The Poppy Police : do they dishonour war dead

[lifted*fox]

Just now, Line-X said:

You are absolutely right about the eeriness, as though a pall of death still hangs over the place. 

 

Yes, very surreal. No birds / insects or anything to be heard for miles. It's like nature knows that something truly awful took place there.

 

The first time I went we waited until nightfall and lit candles at the gas chamber sites. 

 

As we walked back to the busses a thick fog fell over the train tracks and you could hear dogs barking in the distance.

 

For a moment if you closed your eyes you could just about feel the horror - it was chilling. 

[GaelicFox]

The Irish PM (who is a right wing , gay man of Indian origin , he wouldn’t get elected here PM here I suspect) wore one of these yesterday 

 

it commemorates the many Irish that died in WW1 

 

id be happy to wear one 

 

 

[rn9013]

On ‎31‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 08:53, Jon the Hat said:

Indeed.  Happy to give to the poppy appeal, in memory of those who had no choice but to fight to save our nation from a horrendous enemy.  Less sympathy for those who choose to join the modern armed forces and accept the risks it entails.  Clearly they or their families should be well cared for in the event of serious injury or death, but that is what I pay my taxes for to be honest.  Not sure why help for heroes even exists.

Although I do absolutely acknowledge the difference between those who were conscripted during both world wars and those in the modern military, I do disagree with much of your sentiment. You are absolutely right, we do pay our taxes in the expectation that should someone make the ultimate sacrifice, their families are taken care of, but also those who come back from war zones should be looked after in the modern era too, both mentally and physically. The reason charities, such as Help for Heroes, exist is because successive governments (it is worth noting this is not a party political issue) have been all too quick to send in our military without the support needed on their return. 

 

With regards to you having less sympathy for those in the modern military, I respect your opinion, however I would urge people to recognise that the people in the armed forces do not choose their battles, they are ordered to them by people we as a collective society elect. Yes they know the risks of joining the military, but I doubt many 17/18 year olds joining the military do so fully contemplating the risks.

 

My opinion on poppies is that it has become far too politicised. Like many on here, I personally don't buy a poppy, as I would rather donate directly to a charity like Help for Heroes, rather than buying a symbol whereby only 10-15% of my donation actually ends up where I would want/expect it to. But I fully respect those that do choose to buy a poppy-I respect and cherish our freedom to decide! 

[Bellend Sebastian]

The minute's silence was pretty poorly observed at the soft play I was at, if I'm honest

[Trav Le Bleu]

On 08/11/2017 at 07:03, GaelicFox said:

The Irish PM (who is a right wing , gay man of Indian origin , he wouldn’t get elected here PM here I suspect) wore one of these yesterday 

 

it commemorates the many Irish that died in WW1 

 

id be happy to wear one 

 

 

Possibly the worst poppy I've ever seen. "Let's remember the war dead, but just our guys. Screw everyone else." Poignant.

[GaelicFox]

17 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Possibly the worst poppy I've ever seen. "Let's remember the war dead, but just our guys. Screw everyone else." Poignant.

But the poppy is a cash cow for the British legion and is sold in remembrance of British Dead I don’t see the money go to help german or French service men 

 

this shamrock poppy being sold in ireland is a different charity .... 

 

 

 

 

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Possibly the worst poppy I've ever seen. "Let's remember the war dead, but just our guys. Screw everyone else." Poignant.

 

So the RBL wear their poppies for the men and women who lost their lives in the Rwandan civil war? What about the Tuareg rebellion? 

 

Do they send poppy money to Transnistria? Chechnya? 

 

What about the Congo? 

 

There's wars all over the world, all the time. We pay our respects to our dead as lots of countries do, why should the Irish be chastised for honouring theirs? 

 

I think it was a remarkably sensitive gesture and fairly well handled from the Taoiseach to be fair. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, GaelicFox said:

But the poppy is a cash cow for the British legion and is sold in remembrance of British Dead I don’t see the money go to help german or French service men 

 

this shamrock poppy being sold in ireland is a different charity .... 

 

 

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

So the RBL wear their poppies for the men and women who lost their lives in the Rwandan civil war? What about the Tuareg rebellion? 

