What does the poppy mean to you?

[h4rm0ny]

First time I ever recall "getting" the poppy as a symbol was the final episode of Blackadder IV. They go to their deaths and the battlefield they charge over slowly fades over to a field of poppies, grown over the trenches and the places they fell. It was very touching and now I associate poppies with rememberance, as I think they should be.

I do wear one. I'm proud of being British and I of course donate money in the box. But I am also aware that some see it as a more nationalistic and pro-army symbol than it was once meant. We should remember that huge numbers of men were conscripted in both WWI and WWII. They didn't choose to go there. They didn't necessarily consider it their fight. They were taken from their families and loved ones and lives, packaged up and parcelled over to France to die. And shamed by Suffragettes even before that for not voluntarily signing up. All this death was a great tragedy and I wear a poppy in remembrance of that, but not as a jingoistic thing which I fear it may become.

I did wear a White Poppy once. I was a lot younger and, I would say, quite unaware. I recall I wore it as an anti-war symbol to avoid being seen as endorsing war. I wouldn't wear it now because I think it's too prone to being seen as an insult. I'll continue to wear a red poppy for the foreseeable though I don't agree with shaming of public figures who didn't wear one. It's a matter of conscience.

 

[ianh]

Ex-Military and I wore one during service as act of remembrance for those who've died during conflict but since leaving I'm happy just to donate and not wear one.

I use to wear one, but not in the last few years.

And I won't untill the 'chattering, outraged of society' stops jumping down the throat of any media/public figure who chooses not to wear one. The poppy should be a choice to wear, otherwise it loses meaning.

When it comes to the current "poppy fascists" I'm of exactly the same mindset as yourself, people died so that we could have a free choice to do as we please, not so that some jumped up twerp can try and shame people into wearing one.

 

[chroniclard]

That’s like saying the Union Jack has been tainted, if anything that attitude contributes towards it too.

Course it does, its exactly the same as hijacking the poppy to promote muslim hate and nationalism.

 

[dowie]

Course it does, its exactly the same as hijacking the poppy to promote muslim hate and nationalism.

But in then conceding that say the Union Jack is a far right symbol you sort of give in to those hate groups. There are plenty of people who legitimately will fly that flag, like old folks at the proms etc.. if various ordinary people give up that and decide to go along with it being a far right symbol then it helps make it so when really that is the sort of thing that ought to be resisted rather than passively allowed.

 

[Dirk]

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- John McCrae

 

[dowie]

i think we can, it planted the seed that got hitler into power, and once he was in power then it turned to fear that kept him there.

every country has it's lunatics, but it's only when people's backs are against the wall do their crazed ramblings get listened to.

Sorry meant to reply to this earlier I'd have to disagree, certainly re: the holocaust.

I'd also have to disagree with your previous argument in a more general sense re: WW2, I'd perhaps be more open to the argument re: WW1. My great-grandfather served in WW1 but had quite strong views about killing, he was almost going to be a conscientious objector but was able to join up as a medic and did so simply because he'd not have to kill anyone. His job was then to treat the wounded from both sides.

In WW2 my grandfather had similar views about killing to his father but he signed up, I think he saw WW2 as being rather different. He was noticed in training and ended up with a commission, fought in North Africa and Italy and ended up being rather key to the British landings in Italy.

So I'd disagree with the idea that our lot were the same, if it had been the other way around then my grandfather would have likely chosen the route of his father before him and perhaps struggled between choosing to either be a conscientious objector or be a medic, he chose to sign up to fight because of his beliefs in it being the right thing to do not just because he happened to live in the country.

Likewise various people form Ireland, a country that had only recently fought against the British signed up to join the British against Nazi Germany, they had no inherent loyalty or need, they were in a neutral country but they signed up all the same. Ditto to the various German-Americans and Japanese-Americans who fought for the US against the homelands their parents had just come from and in spite of the fact they faced things like internment within the US.

 

[Gerard]

This proud ULSTARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR "loyalist" isn't sure what it means to him, not pictured, SS rune tattoos on his hands. And this was in a Somme remembrance parade....

And to add to the confusion he also "supports" Israel (ya know, that place that's full of Jews) while sporting these tattoos. I give to you, a "norn iron" loyalist.

 

[Jean-F]

It reminds me of the family members who fought in the Second World War. It reminds me of the millions who died in both wars so that freedom would survive. It reminds me of the folly of the past and the price that others paid.

