aspect and is very supportive of this, but he simply cannot support the British armed forces.

This almost enforced aspect of poppy wearing in some situations is problematic. You can see on this thread alone how some pp are describing those who don’t agree with them and it’s not in any way neutral.

Nobody would ever pretend that the Victorian expansion of empire was a good thing for the native populations, but that was a century or more ago and does not reflect modern British values. Subsequently many citizens of old empire fought alongside British troops and are also commemorated on Rememberance Day.
However, the fact that you as a British resident can actually choose whether to show support for the armed forces or our government by wearing a poppy is part of the values that were hard fought for in both world wars by professional soldiers and ordinary people from both Britain, the Commonwealth and Empire.
I believe the current armed forces still defend those democratic rights.
Would you then get rid of the armed forces and allow the likes of Putin and Xi to spread their malevolent influences over undefended countries?
Democracy comes at a cost.
Showing support for the defenders of these values either by the small gesture of wearing a poppy or supporting the armed forces in other less visible ways is, IMO a small price to pay for our freedom.

In some cases you CANNOT choose to NOT wear a poppy. Think tv channels, everyone has one pinned on. Forced on people, regardless of the beliefs or nationality. I'll say it again-Poppy Fascism.

Would you then get rid of the armed forces and allow the likes of Putin and Xi to spread their malevolent influences over undefended countries?

I am not clear how are armed forces are currently achieving this laudable aim.

Their malevolent influences are spread via the ether; or by dropping bombs. Have we in any way stopped these bombs with our armed forces?

I am not saying we do not need armed forces, but the world has moved on.

our - not are