why do you wear a poppy?

[oiolehnvn]

Lots of red poppies around us at the moment. Disclaimer I am not British but come from a country that is currently waging a war, in fact technically two countries that have been in the news for waging wars and have always been uncomfortable with people supporting or celebrating our army. I am therefore puzzled as to why the Brits wear poppies ever year. If you choose to wear one, what's your rationale? Equally, if you do not - what's yours?

OK - I'm sorry if I was a bit harsh

I don’t tend to now, as rarely out over remembrance weekend and no longer involved in church, scouts, guides etc - but IMO it has always been about remembering all the men and women who have fought and died in wars representing their country. That used to be UK specific, but as I became more aware of the hideousness of war, of the utter failure of governments and diplomats the world over to agree terms around the table and prevent actual combat, it came to symbolise every lost and injured soul impacted by war anywhere in the world.

I feel it is intrinsically ant-war as it’s about reminding us of the loss and destruction, of the sacrifices made, the human cost. In no way do I feel it is right-wing and pro-war, as I see it being discussed in SM.

The website does tell you how people engage with it today. This is from the website:

Remembrance in the UK today is very different than it was 100 years ago. People take part whatever their political or religious beliefs and the poppy remains a humble, poignant symbol of Remembrance and hope

That’s it. Whatever your political or religious beliefs, if you wear it it’s about remembrance and hope.

To remember all those that have lost their lives serving , to thank all the ones that are still serving and to support the ones who need help when they no longer serve.

To remember Billy, the Grandad that I never met, who died age 25 in Burma and also Albert and John, my husbands grandfather's who died fighting in Ypres and in the DDay landings.
Also Jack, my lovely step grandad who some how survived fighting in Normandy but lived with shell shock and barely spoke a word to anyone, ever again.
Not to mention all their commrades who gave their lives so that we may have our freedom.
May we never forget.

It's a separate fund in Scotland - the Earl Haig fund (now Poppy Scotland, I think). The money here goes to veterans and their dependants.

The British Legion helps to collect the money here but does not benefit from it.

I'm probably the oldest person on this thread. I grew up surrounded by bomb ruins, as a child I didn't understand what they were, they were just places to play. I don't care too much about poppies, but during the two minutes silence on rememberence day I concentrate my thoughts on the thousands of terrified, young men who had no choice but to die for their country.

People in the forces now do have a choice, they didn't. It's heartbreaking.

We must remember them, with or without a poppy.

I admittedly don’t always remember to buy a poppy these days, but we have a 2 minute silence at church every year on Remembrance Sunday. For me, it’s particularly about remembering family members who died. My paternal relatives are Czech; my GF was in the Czech resistance and was shot by the Gestapo just before the end of the war and a great uncle died in Maunthausen concentration camp. (We’re close to his family, who now live in Canada.)

I suspect that a lot of the people who commemorate Remembrance Day have strong personal reasons for doing so.

Yes, this. ^ Why would it be a 'class' thing? Why even say that?

As many posters have said, I wear it (and hang a 'we shall remember them' flag in my front window) out of respect for the fallen, and the dead, and that includes 2 great uncles of mine, and some of their friends. My grandfather fought in the second world war, and was shot and badly injured but survived thank God .. He lost some friends too. They all lost people: friends, cousins, siblings, uncles... My great grandather fought in the first world war and died, and so did his brother.

I have known numerous people - men and women - who fought in The Falklands War, and Desert Storm. (1980s and 1990s.) Some died, some came home. Wearing the poppy is a sign of respect to the injured, the fallen, the war dead, (and the military in general for their service.) And yes, because they died for our freedom! I have a purple one too, for the animals who went to war too.

I am gobsmacked that you are even asking this @oiolehnvn and couldn't have just googled it. I'm also surprised at you using the word 'naice.'

It's also ridiculous to say it's performative to wear a poppy, as @HostaCentral said, and is an insult to our military, and the war dead. Disgusting comment.

