Wearing a white poppy

I would never describe the Festival of Remembrance as jingoistic, lucky. There is nothing wrong with immense pride and patriotism but there is a definite air of sadness and an ethos of involving children to signify hope for the future.

Do you ever watch it?

I was not talking about that particular ceremony merlot - unfortunately there have over the years been some local events that have made me and others feel a bit uncomfortable. I guess it was their failure to recognise the suffering on both sides and a nationalistic element that overstepped justified pride in those who acted bravely - what a dreadful mess-up it all was.

I have just been reading a book that was written about the bombings of Hamburg - what a terrible thing for people to be forced by events out of their control to do.

I don’t wear a poppy at all, but if I did it would be white one. I think it’s far better to commemorate all victims of war rather than just one side. I don’t feel any need to advertise my beliefs by wearing a symbol, though.

I can identify with that Grandma70s - but there is huge pressure to wear something and acknowledge the day; and in the BBC I think it is a three-line-whip, which seems very wrong to me.

Yes, Luckygirl, the BBC conformity is very noticeable. If I see someone on BBC without a poppy they go up a lot in my estimation.

I don’t watch other channels enough to know if it’s the same story across all television.

I will wear a red poppy to commemorate all those who die in war.

I would wear a white peace poppy if I could find one for sale, have thought about making my own, but also always buy and wear, a red one (I have German family who fought reluctantly, and died, in the war).

World Peace Day is 21 September - if those wearing white poppies on Remembrance Sunday were to see many people wearing red poppies on World Peace Day would they be offended?

I have just been reading a book that was written about the bombings of Hamburg - what a terrible thing for people to be forced by events out of their control to do.

War is waged by politicians.
Most people, except for a very few, wish for and pray for peace throughout the world.
Unfortunately, without some of the retaliation in WW2 Hitler would not have been stopped.

Why should anyone be offended by a white poppy? Freedom of choice is still allowed in this UK ,for now.So I'll wear my white poppy ,my family suffered great losses in WW11 ,and my uncles ,all 5 of them came home with life long health problems ,one was deaf from using the big guns,one had TB in his bones which gave him a lifetime of pain even after it was treated ,my youngest uncle came back with epilepsy .NONE of them wore a poppy ,one of them asked for help from the Earl Haig fund and was told his disability wasn't bad enough to get financial aid.It was bad enough to stop him working for a long time though .I respect their reasons for not wearing any poppies why should people try to shame me for my white one .

I don't think so paddyann but I just wonder if wearers of the white poppy on World Peace Day could be offended by someone wearing a red poppy - who is also praying for peace?

It was just a thought.

one of them asked for help from the Earl Haig fund and was told his disability wasn't bad enough to get financial aid
I'm not sure what the Earl Haig fund was, but I do know that the money raised by the Poppy Appeal does go to help those in need and their families.

They came home

So many didn't.

Red Poppy for me also.

I'm with a previous poster on the white poppy front is that they are for everyone who has died as a result of conflict, event the terrorists who have died.

I don;t see why those who exists to inflict pain, hatred and death on others should be remembered alongside those who wanted their families to live in peace and safety.

This year I bought a red poppy hand made in felt by women of a charity set up to help them to make a little money from what they are able to make. I'm happy to support them. I always buy and wear a red poppy out of respect for those me who died in such appalling conditions in the trenches. I remember my two great uncles who didn't come back...
I like to buy crosses at the garden if remembrance in Princes Street Gardens.
Of course peace is a wonderful aspiration but for me white poppies for another day.

I thought a red poppy was because it signified the blood which had been shed by the many millions who'd died during combat in whichever side they fought against ?
What significance does a white poppy hold ?

I have never regularly worn a red poppy - my great-aunts wore white ones, and my parents said that the War was best forgotten and would not take part in any services.
Later, as an adult, I decided to wear none. I saw that people got upset by white poppies (no reason why they should, but we're talking emotions, not reason) and I have no wish to cause distress.
I have only attended one remembrance service - really I did it for my grandmother, 100 years on from her brother's death - and I found it quite uncomfortable, lots of 'parade ground' type shouting.
However, this year, as part of a community effort, I have crocheted a lot of red poppies, and white ones for the Quaker installation 'Collateral Damage'.

Out of respect I wear a red poppy in remembrance of my past relatives one who was in the ANZAC's and present day when a GS served in Iraq Afghanistan N.Ireland the Falklands and of course the wonderful work of the Ghurka Regiment whose loyalty to this country is second to none.
The most outstanding war memorial visited was the vast area in Canberra. 1914/18 and 1939/45 graves and tombstones. Millions.

I wear a white poppy. My dad was a great supporter of the British Legion, thankfully he died before they became the very dodgy organisation they are now. They have accepted funding from BAE systems who supply weapons to Saudi Arabia that are being used to bomb Yemen out of existence. Because of this I will never wear a red poppy again. The jingoistic attitude and the glamourisation of war which is now being promoted by this organisation is disgusting. As illustrated by the omission of the last 2 verses of the song "No Man's Land" in 2014.
Plus the white poppy commemorates all killed in wars including the civilians (who now compose the highest rate of casualties)

Mmm sorry I think those wearing white poppies are really making it all about them.

Virtue signalling and attention seeking. Obviously your absolute choice but for me the red poppy is respectful and remembers those who fought in the wars to allow you to wear the white poppy. So honour them and wear red.

So the dead women and children who were not fighting but were (and still are) the innocent victims of conflict deserve no remembrance at all?

Mycatisahacker------you've said it. My thoughts exactly,just to be different which goes for many areas which once upon a time were classed as the norm by everyone-----democracy undermined.

Red poppy worn by myself and my family to respect all those who lost their lives for our freedom.

The red poppy appeal raises money for war veterans and their families, recent wars included. A worthy cause surely. Who gets the money from white poppies?

Anything over the initial costs is used for the Peace Pledge Education Programme. It's very little.
For balance
-You may also like to know that the Peace Pledge Union's annual turnover is similar to the annual salary (£95,000+) of the British Legion's chief executive.-