Why I won't be wearing a poppy, or observing a minute silence

I think you are one of those people who enjoy saying contentious things. You are probably an A-level student who is marginally brighter than average yet considers himself very clever indeed. Having read (well, skimmed) three and a half books outside of your courses you now feel you are educated.

I think your opinions are offensive and adopted through immaturity rather than a position of knowledge.

My first problem with wearing poppies is I despise the guilt trip associated with where the money is allocated

My first problem with wearing poppies is I despise the guilt trip associated with where the money is allocated, that is to the support of injured/killed servicemen and their families. That's not to say that I don't believe they should receive support, far from it. But this should be paid for by the government, by the same people who actually made the decision to send these people to war. Like many others, I opposed the British involvement in Libya and Afghanistan, so I don't see why I should have to pay (albeit a small amount) to support the soldiers who shouldn't have been there in the first place, as well as the tax I already pay that goes towards the armed forces.

Secondly, I find it a bit perverse that poppies and Remembrance Sunday only seem to honour and respect those who lost their lives for Allied forces in World War II. Throughout history thousands of wars have been fought, in which a countless amount of lives have been lost. Psychological studies have shown that good people can, in the right situation, be driven to commit terrible acts, so it's not a simple case of 'good vs bad'. Therefore, I choose to honour and respect all those who have lost their lives in war on whatever side. But I won't do this at a specially allocated time and then just go on with my life the next day, I'll do it whenever I feel it is particularly poignant or meaningful to do so. Might be every day for a month, might not be at all for a year. Either way, it should be on our own terms, not just because we're told to.

I would consider wearing a white poppy as a symbol of peace, but I think this message just goes without saying. There are very few people who would actually advocate war over another peaceful choice, unless of course it was the only way. I don't really feel the need to wear a symbol stating that I am against hundreds of thousands of deaths in horrible conditions.

Anyone agree with me and also not wearing a poppy/observing a minute silence, or am I just a horrible person?

Paid for by the gov't: = increase taxes so you're gunna have to pay for it anyway.

Throughout history bla bla countless wars: WW1 was "The Great War" not WW1 at the time, because it was THE worst thing which had ever happened, WW2 then being the worst war (defining 'worst' broadly) ever.

Not doing it at a special time: You can do it whenever, but because of the significance of the time/date etc, it suits it well to do that.

I don't wear a poppy because it upsets my family (from S.Ire) but I don't really know why.

I do think about what you're 'supposed' to reflect on during that minute silence though.

Government already pay money towards it. Them paying more = more taxes for you anyway. This just adds to that, just like charities and red nose day and all that. So what you are opposed to the more recent conflicts, are you also opposed to both world war 1 and world war 2 and our involvement in those?

We do not remember 'only world war 2' It's from World war 1, and onward really. For all servicemen who lost their lives. We do not do the same for the 'opposing' countries as they are just that, our enemies, or were, and anyway.. certainly people will still thinking about it. I know my family and events i have been to specifically say to remember ALL people involved, not necessarily stating only allied forces.

Why would you wear a white one not a red one? That are red for a symbolic reason of the fields across.. Flanders?

I got warned for stating the truth.

This is a public forum for debate, so I thought I'd raise a contentious topic for debate. I wouldn't call posting online making 'a big song and dance about it', I'm just interested in people's opinions. And I think it is forced upon us somewhat (eg being forced to observe minute silence throughout school, asked to justify yourself if you're not wearing a poppy etc), more than any other charity anyway.

Officially they say it's for the victims of all wars, but don't pretend that anything other than allied forces in World War II is anything more than a sidenote. Watch any Remembrance Day event and you'll see what I mean.

If taxes had to be increased in order to give sufficient support for injured/killed servicemen and their families, then I'm all for it. Personally, I think avoidance is a better policy (ie shouldn't be involved in these wars in the first place), but if there were really no way of re-shuffling the way tax money is being spent to pay for these things, I'd definitely be willing to pay more. It's as essential as healthcare or education.

