Poppy yes or no?

[kirkgas]

nice and simple, do you wear a poppy with pride and if not why not?

i do and have done since a young man as my dad was ex REME and wore one with pride and it passes on, my two boys wear them as well, i dont make them but they know what its about and talk as proudly as 11yr olds can do about the army etc protecting us,
too many up here take it as an opportunity to have a dig at Government and its quite a big catholic/protestant thing, dont know why cause there must have been many 1000's of irish catholics injured in the wars

 

[SimonG]

I wear one, always have, and I have one on the front of the van.

 

[tamz]

I always wear one and have as long as i can remember out of respect for the fallen, many of whom in the past had no choice.
Kay Adams (Radio Scotland) was having a phone in about this yesterday and i found myself shouting at the radio at some of the people they had on.
It is nothing to do with glorifying or justifying war as some seem to think and yes up here there does seem to be the sectarian division on this which i won't comment on.

 

[md68]

Yes.

Always.

It's important that we honour thoes who have made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

 

[REDSAW]

and if you dont wear one!,

if you see a collection box drop a £1 in any way, to show support for those who have suffered in giving you freedom and the right to moan at their cost.

 

[JCplumb]

Absolutely 100% yes. I may be asking for trouble here, but my opinion is that if you don't agree with the poppy appeal, then you live in the wrong country...

 

[Mike Jackson]

I don't wear one because they never last 5 minutes but I put one on the front of the land rover.

 

[Dotty]

Always, and with a great deal of pride. I've been down south this week and heard on t'wireless that, although Eire was neutral during the wars, some 60-70,000 signed up and fought in the British Army.

People are recognising that more and more down there and so are starting to wear the poppy. As Tamz says, it's deliberately misunderstood and treated as a cause and promoter of war rather than a commemoration of the fallen.

I take great delight in pointing out to said cretins that if it wasn't for the fallen whom we should never forget, then they wouldn't have the right to protest.

 

[Gray0689]

Yes
Always do always will

 

[kay-jay]

yup. me too.

 

[Ray Stafford]

Yes, but I agree with Mike Jackson. Mine is on my desk now, cos I got bored with picking it up off the floor yesterday, and its looking tatty after just a day or so. May go with the car-mounted option.

 

[Barry98]

always have always will , its also the only time i go into a church . i have a metal pin one for work on my hat and one on my jacket

 

[Ray Stafford]

the only time i go into a church . i have a metal pin one for work on my hat

A plumber going into a church AND wearing metal in his hat? Thats just asking for a thunderbolt from on high...

 

[Barry98]

when me and our lass went about 4 year ago it was her first time and as i walked through the door she jumped back . i said whats up with you ya prat she said i thought you were going to burst into flames. the priest was stood there with a right smirk on his face

 

[petercj]

The poppy is sold to raise money by the British Legion so they can support ex-servicemen in need. My father was a Captain in the artillery in WW1, and as a young man of 20 he found himself looking down the barrel of a German rifle. The German could have killed him, but he knee-capped him instead. He walked with the aid of a stick for the rest of his life. The Legion used to look him up now and then to see how he was getting on, have a chat, etc. My father was a very independent man, so he never took anything from the Legion: said any money should go to those who needed the help.

My father hated war, although I never heard him say a bad word against the Germans - he took the view that he was lucky to have been down in front of a professional soldier who spared his life. He didn't take pride in serving his country, and always said that wars were started by fools. Like so many other others of that era, he took the view that doing your bit as a soldier was just what people did.

The poppy is controversial because a lot of people do wear it as a symbol of war, i.e. more in memory of the time when Britain was seen as a powerful country, rather than the memory of the fallen.

Also, while sabre-rattling and spouting about Britain fighting to keep people free, politicians are very quick to cut support for ex-servicemen who have suffered disabilities while in service, and are only too happy to leave disabled troops to rely on charity, such as the Legion.

If the poppy reminds people of what a waste of life-and-limb war is, then I think that's a good thing - whether someone chooses to wear a poppy is a personal choice, and I can understand why some people choose not to, that's what freedom of choice is about.

 

[Ray Stafford]

The poppy is controversial because a lot of people do wear it as a symbol of war, i.e. more in memory of the time when Britain was seen as a powerful country, rather than the memory of the fallen.

