Will poppy day soon be one more British tradition that's wiped out?

Every year as Remembrance Sunday approaches the row about the selling and wearing of poppies seems to grow and grow.
In the last few days  British Transport Police have banned all poppy stickers from being displayed in their police cars on Remembrance Sunday, and Cambridge university students union will not be supporting the poppy as it 'glorifies war'.


"Police have sparked fury after banning officers from sticking poppies on their cars in a move that has "the stench of political correctness all over it".
With Remembrance Sunday approaching, marking the centenary anniversary of the end of the First World War in 1918, British Transport Police (BTP) chiefs have barred the force from using poppy stickers on vehicles.
Former commander of the Armed Forces in Afghanistan, Colonel Richard Kemp, raged: “This ban has the stench of political correctness all over it.”

"This week, students at Cambridge's student union were asked to approve a motion to “ensure that Remembrance Day becomes a well-established and well-marked event across the university”.
But it was rejected in favour of plans by a student activist Stella Swain.
She insisted organisations should “reshape remembrance away from glorification and valorisation of war” and campaign “against militarisation”.
Cambridgeshire Mayor James Palmer said the decision brought “great shame” to the city and shows “disdain” for the Armed Forces."


https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/poppy-ban-police-cars-sparks-13414717

Remembrance Sunday is held in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations as a day "to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts". It is held on the second Sunday in November, the Sunday nearest to 11 November, Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War at 11 a.m. in 1918.

Don't upset the Muslims !

nicko wrote:Don't upset the Muslims !

Have a read of this Nicko.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/12/forgotten-Muslim-heroes-fought-for-britain-first-world-war

I'm afraid many Muslims don't know about their fellow religionists contribution either.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-34792865

Sack that police chief and remove all funding from cambridge university untill it brings the student union under control

It's pretty much in the past in the US.

It should never stop, lest we forget!

It won't stop - it's very popular. People love Remembrance Day parades and the poppies.

So, some dopey bird "student activist" at an elitist university loftily declares that the poppy is a "glorification of war" and similarly minded morons who are better known locally as rowdy, drunken Hooray Henrys and Henriettas fall meekly into line and rush to agree with her...because they are too fucking dim and too fucking over-privileged to know any better.

The poppy is a symbol of peace, and the money that it raises for the Royal British Legion each Remembrancetide goes exclusively to supporting former servicemen and women and their families who have fallen on hard times, mostly as a result of serving their country.

I am a member and branch chairman of the RBL and believe me, I do not "glorify" war or wish it on anyone from any other country; just the opposite, in fact.

But I, for one, will wear my poppy with pride from next weekend and will both contribute as generously and collect as much as I can to support the wonderful work of the RBL.

I will also be at the RBL Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on the evening of November 10th and the following day, at our village war memorial, I will be proud and honoured to recite The Exhortation:

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them."

And snotty-nosed, posturing "student activists" and police chiefs who earned their rank and status more by being cravenly politically correct than by actually being capable of solving crimes and catching criminals can, so far as I am concerned, go and fuck themselves.

Great post Fred, thanks.

Syl wrote:Great post Fred, thanks.

Apologies for the uncharacteristic use of obscene language, Syl et al, but this issue has angered me beyond belief.

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

Syl wrote:Great post Fred, thanks.

Apologies for the uncharacteristic use of obscene language, Syl et al, but this issue has angered me beyond belief.

Dont apologise, I agree with everything you said. x

Brilliant Fred, have a green.

and a green from me too Moley.

Thanks, folks. You are restoring my faith in humanity!

Fred Moletrousers wrote:So, some dopey bird "student activist" at an elitist university loftily declares that the poppy is a "glorification of war" and similarly minded morons who are better known locally as rowdy, drunken Hooray Henrys and Henriettas fall meekly into line and rush to agree with her...because they are too fucking dim and too fucking over-privileged to know any better.

The poppy is a symbol of peace, and the money that it raises for the Royal British Legion each Remembrancetide goes exclusively to supporting former servicemen and women and their families who have fallen on hard times, mostly as a result of serving their country.

I am a member and branch chairman of the RBL and believe me, I do not "glorify" war or wish it on anyone from any other country; just the opposite, in fact.

But I, for one, will wear my poppy with pride from next weekend and will both contribute as generously and collect as much as I can to support the wonderful work of the RBL.

I will also be at the RBL Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on the evening of November 10th and the following day, at our village war memorial, I will be proud and honoured to recite The Exhortation:

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them."

And snotty-nosed, posturing "student activists" and police chiefs who earned their rank and status more by being cravenly politically correct than by actually being capable of solving crimes and catching criminals can, so far as I am concerned, go and fuck themselves.

She's doesn't have the brain power to realise that boys younger than her had to die in two world wars to ensure she had the freedom to denigrate them in public. Plus, it's an insult to all the still living relatives who had family give their lives. It's not about glorifying war, it's about having the respect to remember as a thank you to all those who had no choice but to go and die.

HoratioTarr wrote:

Fred Moletrousers wrote:So, some dopey bird "student activist" at an elitist university loftily declares that the poppy is a "glorification of war" and similarly minded morons who are better known locally as rowdy, drunken Hooray Henrys and Henriettas fall meekly into line and rush to agree with her...because they are too fucking dim and too fucking over-privileged to know any better.

The poppy is a symbol of peace, and the money that it raises for the Royal British Legion each Remembrancetide goes exclusively to supporting former servicemen and women and their families who have fallen on hard times, mostly as a result of serving their country.

I am a member and branch chairman of the RBL and believe me, I do not "glorify" war or wish it on anyone from any other country; just the opposite, in fact.

But I, for one, will wear my poppy with pride from next weekend and will both contribute as generously and collect as much as I can to support the wonderful work of the RBL.