Officially they say it's for the victims of all wars, but don't pretend that anything other than allied forces in World War II is anything more than a sidenote. Watch any Remembrance Day event and you'll see what I mean.

No, it's not really a guilt-trip, it's a more a recognition that young men and women fought against tyranny, genocide, fascism, suppression and denial of liberty. It's a mark of respect that people sacrificed their freedom so you could have yours.

And how do the government get their money, hmm? Would that be the tax-payer or are you just one of those who thinks the government get money out of thin air?

There's a difference between opposing a political motive and opposing compassion. You are opposing compassion. If you want to protest against military involvement in Libya and Afghanistan, there are far more greater, more effective ways of going about than emulating a perpetulant child throwing their toys out.

Once again, you've missed the point about what the poppy means. It is a recognition of soldiers who defended the very values and liberties you take for granted today.

I'd like you to name these psychological studies so we can observe the context. Indeed, it is quite astonishing how a state like Nazi Germany, a cultured and civilised nation, had citizens who bought into the Final Solution, ordinary people like you and I. But this is again, not the point, the point is the recognition of the sacrifices men and women have made for liberty.

Officially they say it's for the victims of all wars, but don't pretend that anything other than allied forces in World War II is anything more than a sidenote. Watch any Remembrance Day event and you'll see what I mean.

It was started because of/after World War I .... ....

You have made yourself look quite silly, now. Do I take it that your understanding of history is so thorough that you think remembrance day dates to WW2? Maybe you should consider reading a little more and posting a little less?

I think you are one of those people who enjoy saying contentious things. You are probably an A-level student who is marginally brighter than average yet considers himself very clever indeed. Having read (well, skimmed) three and a half books outside of your courses you now feel you are educated.

I think your opinions are offensive and adopted through immaturity rather than a position of knowledge.

I agree to an extent. I would be willing to bet that a number of people who have negged you are basically assuming that you don't think it is worth remembering them.
I willingly donate towards the fund and I do wear a poppy but you're right, the money should come from the government. This is true of a lot of charity. Cancer research should be funded by the government. Poverty should be tackled by the government. But in the economic climate it isn't going to happen and so I still donate to charity, until hopefully one day those in the 1% are finally prepared to tighten their belts a bit and actually pay the taxes they should be paying.

My first problem with wearing poppies is I despise the guilt trip associated with where the money is allocated, that is to the support of injured/killed servicemen and their families. That's not to say that I don't believe they should receive support, far from it. But this should be paid for by the government, by the same people who actually made the decision to send these people to war. Like many others, I opposed the British involvement in Libya and Afghanistan, so I don't see why I should have to pay (albeit a small amount) to support the soldiers who shouldn't have been there in the first place, as well as the tax I already pay that goes towards the armed forces.

Secondly, I find it a bit perverse that poppies and Remembrance Sunday only seem to honour and respect those who lost their lives for Allied forces in World War II. Throughout history thousands of wars have been fought, in which a countless amount of lives have been lost. Psychological studies have shown that good people can, in the right situation, be driven to commit terrible acts, so it's not a simple case of 'good vs bad'. Therefore, I choose to honour and respect all those who have lost their lives in war on whatever side. But I won't do this at a specially allocated time and then just go on with my life the next day, I'll do it whenever I feel it is particularly poignant or meaningful to do so. Might be every day for a month, might not be at all for a year. Either way, it should be on our own terms, not just because we're told to.

I would consider wearing a white poppy as a symbol of peace, but I think this message just goes without saying. There are very few people who would actually advocate war over another peaceful choice, unless of course it was the only way. I don't really feel the need to wear a symbol stating that I am against hundreds of thousands of deaths in horrible conditions.

Anyone agree with me and also not wearing a poppy/observing a minute silence, or am I just a horrible person?

It is... To a huge extent actually. Cancer research UK is just a private entity that provides extra grants to make it easier to get funding for studies specific to cancer. If a study stands on its own merit it will get funding. I get your point but you chose a poor example- in fact when you think about it, there are very few charities that operate in an area where the government provides no funding