As for the comment that all right wing people wear them? ( @Giddykiddy ) Do me a favour. You see 1000s of people wearing them. How the hell do you know they're all right wing? What a ludicrous comment! Also, so what if they're right wing? What's wrong with being right wing?

To remember people who have lost their lives in conflicts, and to show respect to surviving veterans. We also attend a remembrance day parade in our town.

I honour the sacrifice made by veterans of world war 2 in particular, fighting Nazis, but cannot wear a red poppy since the money goes to ex service people, some of who will have fought in wars I don't agree with, eg Iraq and Afghanistan.

Op could learn more about History of the UK if she chooses to live here. I find she is goading.
My Grandfather lied about his age in the First World War and fought for his country at 15. I am proud to wear the poppy.

One of the bests posts on here.

That’s just not true. The way it gets to veterans is via the RBL. All the money goes to the RBL who offer support to veterans, serving personnel and their families. It in no way funds the armed forces or future war.

I am also of the older generation on this thread . . . I can remember the air raid sirens being tested every few months when I was at school. Also, there was a military base near us and I hated seeing all the tanks and military equipment lined up. The other thing I remember was the lack of railings as they had all been removed to the iron could be turned into military hardware. My older siblings had ration books when they were babies & toddlers

We really must never, ever forget what the service personnel and civilians endured during those terrible years of 1939 - 1945

OP apparently moved here ‘after the pandemic’ so I’m guessing some years now. Surely in that time she would have learned about what the poppy means as it’s heavily featured in the media at this time every year. I think she or he is just trying to create an argument between those who choose to wear it and those who don’t.

But it isn’t working because most people respect the decision of others to wear the poppy or not to wear it. As this thread demonstrates beautifully, wearing the poppy is a personal thing and no one is judging anyone else.

100% this. ^

It’s interesting how many people don’t appreciate that it’s very difficult to understand the cultural nuances of a different country. FWIW, OP, as the wife of an immigrant, and former immigrant myself, don’t believe you’re being goady, and I commend you for trying to dive a bit deeper than just what the poppy officially stands for in this country.

I am married to a Vietnam-era veteran. The poppy doesn’t at all have the symbolic meaning for him that it had for many British people. Nonetheless, he wears one as a mark of respect for a combination of those who have died and been injured in wars, and for the cultural practices of his adopted country.

I, born and bred in the UK, grandchild of men who fought in both wars, and women who nursed and worked through the blitz, niece to someone who at 14 was trapped in a bombed building holding her best friend’s hand as she died, do not. I used to, but in recent years, there has been a shift in attitudes to condemning those, particularly public figures, who don’t wear them for at least a week before Remembrance Sunday/Day, and I resent that very much. I do donate but don’t take a poppy.

‘Lest we forget’

the war to end all wars - it is to commemorate the ultimate sacrifice of lives put down in order for us to have our future, to stand as a reminder to avoid wars like these again.

‘For their tomorrow, they gave our today’

I do not wear one. The more people insist that sports people, actors, politicians MUST wear one at all times the more I don’t want to. Enforced, performative signalling is a massive turn off.

No money raised from the poppy appeal goes to the armed forces. The British Legion is not (and never has been) part of the armed forces, it’s a charity that exists to support ex-service personnel and their families which is where the funds raised from the appeal go.

Sorry but moving here after the pandemic is basically three years ago - thats enough to learn basics about the Uk but really not about something like that. It takes years to really get to know a culture.

Just to add- those posting about why they choose not to wear the poppy are also explaining their personal choice. I completely respect their well considered reasoning.

We don’t always have to descend into culture wars and this thread is a great example of the civility and respect we have for different points of view in the UK. I don’t buy into the media’s attempt to create an issue about this and am really proud of our culture of respect in the UK which most people do demonstrate.

And yes thank you to those of you who have commented on it - it is fascinating to learn more about it and maybe makes it a bit easier to explain it to my kids as well.

@ReignOfError except OP knows enough about the UK to drop in a reference to ‘naice’ areas and innocently ask if this is a class issue. That is surely an attempt to wind people up.