Why I No Longer Feel Comfortable Wearing a Poppy

[Geckos48]

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/madeleine-fry/poppy-day_b_4169581.html

very eloquently put. Exactly how I feel about the whole debacle.

November 11th should be for those who selflessly gave their lives in the World Wars, not those who chose to fight dubious campaigns abroad.

Although actually, paperlantern, you make a valid point. The OP is making a perfectly good job of expressing her opinions, albeit that she's alienating people in the way she's doing it, rather than winning them over.

I do wish I could influence this post with my pacifism! Too much anger. Let there be peace in all areas of our lives. Please.

could we do it without taking a pop at anyone's career!!!

clam - you are never going to be won over by her opinions, neither am I. mute point really

why

Because it would mean that people like me (and the many others who have commented on this thread) could give remembrance and thanks to the early veterans, without having to support those who have chosen to make a career out of war.

I dont think the aim of discussion needs to be about 'winning people over'

it is quite possible to have a debate without needing to 'win'

As if they didn't have journalists and newspapers in the early 20thC?!

This thread is not about social workers.

I refuse to get engaged in a discussion about it.

the armed forces cannot be compared to other professions because it is inherently about occupying other countries and waging war.

it is fairly unique in that respect.

Well be grateful you have a choice what you wear or don't wear.
But to turn your nose up at our troops for doing what the are ordered to do is pretty shit imo. Mums net was just one of many forums with people calling for the army to be called in during the riots ....seems our soldiers were perfectly acceptable then.

Seriously who the fuck do you think will be coming to put your fire out and rescue your kids if these fire brigade strikes continue? Yeah ..... The dsme people following more orders. They will rescue you if told to despite the fact you have such a low opinion of them.

I spoke to one lady kim whose husband was in the army and hated the idea of soldiers being instant heroes, he said he saw a lot of lads joining up, thinking that they were fulfilling some moral duty and would be glorified and instead seeing what they were actually dealing with and being incredibly disheartened. That combined with some of them being sent home in wheelchairs, having discovered that what was happening in Afghanistan was not improving things and that, in the end, they would leave it in as much or more of a shambles than it was before... well it was really destructive to them.

'Have a choice in what i wear'

what on earth are you talking about?

DH has been in the Armed Forces for 27 years on 11/11. He has made a career out of being an aircraft engineer. He has never killed anyone.

HTH.

Am just going to go and bomb a Middle Eastern country because I want to wear a cardigan today...

bloody ludicrous.

Did you inform that the woman of your opinion regarding her husband, seeing as you despise him because he made a choice to join the army?

I think she means 'wearing' the poppy gecko

I think there is always going to be differences in mindset kim what stands out for me is that the last time my freedom was fought for, was in 1945 and I would like to show respect for that.

I think that bringing more recent conflicts into it muddies the waters and makes it impossible for many of us to share in what should be a poignant day for us all.

I thought the point of remembrance Sunday was to remember the fallen for a reason - to stop it ever happening again.

That is why I feel ambivalent about wearing a poppy (although I usually do). We seem to have forgotten that the whole point of remembering is to prevent further suffering, so it sticks in my craw when I see world leaders who have authorised wars and politicians who have voted for them in the house, smugly donning a poppy.

But Nazi Germany never seriously attempted an invasion! So even in WW2 your literal freedom was never at stake.

What WAS fought for, and continues to be fought for, are your personal freedoms. The right of democracy over dictatorship. All of which adds up to your right to choose whether to wear a poppy.

Nazi Germany invaded Europe and would clearly have invaded Britain!

WW11 is VERY different from us going to Iraq and Afghanistan and starting fights for not a lot. It is NOTHING to do with democracy or my right to wear a poppy (or cardigan)

Nothing at all - do people really believe that is why we got to war in these places?