Plain Talker Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 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 Agreed, strix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 But concientious objection is rebellion in the face of conscription. I don't agree with the politics of going to war but I feverently support our troops - Anything less is shortchanging our armed forces. If you live in a democracy, you have to be prepared to be called upon to do your duty should the need arise. Having the trappings of a civilised and fair society is a laudable aim but one should always remember that there has to be a sacrifice should push come to shove. If the circumstances dictated that I were to be conscripted I would be a conscientious objector. I would act as a nurse or medic in a battle field, I would drive/fly troops to or from a battle field, I would cook food, do laundry or wash up for troops on a battle field, I would do my utmost to support active troops and I would be prepared to go into danger to do so- but I would not kill on command. If that makes me a passenger or any less of a citizen in your eyes then so be it. I buy several red poppies every year and usually wear them with a white poppy (that I made once and somehow have managed not to lose). I deeply respect what the armed forces do, have done in the past and have died whilst trying to achieve, but that does not stop me wishing for an end to war and the killing of hard working troops in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyacademic Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 I am a pacifist. I don't wear a poppy of any colour. I make a donation each year to the British Legion to support their work among ex-service personnel, but I do not want to wear something which is understood by other people to indicate a commitment to military conflict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxHeadroom Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 If the circumstances dictated that I were to be conscripted I would be a conscientious objector. I would act as a nurse or medic in a battle field, I would drive/fly troops to or from a battle field, I would cook food, do laundry or wash up for troops on a battle field, I would do my utmost to support active troops and I would be prepared to go into danger to do so- but I would not kill on command. If that makes me a passenger or any less of a citizen in your eyes then so be it. I buy several red poppies every year and usually wear them with a white poppy (that I made once and somehow have managed not to lose). I deeply respect what the armed forces do, have done in the past and have died whilst trying to achieve, but that does not stop me wishing for an end to war and the killing of hard working troops in the future. Good post Medusa. Well justified! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon1 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I don't wear a poppy of any colour. me neither Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Incidentally, the Royal Legion has not outrightly objected to the White Poppy. My grandfather was guardsman to both Sir Winston Churchill and the then Lord Soames at El-Alamein during WW2... and fought in what he described as "horror and suicide battles"... He refused to wear a red poppy because of the abhorrent nature it signified. That's a very interesting perspective, thanks for sharing it. If a decorated veteran like your grandfather can refuse to wear a red poppy, then I believe he has won that right for everyone who chooses not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04jessops Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I'll be wearing a red one and a white one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNM Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 ooooo - you can get purple ones? To be honest I'm not too concerned with how many bunny rabbits came to harm whilst my late great granddad and 60,000 of his mates got annihilated on the 1st day of the battle of the somme! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent Orange Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I wear a red one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxHeadroom Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 That's a very interesting perspective, thanks for sharing it. If a decorated veteran like your grandfather can refuse to wear a red poppy, then I believe he has won that right for everyone who chooses not to. It's a similar tale to one of the last WW1 survivors, Henry Allingham - it took him until being a 100 just to talk about the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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