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Original post by BlinkyBill
Ahead of Remembrance Day on 11 November, there have been reports that a third of young people will refuse to wear a poppy as 'it glorifies war'.

Do you agree? Will you be wearing a poppy?


Ignorant young people.

Poppies are to remember the soldiers that died fighting for OUR freedom. Poppies do not glorify war, they are there for us to remember our history and the people that died for our country.
I'd say there are two distinct issues:

The issue with the poppy itself isn't so much glorifying war as nationalism. It's very much a British (and, to a lesser extent, wider Anglophone Commonwealth) symbol, not an international one. Which is fine - plenty of countries have their own special ceremonies and symbolism for remembrance of war dead - but it also means wearing one is in part an expression of patriotic attachment that many don't share, so don't expect them to wear one.

The issue with glorifying war is not, in my opinion, directly to do with the poppy, but more to do with how remembrance ceremonies are phrased. There'll always be lines like "they died for our freedom" or something like that. No, not all of them did. Some of them, maybe. But some also died for no real reason, and some died for the wrong reasons. Pretending that all soldiers who die have done so in the service of good motives and results is very much glorifying war.
Original post by Sammylou40
But living in Britain you’re happy to take advantage of the freedoms you have as a result of the previous world wars.


Which are?
The grandad was a radio controller in WW2 and he always always wore a poppy with his medals. Especially now that he's gone, I will forever wear a poppy on rememberance day as a show of respect for both him, and to everyone else who has fought in wars and lost so much. I think it's absurd that people think it 'glorifies war', there is no way that it does that at all. It appears more so that people don't want to show respect to those who have given up so much. If those who have lost everything will wear one, why shouldn't we - the people who live in the world that they fought for - wear one also?
I was thinking about this and when people wear white poppies to signify peace.

I totally get what they're saying and I agree the point on war is right, we need to build to removing all wars. But I think the timing can be at a different point in the year.

The fact remains that some people have died, giving their lives for other people and that requires respect. Wearing a poppy is a nice way of showing that. The point on war in general can be handled removed from this date on what has happened.
Reply 25
Original post by BlinkyBill
Ahead of Remembrance Day on 11 November, there have been reports that a third of young people will refuse to wear a poppy as 'it glorifies war'.

Do you agree? Will you be wearing a poppy?



no it dose not and how people represent the poppy is in thier own way but to say that it glorifies war is pushing it a little don't you think.
Original post by EmEternal2
The grandad was a radio controller in WW2 and he always always wore a poppy with his medals. Especially now that he's gone, I will forever wear a poppy on rememberance day as a show of respect for both him, and to everyone else who has fought in wars and lost so much. I think it's absurd that people think it 'glorifies war', there is no way that it does that at all. It appears more so that people don't want to show respect to those who have given up so much. If those who have lost everything will wear one, why shouldn't we - the people who live in the world that they fought for - wear one also?


That just about sums it up. Well said
Original post by AngeryPenguin
If the war had gone better, their plan was to send all the European Jews off to Madagascar or Siberia. The Nazis wanted to remove Jews and a large proportion of slavs from Europe, and they didn't particularly care how.

I don't think they particularly had plans for the rest of the world, I think they were pretty happy for Britain to continue to genocide Africans and Indians - no country has committed as much genocide as Britain did constructing the British Empire.

The final solution was because they realised Britain would not surrender soon, and the USSR had stopped collapsing and was fighting back.

If you remember, this is what got Ken Livingstone into trouble.


I'm pretty sure that the Mongolian empire has the highest % of the population death toll (killing 10% of the global population at the time)? Russia also racked up a pretty high death toll with the USSR (with about 56-62 million 'unnatural deaths'). A quick search shows that the British empire helped cause a famine in india (by continuing to export food out of the country when Indians were starving) which killed between 12-29 million (other atrocities such as the early concentration camps they set up in Africa (mainly for (white) boers) and the numerous times they killing protesters tended to claim a couple thousand to a hundred thousand, see here: www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/worst-atrocities-british-empire-amritsar-boer-war-concentration-camp-mau-mau-a6821756.html%3famp). It's all equally terrible and inexcusable but I haven't found anything which shows that the British empire committed the most genocide? But if you have info which shows they did then please share it with us because frankly nothing is taught about the British empire in schools so it's pretty key to share this stuff + make it accssible to more people :3
Original post by EllieCeeJay
I would rather we didn't have an army at all. I know it's not possible, but it's my personal belief. I take advantage of the freedoms I have as a result of the previous world wars and I try to consider ALL sacrifices made, not just ones that came as a result of our armed forces. There were many people that died on our soil helping our cause too - where's their two minutes silence? Where's the two minutes silence for holocaust victims, and victims of the Russian regime in the 1900's?

If armies were abolished, across the globe (wishful thinking, I know), the scenario wouldn't happen again. But for every second we have nuclear weapons, and an army, and an air force, and a navy, we are both protecting and dooming our country. I will never condone the armed forces, and I will never consider them to be something we need.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this matter. Just because I live in this society that we have and I don't wear a poppy doesn't mean that I don't acknowledge sacrifices that people have made. It just means that I have a certain belief system that means that I don't wear a poppy :smile:


holocaust Memorial Day? 27 jan?
Volkstrauertag German equivalent nearest Sunday to 16 nov.
Italian Armistice 4 nov
Anzac Day?
Just to start with
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by EllieCeeJay
That money does go to the army, in some form, and I don't want to be funding them at all.


this is very misleading; you make it sound as if people who buy a poppy are buying bullets for our guns.
fortunately the vast majority of British people support the Armed Forces and are happy to alleviate the suffering of the young men and women who are injured physically or mentally protecting our country.
Original post by EllieCeeJay
I also don't agree with the concept of just remembering British soldiers, as seems to be the norm - if I'm going to participate then I choose to remember everyone who has ever died in a way, whether they be on our side or not. I feel like wearing a poppy is too much of a British thing (which makes little sense, but hear me out). When we're confronted with atrocity, I think it's more important to remember that more than our own soldiers have died. Civilians die too, in the crossfire. We have blown countless Syrian families up.

