Poppies - Do you wear a red, white or purple poppy?

[Strix]

I'll repeat... "I don't believe in concientious objection" is an absolute statement. After the Iraq and Afghanistan debacles, it would seem more logical to object to being a part of such unnecessary conflict. That's my point. People should be educated enough to understand when a threat truly is a threat versus fighting for some elite business venture.

Wearing/purchasing poppies has nothing to do with future or current conflicts and everything to do with those who have been prepared to lay down their lives for the rest of us and come off worst. I'm not interested in the politics of WHY some poor soldier had his legs blown off, or a widow has to struggle through life alone, the point of poppy day is to acknowledge their sacrifice and ease their circumstances however they came about

[Swan_Vesta]

Currently, we may be facing increasing threats because of our aggressive foreign policy over the past decades. I would see it my duty to defend my people, but I would not see it my duty to help secure more territory in some grand imperialistic conquest, which is the game currently being played by western powers.

 

I'm with you there. I don't see that any government could possibly conscript viable candidates for a popularist, territory grabbing war but I do think that those members of our armed forces who are obliged to fight whichever war they are instructed to are due our respect.

 

Conscription for self preservation is a world apart from the financially motivated conflicts that the present junta signed our brave lads and lasses up for ........ Regardless of how ever much they may disagree with it

[Strix]

Arguably 'our lads and lasses' are currently making sure we're on the right side if/when we finally realise that a certain superpower has been kicking off WWIII without anybody noticing

[LibertyBell]

I didn't know you could get ones for animals. Sounds a bit silly to me.

 

I have worn white ones in the past. Haven't got one this year so far.

[MaxHeadroom]

I'm glad I started this thread. I wanted forummers to debate the whole poppy thing. Some good points have been raised by a lot of posters. Rightfully or wrongly the poppy has political connotations which was never in mind when General Haig (who would probably be done for war crimes now if you read his history) instigated it.

[Wildcat]

It's not that at all Donkey - I just don't believe in concientious objection, you're either up for doing your part or you're a passenger

 

Does that apply to the conscientious objectors in Nazi Germany too?

[Wildcat]

Most people aren't aware that as well as the traditional commemorative red poppy that there also white (symbolising peace - being bloodstain red-free) and purple (remembering animals that died during conflicts) varieties.

 

What colour poppy do you wear and why?

 

I wear white.

 

I wore both a red and white one last year.

[millhouses24]

I'm thinking of getting a red poppy tattoed on my cleavage to save having "Buy New Poppy" on my task list every day for a fortnight.

[slimsid2000]

A red poppy.

[Plain Talker]

It's not that at all Donkey - I just don't believe in concientious objection, you're either up for doing your part or you're a passenger

 

No matter what lies/distortions are rammed down our throats as justification for war?

 

Maybe so, But I wear mine for those who did something rather than those who stood by

 

Right, but you made an absolute statement, that you don't believe in concientious objection. If conscription was enforced tomorrow, would you trust the current powers in their decisions to send our men and women into battle? Would people be wrong for not blindly accepting what they're fed by the "war cabinet"?

 

Swan:-

 

The proportion, generally of Conscientious Objectors was and is very low, so I don't think that the argument, nor the snip-ey comments necessarily work. (In fact, most C-Obs did take part in work toward the war effort. the ones who Conscientiously Objected to even working on that was an even smaller proportion of the small proportion).

 

You could just as easily say that the men who worked in the vital industries (I've forgotten the particular name for the exemption) "Stood By" and you'd be equally wrong. ("Reserved Occupations"- I've just remembered the phrase)

 

The sniding we see in this thread about those who wear a poppy of a different colour, or no poppy at all goes against what the fallen in conflict purportedly died for, surely? - The right to hold ones own beliefs and not be forced, sheep-like into a state-sponsored ideology of war? (or DID the Stasi start work on us Brits, and we weren't aware?)

 

This sniding is a bit like the one-upmanship we saw when Diana died. You aren't a-wailing and a-beating your chest, and threatening to throw yourself of a building, so you are hardhearted/ unpatriotic/ uncaring * (select one) and your mourning is not genuine. Oh, and MY grief is better and more eloquently expressed than yours, because it's more public! Etc, etc.

 

I support the troops currently fighting in the Gulf. I have sympathy for the troops who have fallen, in this conflict and the previous wars.

 

However, I don't support the current war, and believe that it is unjust, and being fought on a false premise.

 

I am also glad to see the words "Haig Fund" are now removed from the centre of my poppy, as Haig (and Kitchener) were warmongering idiots.