Wear Your RED Poppy With Pride - Page 2

kash · 09-11-2006, 18:49

Quote:

how much damage can you do with a pin anyway?

It's a "weapon of mass destruction" ask Collin Powell.

Sparkologist · 09-11-2006, 19:00

This is spiralling out of control when muppets like Jonathon Bartley are spouting forth their drivel.

Having said that, perhaps he will recognise that many British servicemen died and were wounded defending our country so that we do have the right to free speech. I believe he has abused this right.

If I were approached by a vendor of the white poppies, I would politely ask them to return them to Mr Bartley, with the instruction to shove 'em where the sun don't shine!

Will the last sensible person left in this country please switch out the lights when they leave.

SPUGGIE J · 09-11-2006, 20:30

If Mr Jonathon Bartley wants to sell white poppies then he had better start at the Houses of Parliment as there are bound to be several hundred bods in there that would be happy to wear them. I will stick to the red one and if offered a white one will find a better use for it.

West Ender · 09-11-2006, 21:00

The white poppy is a complete nonsense. How dare this man say that wearing a red poppy "glorifies war"? When the poppies, all red, grew on the fields that had been trenches in WW1 they grew where thousands of lives had been lost so he could live. This stupid man didn't sound old enough to have any connection with the world wars and is probably too thick to appreciate the lives lost in various conflicts since then.

No soldier, sailor or airman goes to war for the glory of it but to serve his country. In the world wars, WW2 in particular, many had no choice, when the call-up papers arrived they had to go. They didn't want to die, they didn't want to kill, they had to fight for our country and we should always be thankful that they did because the alternative to defeating Nazi Germany is too horrific to contemplate.

It's because of what they sacrificed that this man has the freedom to wear his silly white poppy. That he wants to do so is his business but to speak, publicly, against the sentiment behind the red poppy is an insult to all those who made it possible for him to be born in a free world.

grannyclaret · 09-11-2006, 23:42

I bought 2 big RED poppies ,from the lady standing outside Woolies in Cleveleys ,, That lady has stood there for a footnight for hours and hours....same last year.

shillelagh · 09-11-2006, 23:44

I will always wear a red poppy with pride. My uncle died in the 2nd world war and ive found his grave site on the Commonwealth Graves website. We have a photo of him sat there in his uniform. My brother has his medals somewhere. Wearing a red poppy is in rememberance of him and a way of giving thanks to all the people who have fought in wars through the years. The Royal British Legion do sterling work helping ex soldiers and navy and airforce personnel so why not support them? They fought for us so why cant we give something back to them when they need it?

Wynonie Harris · 10-11-2006, 08:31

The unfortunate thing is that this is now turning out to be a bandwagon which any third-rate nonentity who wants a little easy publicity can jump onto. Cue Jon Snow, channel 4 newsreader, who will not wear a poppy on screen because he thinks it's making a statement and, furthermore, he will not bow to "poppy fascism". I would have thought that not wearing a poppy made more of a statement and perhaps this buffoon should reflect that he would now be bowing to real fascism if it were not for the brave men and women whose memory he is currently cheapening. Still, I suppose that when your only talent is reading from an autocue, you've got to make your mark somehow.

lancsdave · 10-11-2006, 09:10

For those who haven't been out or found a poppy seller try this;

This year, the Legion is offering you a different way to give to the Poppy Appeal! By texting the word POPPY to 85099, you can download one of three Poppy images to your mobile phone in return for a donation of £1.50

Poppy Appeal

WillowTheWhisp · 10-11-2006, 10:50

I tried that but I couldn't get mine

jambutty · 10-11-2006, 15:10

This white poppy thing is just a crass way of trying to muscle in on the British Legion turf and take some of the revenue off them for themselves.

If I come across a white poppy seller I won’t be as polite as you Sparkologist.

As for Jon Snow, well he has the hard won right to decide for himself whether to wear a poppy or not. However his reasons for not wearing one besmirch the names of those who died preserving his freedom to choose. Like my dad.

He served in the First World War from August 1914 until some time in 1921 with the 5th East Lancs Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 1st East Lancs Brigade. He got wounded several times (four I believe) and went on to help the Russians sort out their problems after WWI ended. At the outbreak of WWII he was in Poland as a civilian textile machinery fitter together with my mother, brother and me. The Germans captured us as they overran Poland and he being a British male of fighting age spent the war years in a concentration camp. He died only 3 years after release. My mother spent 6 months in a German prison and my brother and me were incarcerated in a Kindergarten for that time.

As my garden is a wilderness and likely to remain so, last year I sowed some poppy seeds. Sadly none sprouted but come next spring I will try again.

bullseyebarb · 10-11-2006, 17:55

May it always be the red poppy! I hail from a long line of Royal Artillery gunners, (traced back 165 years so far), and I proudly bear the name of the patron saint of the Royal Artillery, (and gunners everywhere). This weekend, I'll be honoring them, as well as both grandads, (WWI), and other relatives and in-laws who served in WWII. Also my wonderful husband who took a break from college back in the '60's and volunteered to serve three tours of duty in Viet Nam. Bless them all.

jambutty · 10-11-2006, 19:03

Bless ‘em all,
Bless ‘em all,
The long and the short and the tall,
You’ll get no promotion this side of the ocean,
So cheer up my lads bless ‘em all.

West Ender · 11-11-2006, 22:00

They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old,
Age shall not wither them nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We shall remember them.

Rest in Peace.

shillelagh · 11-11-2006, 22:51

How many people are watching the Festival of Remembrance on BBC 1? I always watched it with my mum every year without fail. Im watching it now.

ANNE · 11-11-2006, 23:23

I used to watch the festival of remembrance with my Mum & Dad. We usually watch it but we have been watching an archaeological dig about the trenches tonight.
I always wear my poppy with pride.