to be hacked off with people on TV that wear a 'poppy with pride'?

[MaureenMLove]

I will be wearing mine, as soon as I find someone selling them. I'm sure I will over the next few days.

But, every single 'live' programme that I see, from The News to Deal or No Deal, everyone is wearing a poppy. It's like the directors have insisted that they must wear one, regardless of whether they actually care or not.

Don't get me wrong, I care very much indeed and will alway wear mine with pride and thanks, for all those soliders and their families.

I feel almost like they are belittling the importance of the poppy.

Oh, I don't know!! Maybe I'm thinking about it too much, but it really gets on my wick!!

Have all the TV folk contributed monetarily to the Poppy Appeal? Or has Sylvia the make up lady just pinned it on them before they go on set?

Well there is another angle. The poppy leads up to and has at it's heart the rememberance service. We should observe the two minutes silence - most do, especially if out and about. It is not necessarily because at that particular moment we are struck with a deep desire to reflect on the enormity of sacrifice made by generations of the nations youth - 'the flowers that withered and died before the soft scent of bloom' - in conflicts going back far further than this generations. It is instead a poke in the side to remind us to take stock and give thanks.

In a society moving further away from traditional religion I personally do think it is a positive thing that as a country we are given that external visual reminder (the poppy) that we have a moral obligation to remember the past - whether that memory then makes you strive for peace or sign up for the armed forces is a different point. Being encouraged to reflect can only make each and every one of us take an interest in what is being done in the here and now in our name - if we feel strongly enough to try and change the future great. If all we do is move on and get on with our own lives then at least we were given a national moment to think.

I think as long as it raises awareness and reminds people to buy one, and demonstrates support from the channel then it's good.

They are obviously handed to them because they are pristine, not one toothmark on the stem.

I wear an small enamel badge, [posh]

I really liked your post Kayran and agree with your sentiment.

I end up buying about 10 poppies at this time of year, for it is written in law that the moment I purchase one, I must lose it immediately.

OP - I really think you are over thinking this!

YABU- I like seeing everyone wear poppies. We should all wear one for reasons I needn't explain.My husband is ex RAF, and my late grandfather was ex Navy.

Who cares if poppy wearers have been told to or not? They set an example. These people made scarifices so that you have the freedom to ponder such things. I don't care if the floor manager told them to or not. Poppies cost money so for every one that you see, a donation has been made. That can't be a bad thing.

This is from the site that sells white poppies.

Where does the money go?
Through the white poppy our aim is primarely to raise issues. We distribute the white poppies each year to challenge the view that war and preparations for war are necessary or inevitable. Any money raised over and above the cost of producing, publicising and distributing the white poppies goes to fund our education work, some of which can be seen on our main websise. Such work regrettably does not attract much funding and so we rely heavily on the generosity of people like you. Donations can be made here or if you are a UK Taxpayer you can add value to your contributions to peace education work through our associated charity the Peace Research and Education Trust . We are sure they will welcome your support.

PS Every year there is always someone, often in the media, who implies that money reaised is used for some suspect activity; others categorically insists that the white poppies are 'taking money from the valuable work the British Legion is doing' and we get a lot of intemperate emails.
If you happen to hold this view why not check with the British Legion whether this is true before complaining to us.

My mum has got an enamel one. God knows where she got it.

lol at punch MamaG stylee.

If it helps to remind someone to buy a poppy and support injured soldiers I couldn't care less.

Money is needed desperately to help these poor men and women.

Cant bear the whole white poppy thing. Thank god for our armed forces or what sort of society would we be living in now.

i think in light of so many servicemen losing their lives in this shite war the least we can all do it buy a RED poppy

I remember a bg fuss a couple of years back because Peter Snow said he wouldnt wear a poppy.

I am glad to see they have sticky ones now, rather than the pin ones. DS has one and so do I.

I quite like th bigger poppies that some female presenters wear. I have seen them but I cant remember who on. But I think its a good thing to remind people.

As my son gets older and is now not so many years younger than some of the servicemen who've died or been horribly injured it is on my mind much more. I can't imagine how I'd feel if, having carefully and lovingly raised a healthy boy, I saw him come home without his legs. Or in a coffin. Just so sad.

My husband comes from a military family. I know the risks but it still makes me want to weep when I see the big planes fly into RAF Lyneham, which isn't far from us.

this provokes a lot of interesting discussion about war, which is a good thing IMO.

Sarah Kennedy this morning was commenting that one TV presenter who has to wear a poppy on screen was walking down the street without one and an old lady accosted him saying "so it's just a telly thing is it?!"

that's the danger of being forced to wear one.

I don't see a problem with them wearing one, but i don't think they should wear them anywhere near a early as they are; and that it should be only news and weather presenters, too, not every live programme that airs. they should wear it in the week preceding and the week after remembrance sunday (11th is a tuesday this year i think). but most of the poppies have disappeared by the monday.

i don't like the big ostentatious (sp?) poppies because they look more like showing off "ooh, look at all the good work i'm doing!" and not demonstrating the real reason behind them. my grandad (who fought in WWII) always made us pick the measliest poppies (without leaves etc, but you can't get those anymore) because he said that more money went into the appeal and less to making the poppies that way.

The royal British legion have helped me personally, and my children. Alot. So of course we will be buying one.

Well, I will have to look for it but I remember very clearly a thread last year where people were really upset about a news presenter who was not wearing one (poppy) so it seems they cannot get it right can they?

I buy them in order to donate but don't feel the need to wear them any more than I do AIDs/cancer ribbons (which is not at all).

While I don't agree with every war we fight, I also don't agree that the armed forces should be disbanded either.
Part of my reason for feeling particularly strongly about poppies is that I don't wish to be lumped in with anyone who thinks it's a black and white issue of being "with us or against us".
Poppy "fascism" is sadly ironic considering how the appeal originated.

I deeply resent the assumption that, if I'm not wearing them, I'm refusing to acknowledge the dead, injured, their families and friends, which is is simply untrue: I think about them all year round, not just for a couple of days every autumn

I want a GIANT Baroness Warsi one.

i bought a gorgeous felt hand made one from Etsy a few days ago i am certainy wearing it with pride obviously the person who made it got the money but i will also put money in the normal poppy boxes as well and ill be able to wear it for ever and wont get jagged either

speaking of which, I've just had a lovely gentleman come to my door selling poppys. I also got one for DD this year too and tried to explain to her (as much as one can to a 4yo) what they mean and why we wear them.

Like you, I hate people wearing them for the sake of wearing them

If I remember correctly it was the widows of soldiers from the first World war was who first made white poppies. I think that speaks volumes.

Bloody hell. I've not come across the white poppies before. What a load of rubbish. Can appreciate the sentiment of the WWI widows, though.

Do the red poppies promote war? I didn't think that was their purpose. My understanding was that the red poppies were to comemorate those fallen and at the same time raise money to help those wounded/families of those killed.

Think it's great that directors or whoever want people to wear the poppies. What can be wrong about raising awareness and increasing the likelihood of more money being raised

'I deeply resent the assumption that, if I'm not wearing them, I'm refusing to acknowledge the dead, injured, their families and friends, which is is simply untrue: I think about them all year round, not just for a couple of days every autum'

Well said TheworldsgoneDMmad, that's exactly how I have felt

Does wearing a red poppy mean the wearer supports war? Really?

I honestly thought it was to help support the individuals affected. Which is why I think the white poppies are bollocks.

I have an enamel one that I got last year from Ebay, apparently all the funds went to the charity, I wear this all year round on my jacket or bag to show my respect for those who are/have been in the forces.