Hi PeterCJ

We must mix in very different circles. I don't know anyone who wears a poppy as a symbol of war, or with any kind of jingoistic connection. I do come across idiots from time to time who have some weird ideas about our country's past, but not in connection with remembrance day.

Everyone I have spoken to wears a poppy out of respect for those who died in past wars, and/or as a small gesture of support for those involved in current conflicts. I have very deep reservations (to put it mildly) about the wisdom of both current and past politicians, and their motivations for sending our armed forces into harms way. That doesn't detract one jot for my respect for individual servicemen and the sacrifices that they make, whether past or present.

I agree with you though, that the wearing of a poppy should be a personal choice, and those who choose not to should not suffer even the mildest criticism. What was the point of two whole generations "fighting for freedom" otherwise? Freedom has to include the freedom to make unpopular choices.

 

[jefaz]

Always and will never stop!
ive been in the forces and done 2 tours of Iraq! I seen first hand the sacrifices and condition in which you have to live and operate!! And I can tell you it isn't a nice place to be!
i was there over Christmas too and my mam send me a little fibre optic Christmas tree for my bunk!!

 

[PlumbBobBob]

always have done from very young. my grandad was in the navy and was on one of the ships at D Day. in no way is it glorifying war as has been said it is in remembrance of those who have fallen.

 

[kirkgas]

i wear a wrist band this year as others have said the paper poppies keep falling off

 

[Barry98]

Lest we forget

 

[manic26]

I always have and always will. Having completed 22 years in the army and seen many theaters of operation just like my forefathers my whole family wear it every year. Only yesterday I volunteered a couple of hours for the veterans and am planning on keeping it up on a regular basis.

 

[petercj]

Hi PeterCJ

We must mix in very different circles. I don't know anyone who wears a poppy as a symbol of war, or with any kind of jingoistic connection. I do come across idiots from time to time who have some weird ideas about our country's past, but not in connection with remembrance day.

Everyone I have spoken to wears a poppy out of respect for those who died in past wars, and/or as a small gesture of support for those involved in current conflicts. I have very deep reservations (to put it mildly) about the wisdom of both current and past politicians, and their motivations for sending our armed forces into harms way. That doesn't detract one jot for my respect for individual servicemen and the sacrifices that they make, whether past or present.

I agree with you though, that the wearing of a poppy should be a personal choice, and those who choose not to should not suffer even the mildest criticism. What was the point of two whole generations "fighting for freedom" otherwise? Freedom has to include the freedom to make unpopular choices.

I don't doubt that we mix in different circles Ray - around a third of the people I know will choose not to wear a poppy, mainly because they have strong feelings about the senselessness of war.

Personally, I don't feel the need to wear a poppy to show that I remember the people who paid a price by fighting in the last two world wars - would rather make a donation, and leave it at that.

 

[Guest123]

Kirk as you rightly pointed out, there's a huge problem with so called religion up here. So much so it even influences the way that they vote too. Even more ridiculous when it's all tied in with two football teams.

99.9% of these muppets that shout religious muck hatred at each other don't even practice any religion or go to a church.

I'm proud of being a poppy wearer. Many generations have given up their lives so that we can live the life that we are accustomed to.

 

[johnnyplumb]

what does it say about our society, when wearing a poppy to remember the fallen, is seen as sectarian, political or offensive.
it should'nt be about any of these things, it should be about honouring the servicemen/women who gave the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.
i dont wear a poppy, does'nt mean i dont support it all though, i just put a few quid & any loose change i've got into the collection box, and dont bother taking a poppy, i dont feel i need to advertise it.

 

[khill]

A poppy for me everytime



This youngman in the shorts is my grandfather just
before leaving hospital, wounded twice in action, once
at the Battle of El Alamein and then again in France
amoung the lanes of Villers Bocage. His wife, sons
and daughter never got the privilege to share the rest
of their lives with, nor did he get to see his 16
grandchildren, as he never recoverd and died of his
wounds with his wife, my nan by his side.

Now religion nor the celibration of war comes into
my reasons for wearing my poppy!

I call it PRIDE....pride to call Queensman Jackman
my "Granddad"