Banning the Poppy

[Kinoulton]

Both Poundland and Bodycare have banned their staff from wearing poppies.

I know we're a mulit-cultural society, as is Germany and Japan. But I expect those countries ro remember their war dead, and they expect us to remember ours. What's wrong with these British people?

[Old Hob]

Is this one of those scare stories like, " 'Xmas has been banned because Muslims/Hindus won't like it', says Mr Madeupname of A council somewhere".

Is there a reference, is what I'm asking, I suppose.

[DickyP]

No only do Germany remember their war dead (totensontag), they were perfectly happy for us to wear our poppies when I served there with the Army and members of the Bundeswehr-Heer attended our Remembrance Day services.

[BJ.]

Is there a reference, is what I'm asking, I suppose.

Try putting 'Poundland poppy' and 'Body Care poppy' into Google.

It appears the Poundland poppy ban was in Lisburn and I can see how something like this could trigger an incident. There are enough nutters on either extreme of the political spectrum in NI who could use this as an excuse to have a go at the other side.

[Kinoulton]

The poppy poppycock is not an isolated incident.

We had the officer at Wittering who advised his airmen not to go into Peterborough wearing their uniform for fear of attracticting hostility. We had people drafted into the Vietnam war (not their choice) who were abused and ridiculed on their return to the USA depite the horrible traumas they had suffered.

A person with an IQ above 1 should understand that the responsibility for war rests either with the politicians who we elected, or some foreign power over which we have no control.

The servicemen don't pick fights. They simply go into difficult situations whilst we sit on our comfortable sofas watching expensive flat screen TVs.

[BJ.]

We had the officer at Wittering who advised his airmen not to go into Peterborough wearing their uniform for fear of attracticting (pardon?) hostility.

I served two stints at RAF Wittering (77-79 & 85-80). During the latter, we were instructed not to travel off-camp to Stamford or Peterborough in uniform nor were we to travel to and from work in uniform if we lived off station. It was the IRA we had to watch out for at the time, not some crazed religious fundamentalist.

[Cagey Tiger]

I served two stints at RAF Wittering (77-79 & 85-80).

Was that 1877-79 and 1885-1980 BJ?

[BJ.]

The RAF wasn't formed until 01 Apr 1918. I'll let you do the maths.

[Kinoulton]

The bit I remember about Wittering was not down to fear of the IRA, but just the reaction of local scumbags.

Even in the 70s, I recall soldiers marching through Nottingham and a load of oh-so-clever skinheads weaving in and out of their ranks mocking them.

Thankfully attitudes have now changed and I've been to parades in Bridlington, Preston etc which have been enthusiastically supported by young and old.

[Rizzo]

The Bodycare ban was in 2009.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... ppies.html

(and someone has set up a Facebook group telling people to boycott Body Shop because of this...)

The Poundland one has been overturned.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15527443

I do always wear a poppy (and buy one each year) - I also donate a larger sum for a poppy cross in the Field of Remembrance in memory of my Great-Uncle Jimmy.... but I do find the BBC and other media outlets putting poppies on everyone from the third week of October a bit of a "look at me wearing a poppy, how good am I?" kind of irritation.

[kingol22]

These sort of things seem to be cropping up every year now, it is getting a bit pathetic. We are able to live our lives the way we do because of the sacrifice of the people that we remember by remembrance day and wearing poppies. If people are not happy with it then they should be told to move elsewhere.

[DickyP]

.... but I do find the BBC and other media outlets putting poppies on everyone from the third week of October a bit of a "look at me wearing a poppy, how good am I?" kind of irritation.

Strikes a chord. Despite a long Army career I am ambivalent about some aspects of the Remembrance process. Rizzo's quote above is one of them; secondly, why are we wearing them for 3 or 4 weeks before the day?; thirdly, why does everyone (especially English teachers) obsess over WWI and ignore all the other conflicts and sacrifices?

[Kinoulton]

The early onset of Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Bonfire Night and all the other dates which have lost their meaning, is annoying.

But I think rememberance day has retained its dignity and I'm not worried if people start to wear their poppies early.

Let's just hope it isn't grasped by the evil clutches of Tesco, Clinton Cards and cr*ppy toy manufacturers.

Otherwise we'll be receiving cheesy card and seeing kids with swastika face paints banging on our doors and demanding to see our papers.

[DickyP]

... Let's just hope it isn't grasped by the evil clutches of Tesco, Clinton Cards and cr*ppy toy manufacturers.

Otherwise we'll be receiving cheesy card and seeing kids with swastika face paints banging on our doors and demanding to see our papers.

Amen to that!

[BJ.]

What are your views on the England football team not being allowed to display a poppy on their shirts during the match this weekend? Personally, I think FIFA is right in sticking to its decree that shirts should not carry political, religious or commercial messages. However, whether the poppy should be classed as political, religious or commercial is another matter.

Wales and Scotland have matches this weekend. Should they be castigated for not saying they want to have poppies on their shirts?