I will also be at the RBL Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on the evening of November 10th and the following day, at our village war memorial, I will be proud and honoured to recite The Exhortation:

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them."

And snotty-nosed, posturing "student activists" and police chiefs who earned their rank and status more by being cravenly politically correct than by actually being capable of solving crimes and catching criminals can, so far as I am concerned, go and fuck themselves.

She's doesn't have the brain power to realise that boys younger than her had to die in two world wars to ensure she had the freedom to denigrate them in public.    Plus, it's an insult to all the still living relatives who had family give their lives.    It's not about glorifying war, it's about having the respect to remember as a thank you to all those who had no choice but to go and die.

https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcasa&p=utube+final+sequence+blackadder+goes+forth#id=2&vid=b2619749463b460a3c7f841bb7cd8c7a&action=view.

The poppy a "glorification of war"? Even she might be able to understand the significance of the message in the final few seconds of this clip.

There has been several debates again this year about the wearing of poppies.

Some people refuse to wear one for whatever reason, do you support their right not to?

Its not about glorifying the war... it's about remembering the horror of war so we never allow it to happen again...!

Tommy Monk wrote:Its not about glorifying the war... it's about remembering the horror of war so we never allow it to happen again...!

That's a good post, tommy. I think that's the spirit in which it should be taken.

I wonder if Quill would wear one ?

nicko wrote:I wonder if Quill would wear one ?

I did when I lived in London. But here, you can't get them. They are a thing of the long lost past...I would say they died back in the 50's.

If Wolfie reading this I think they still wear them in Oz ?

Who really gives a fuck what those nongs running that University's Student Union think...

Why is it that some irrelevant little zeroes making too much noise about things they don't understand are given so much attention over there in Britain ???

Is there any other country on the planet that gives as much media attention to some irrelevant little non-representative turd, as the Brits do ? I doubt that even 5% of the uni's students even bothered to vote for their student union delegates !

nicko wrote:
If Wolfie reading this I think they still wear them in Oz ?

Yep...

The Returned Services League have their 'Legacy' committees that sell badges and such a week or two before ANZAC Day, and will be selling Poppy badges this week, with the funds going towards helping veterans, and widows/widowers and their children.

Over here, you won't see wide displays of poppy wearing, but you will see the likes of TV personalities, bus drivers, some police (not likely to see stickers on cars, but a Poppy on the 11/11th is likely to be one of those "approved" items), and many shop assistants and nursing staff..

As for the university student unions over here, you're not likely to see any official protests on any campuses here -- even if the peacenicks/humanist types set up a stall in a quiet corner somewhere, they're unlikely to protest. The Student Unions here would be more likely to have a modest level of support for Armistice Day/Poppy Day rather than anything else -- I would prefer to believe that the bulk of the student unions here would have learnt from negative fallout back in the Vietnam War protest days, that it's smarter to "pick your battles well", and not back a loony toon minority fringe group..

The bigger problem today for the RSL here with their badge and poppy selling activities seems to be a gradually declining number of volunteers out there with the actual selling activities -- there is simply far fewer people selling them now, compared with 20 or 30 years ago.

Maybe it will get to the point where "Legacy" has to resort to selling their poppies and badges through such places as post offices, news agencies, banks and building societies, for this couple of weeks a year ?

I wear a poppy every year.

One on my Coat, one on my Car !

One on my coat and a spare in my pocket.

Syl wrote:There has been several debates again this year about the wearing of poppies.

Some people refuse to wear one for whatever reason, do you support their right not to?

As a Royal British Legion branch chairman and poppy appeal collector for many years yes, of course I do. We live in a free society and that's actually what generations of servicemen and women have fought, suffered and died in defence of.

Very few people I approach with my tray of poppies and collecting box refuse, with most of those saying that the poppy - the official symbol of the RBL and its main source of funding for our support and welfare work - "glorifies war."

It does nothing of the kind;  it is a symbol of remembrance, gratitude and hope, and the millions of pounds raised by the annual appeal  pays not only for the employment of mainly physically and mentally disabled ex-service men and women in the poppy and wreath factories, but also the extensive welfare, care and support services that we provide for those injured and traumatised by conflict that still goes on today.

If anyone thinks that the RBL is an outdated organisation and that wearing the poppy in November is a tradition that should be allow to die out, just look at some of the horrific injuries among many of the competitors in the recent Invictus Games or listen to some of their inspiring stories...and please think again.

They can take our poppies, but they'll never take our ... um ... freedom!!!!

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

Syl wrote:There has been several debates again this year about the wearing of poppies.

Some people refuse to wear one for whatever reason, do you support their right not to?

"As a Royal British Legion branch chairman and poppy appeal collector for many years yes, of course I do. We live in a free society and that's actually what generations of servicemen and women have fought, suffered and died in defence of."

Very few people I approach with my tray of poppies and collecting box refuse, with most of those saying that the poppy - the official symbol of the RBL and its main source of funding for our support and welfare work - "glorifies war."

It does nothing of the kind;  it is a symbol of remembrance, gratitude and hope, and the millions of pounds raised by the annual appeal  pays not only for the employment of mainly physically and mentally disabled ex-service men and women in the poppy and wreath factories, but also the extensive welfare, care and support services that we provide for those injured and traumatised by conflict that still goes on today.

If anyone thinks that the RBL is an outdated organisation and that wearing the poppy in November is a tradition that should be allow to die out, just look at some of the horrific injuries among many of the competitors in the recent Invictus Games or listen to some of their inspiring stories...and please think again.

Your first sentence says it all Fred.
We know the poppy is a token of rememberance, but for many it also stands for the freedom and rights to choose.
Like you say it's also a valuable way of raising money for the present generation of people who have been hurt in combat.