Poppy wearing

Like 50-100 million other people around the world I had relatives die in a world war and have no problem wearing a poppy in a quite dignified fashion and watching the moving remembrance sunday procession at the Cenotaph.

But am I the only one getting a bit tired of poppy wearing turning into an arms race in self-righteousness for every desperate publicity seeker from parliament to daytime TV.

It is now become compulsory for everyone on TV and the public eye to wear one nearly a month before and woebetide any individual or organisation that refuses. Because if you do you are obviously a wicked callous person unlike the ultra caring politicians, tabloid rentagobs and z-list publicity seekers.

This year it is FIFA (hiss boo) under attack and we all have to get behind a rooftop protest by a far-right rabble that is the EDL (probably in Zurich to meet their Fascist friends from the Swiss Peoples Party).

It is patently obvious why FIFA administers a blanket ban on any national and commercial symbols. But of course England is special and are the only people in the world that have suffered death from war and show remembrance. FIFA even have to endure a load of can't from Cameron in Parliament upping the sanctimony stakes.

And you thought white poppy wearers were a smug bunch.

Quote: youngian @ November 11 2011, 1:22 PM GMT

Like 50-100 million other people around the world I had relatives die in a world war and have no problem wearing a poppy in a quite dignified fashion and watching the moving remembrance sunday procession at the Cenotaph.

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I'm of a similar mind, but I don't think we should have to preface our opinions with this sort of disclaimer. Poppy-wearing should be up for criticism just like anything else, and it's the unquestioning reverence of the practise which allows it to be perverted in the way you describe.

1. All public officers and especially politicians (as they send them off to war) should wear poppies.

2. Not wearing a poppy should not be a hanging offence. You can show your respect in many other ways.

3. People who burn the poppy (as last year) should be instantly deported.

4, I have little respect for white poppy wearers I'm afraid.

5. FIFA are a lot of dishonest/feather their own nest wankers and any decision they make is usually rubbish. Especially about the poppy wearing. They should take every case as it comes. They've got enough time the work shy fops.

In Australia people really only wear the poppies today. (11 November)It is called Rememberance Day. I tink it is a great thing but I don't see the need for wearing them for a month. I think it would be acceptable in the week of of the 11th if it was a TV show or something that is only once during the week.

I think that in this case maybe having awareness for the month could be a disadvantage, in the sense that by the time the 11th comes around, people are....fatigued by it and it could take away from the actual day.

I've seen fewer and fewer poppies being available in recent years; I've had to ask people to get me one if they happen to see them being sold.

Although the white poppy dates back to the 1920s, I saw them a fair bit during the recent Iraq war period and think it's fair enough to want to state that although you appreciate and mourn the loss of life, you don't support politicians killing soldiers and civilians.

This!

Quote: roscoff @ November 11 2011, 1:32 PM GMT

FIFA are a lot of dishonest/feather their own nest wankers and any decision they make is usually rubbish. Especially about the poppy wearing. They should take every case as it comes. They've got enough time the work shy fops.

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They have to take a global view and don't want to open up a can of worms, say for example of teams wearing commeration for those who fought such as an Arab team playing Israel or Iraq playing Iran, Armenia vs Turkey.

Or perhaps if the Repubic of Ireland play Northern Ireland round about Easter they might want to repectfully commemerate their fallen 'soldiers' in the same way as England.

I think there's a difference between some of those and, you know, one of the world wars.

Quote: AJGO @ November 11 2011, 1:49 PM GMT

I've seen fewer and fewer poppies being available in recent years; I've had to ask people to get me one if they happen to see them being sold.

Although the white poppy dates back to the 1920s, I saw them a fair bit during the recent Iraq war period and think it's fair enough to want to state that although you appreciate and mourn the loss of life, you don't support politicians killing soldiers and civilians.

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The fact is (or at least to this individual) sometimes you have to fight a war to protect your way of life. You may disagree and most are futile but some are not. Politicians are not always wrong. Stop the press!

Quote: roscoff @ November 11 2011, 1:32 PM GMT

FIFA are a lot of dishonest/feather their own nest wankers and any decision they make is usually rubbish. Especially about the poppy wearing. They should take every case as it comes. They've got enough time the work shy fops.

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Snooker player Steve Davis, on Twitter: 'Couldn't the England team wear their red shirts and just put a black dot somewhere?'

Quote: don rushmore @ November 11 2011, 2:31 PM GMT

Snooker player Steve Davis, on Twitter: 'Couldn't the England team wear their red shirts and just put a black dot somewhere?'

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Most excellent!

Quote: roscoff @ November 11 2011, 2:28 PM GMT

The fact is (or at least to this individual) sometimes you have to fight a war to protect your way of life. You may disagree and most are futile but some are not. Politicians are not always wrong. Stop the press!

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Absolutely. And as poppies commemorate loss of life due to war since WW1, I personally don't find it smug for people to wear white poppies as a way of signifying thanks to those who fought, while at the same time mourning that there is justifiable or indeed wasteful war.

Quote: roscoff @ November 11 2011, 2:28 PM GMT

The fact is (or at least to this individual) sometimes you have to fight a war to protect your way of life. You may disagree and most are futile but some are not. Politicians are not always wrong. Stop the press!

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And I don't see why people think they are more caring about death and war because they wear a white poppy. Anyway there's 364 to debate that, November 11 is for the dwindling world war veterans it's their day.

It cost Robbie Fowler 2000 Swiss Francs by FIFA with his commeration to the class war-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/gallery/2008/dec/03/1#/?picture=340313931&index=1

Quote: youngian @ November 11 2011, 2:40 PM GMT

And I don't see why people think they are more caring about death and war because they wear a white poppy.

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I've not met anyone like that. Maybe the people you know who wear white poppies are just naturally sanctimonious and happen to be wearing white poppies, or are ill-informed and use it as a way of expressing inherent idiocy

Ultimately, you cannot judge what a person thinks just by the colour of the poppy they wear.