I put a couple of quid in the tin every year, and wear a poppy in the hope that my dough will go toward helping servicemen wounded in any of our country’s conflicts, I don’t feel that I’m glorifying war.
In addition to the couple of quid that I stick in, I put another fiver in and get 4 poppies for my son in Germany, my German daughter-in-law, and my two half German grandsons.
I mail them over, and they wear them for Volkstrauertag, two Sundays before Lent, November 19 this year.
Volkstrauerstag is the German Remembrance Day.
My younger German grandson said that on rare occasions, scrotes have expressed their dislike of his poppy, and asked why he wore it.
He tells them, “Both my German grandfather and my English great grandfather were wounded in WW2, if not for them, I wouldn’t be here, that’s why.”

 

[Haggisman]

It’s long past time to move on from the war.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

First time I ever recall "getting" the poppy as a symbol was the final episode of Blackadder IV. They go to their deaths and the battlefield they charge over slowly fades over to a field of poppies, grown over the trenches and the places they fell. It was very touching and now I associate poppies with rememberance, as I think they should be.

In a similar vein, I've worn one since watching Band of Brothers, it didn't really hit home the horrors of what those men (or let's be honest, many of them were teenagers) went through before that, but especially after the clips with the veterans shown after the episodes, it makes me extremely grateful that our generation (and hopefully long into the future) will never have to endure similar. I realise its an American series but obviously there were similar stories on all sides

 

[Energize]

It serves as the final symbol of a time when soldiers fought against the fascist powers rather than for them, a time before soldiers were turning in their graves at the doublethink and "hate crimes" the government has created.

 

[Johno please?]

I put a few quid in each year but don't waste a paper poppy. Recently though I have given the White Peace Poppy guys more of my attention. It isn't an opposing symbol but rather stands for all casualties of war including civilians and promotes an idea of pacifism, with the proceeds going towards anti-war campaigning and education.

Sounds great in theory but these days some of the anti war movement are not anti war at all, they're just on the other side of civilisation and by that I mean the Islamofascists and totalitarian dictators.

 

[Sudden]

Likewise various people form Ireland, a country that had only recently fought against the British signed up to join the British against Nazi Germany, they had no inherent loyalty or need, they were in a neutral country but they signed up all the same. Ditto to the various German-Americans and Japanese-Americans who fought for the US against the homelands their parents had just come from and in spite of the fact they faced things like internment within the US.

Sure, but on the other end, Indians were joining the British because of promises being made to them re. independence, which were then not delivered on (WW1 in particular, but WW2 to an extent as well). Part of the reason some freedom fighters were looking at allying with Germany was just the 'enemy of my enemey' mentality.

I guess my point is that ideology isn't the only reason people are signing up (on both sides) to fight. Also why people, including on this thread, draw a distinction between the Nazis and the German Soldiers generally.

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Sounds great in theory but these days some of the anti war movement are not anti war at all, they're just on the other side of civilisation and by that I mean the Islamofascists and totalitarian dictators.

Which totalitarian dictators and Islamofacists have been supported and funded by the white poppy distributors (the Peace Pledge Union)?

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I couldn't believe some of the outrageous poppy displays on show.

As in hundreds of thousands of poppys draped up and over a castle, etc.

I cannot believe the amount of money and plastic waste. The amount of plastic waste this whole thing causes must be insane.

 

[Captain]

Being honest? Nothing.

 

[Yaayuh!]

Unnecessary and wasteful.

 

[Efour]

A week to remember all the dead soldiers of WW1 and WW2. For some reason, to me, wars after that don't come to the same meaning.
What else does it mean, a week or 2 of collection and charity for related support groups and veteran groups, homes et al.

I just don't associate it with Modern Conflict.

 

[mmj_uk]

It raises money for charity so it's a good thing I guess but it annoys me when people are attacked for not wearing them, you don't need to wear a poppy to pay your respects to the dead war heroes. Many who wear them have probably never given a thought to what those brave men went through or sacrificed.

 

[SPG]

Ex Military

The symbol has been hi-jacked for political and nationalistic and populist movements these days, we can blame the major new outlets specifically news papers who see it as a cash generation symbol only. Bit of a travesty really.

If the goverment actually cared we should not need the British legion, but retired colonels need something to do i guess.

 

[Tombstone]

The poppy to me actually signifies something that it probably wasnt intended to.

To me, the poppy signifies those who have died fighting in wars and by that, I mean all sides. I see it as an emblem for soldiers who have picked up arms for their country, on both sides, and gone through the horrors of combat. I think it was only supposed to represent British forces but to me its a symbol for all.