 

Do they send poppy money to Transnistria? Chechnya? 

 

What about the Congo? 

 

There's wars all over the world, all the time. We pay our respects to our dead as lots of countries do, why should the Irish be chastised for honouring theirs? 

 

I think it was a remarkably sensitive gesture and fairly well handled from the Taoiseach to be fair. 

Hands up. Didn't think of that.

 

All the more reason not to buy a poppy then.

[SheppyFox]

Lefties.

[z-layrex]

I have literally never heard anyone complain about someone wearing or not wearing a poppy.

 

I wear a poppy badge all year round on my work lanyard, never worn those paper ones, I always stab myself on the pin.

 

If people are going to start arguing about how we remember war dead now or who's badge is less respectful than who's then I don't know what to say...

Edited 13 November 2017 by z-layrex

[FoxyPV]

We're getting back to insanity season again

[SpacedX]

25 minutes ago, FoxyPV said:

We're getting back to insanity season again

?? There's a difference between paying one's respects for those that lost their lives in wartime, and flagrant, crass commercialisation which you find practically everywhere in this day and age. 

 

 

[Bellend Sebastian]

On 13/11/2017 at 08:02, z-layrex said:

I have literally never heard anyone complain about someone wearing or not wearing a poppy.

 

I wear a poppy badge all year round on my work lanyard, never worn those paper ones, I always stab myself on the pin.

 

If people are going to start arguing about how we remember war dead now or who's badge is less respectful than who's then I don't know what to say...

This feels like a comment from a very, very long time ago

[z-layrex]

1 minute ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

This feels like a comment from a very, very long time ago

How things change in half a decade, and not for the better.

[bovril]

1 hour ago, FoxyPV said:

We're getting back to insanity season again

Does this stuff exist or is it just clickbait?

[Trav Le Bleu]

Promote peace by punching someone.

[Jattdogg]

18 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Promote peace by punching someone.

Punch! 👊 

 

 

Sorry trav it's all love

[filthyfox]

I am honoured to be part of our Town's Civic Party (Serjeant at Mace).

I do this on occasions such as Veterans Day Parade and Remembrance Sunday, leading the Mayor and greeting dignitaries (usually former forces members).

I don't need to wear a poppy. I am actively performing an act of remembrance

[BKLFox]

Does this need to be opened every year, Remember don't Remember your call, as far as i have seen this isn't getting shoved down anyones throat in fact it seems to be getting lower keyed every year & those boxing gloves are priced in $ so not something The British Legion are actively flogging.

[foxes1988]

1 hour ago, BKLFox said:

Does this need to be opened every year, Remember don't Remember your call, as far as i have seen this isn't getting shoved down anyones throat in fact it seems to be getting lower keyed every year & those boxing gloves are priced in $ so not something The British Legion are actively flogging.

No it doesn't.  Although its not being opened every years its been almost 5 years since it last was.

[BKLFox]

27 minutes ago, foxes1988 said:

No it doesn't.  Although its not being opened every years its been almost 5 years since it last was.

true on this actual thread maybe i should have just said 'does it need bringing up every year' which is does in the most obscure threads as well

[David Hankey]

Some have remembered every year and why shouldn't we? Some folk appear to have forgotten the ultimate sacrifice many thousands made during various conflicts.

[Facecloth]

3 hours ago, BKLFox said:

Does this need to be opened every year, Remember don't Remember your call, as far as i have seen this isn't getting shoved down anyones throat in fact it seems to be getting lower keyed every year & those boxing gloves are priced in $ so not something The British Legion are actively flogging.

Isn't that the point of the thread? Not to take the piss out of people wearing a poppy or the legion, but the unaffiliated groups who sell crap like the gloves above and go way OTT with. Or one I'm pretty sure is in this thread, when the One Show stuck a poppy on the Cookie Monster, which either means if they accept he's puppet they are sticking poppy on a puppet, or if they don't they are pinning it to his bare skin 

[ealingfox]

I just drop a quid in the bucket and don't take one these days.

[MPH]

On 30/10/2022 at 11:53, FoxyPV said:

We're getting back to insanity season again

 

to be fair if someone punched me in the face with those it would be a day I’d remember…