So no, I won't be wearing a poppy, and I feel a bit dubious about giving money to the British Legion, even though I do to help the charity. That money does go to the army, in some form, and I don't want to be funding them at all. I may support those who have fallen, but I will never support our current army and the work they do. It's murder, pure and simple, whoever's on the other end of the gun.


You fund an organisation yet have no idea what it actually does. Doesn't that bother you?

The money in no way goes to the Army. It goes to veterans and, in some cases, their families.


The poppy as a symbol recognises all war dead. Allies and axis, combatant and non, military and civilian. The Poppy Appeal raises money towards former UK service personnel, yes, but conflating the two is your mistake, not the charity's.

I may support those who have fallen, but I will never support our current army and the work they do.


Oh, ok. So all those who are on peacekeeping duties for the UN in South Sudan, training the Afghan army to look after themselves, helping prevent further outbreaks of Ebola, conducting anti-piracy missions off the horn of Africa, working anti-drugs in the Caribbean, reacting to natural disasters all over the globe, helping police the skies for the Baltic states who don't have their own air forces, rescuing UK citizens when floods hit their towns and villages, providing emergency medical transport for the NHS, conducting long range search and rescue over millions of square miles of the Atlantic ocean ...to name but a few... are all things you can't support?

Good to know.



Does rather make me wonder what things you do support, though...





Wear a poppy, don't wear a poppy. I couldn't care less (and for context, unlike everyone else here, I have served). BUT. Try to know what the hell you're talking about.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Drewski
You fund an organisation yet have no idea what it actually does. Doesn't that bother you?

The money in no way goes to the Army. It goes to veterans and, in some cases, their families.


The poppy as a symbol recognises all war dead. Allies and axis, combatant and non, military and civilian. The Poppy Appeal raises money towards former UK service personnel, yes, but conflating the two is your mistake, not the charity's.



Oh, ok. So all those who are on peacekeeping duties for the UN in South Sudan, training the Afghan army to look after themselves, helping prevent further outbreaks of Ebola, conducting anti-piracy missions off the horn of Africa, working anti-drugs in the Caribbean, reacting to natural disasters all over the globe, helping police the skies for the Baltic states who don't have their own air forces, rescuing UK citizens when floods hit their towns and villages, providing emergency medical transport for the NHS, conducting long range search and rescue over millions of square miles of the Atlantic ocean ...to name but a few... are all things you can't support?

Good to know.



Does rather make me wonder what things you do support, though...


:five:
Original post by 999tigger
Young people can be ignorant idiots.

Its an anti war statement if anything.

Very click baity by TSR again.


Maybe we should increase the voting age to 26 and some form of National service. Not all young people are ignorant idiots plenty of young working class people join the armed services.
Original post by 999tigger
Young people can be ignorant idiots.

Its an anti war statement if anything.

Very click baity by TSR again.


How is it an anti war statement?

It’s a sign of respect and remembrance, sure. But the white poppy is (I think, correct me if I’m wrong) a sign of both respect and anti-war.

The red one isn’t.
Original post by BlinkyBill
Ahead of Remembrance Day on 11 November, there have been reports that a third of young people will refuse to wear a poppy as 'it glorifies war'.

Do you agree? Will you be wearing a poppy?


Do those young people know one in five homeless people on the streets are ex-servicemen

Do they know that most people in armed services are from working class background and come from areas of high unemployment if they didn't join the armed service they would be on the dole.

The money from the poppy go to help ex-servicemen and women and civilians victims of war it does not glorify war.Talk to any poppy seller you find they hate war and violent.
I'm proud to wear my poppy and will be marching during the Remembrance Sunday event. It is important to remember the sacrifice that men and women made to keep our country safe.
Original post by FloralHybrid
How is it an anti war statement?

It’s a sign of respect and remembrance, sure. But the white poppy is (I think, correct me if I’m wrong) a sign of both respect and anti-war.

The red one isn’t.


The white poppy is for pacifism. A noble but ultimately naive and futile gesture, one not suited to the real world.
I've been wearing one as it was gifted to me, would I pay for one myself? Probably not.

I wear it to remember the wars and lessons that can be derived from them, not for showing supporting towards any war.

I'm surprised the white poppy isn't as actively promoted as the red poppy appeal.
Original post by looloo2134
Do they know that most people in armed services are from working class background and come from areas of high unemployment if they didn't join the armed service they would be on the dole.


That's actually a bit of a misconception, especially these days with the reductions in size of the forces. You're just as likely to find graduates among the massed ranks as you are in the officer cadre.
Wearing one? no

Some of the people who are adamant that everyone should wear one and anyone who doesn't is somehow a traitor/unpatriotic/etc? Most of them seem pretty keen on glorifying war (and are the main reason I've just donated without wearing one this year)

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