Poppies

nanaej

ceesnan, she sounds like a sweet kid

elf, yes, but in this case, in my case, I don't think so. For me it's similar to the feeling of unease I have about charity bag-packing in supermarkets. I know a few other GN-ers felt some unease about that too.

I hate the futility of war,but will wear my poppy with pride for my dad and grandad who fought through two world wars and gave 4years and 7years respectively so that freedom could still be ours...and in recognition of my sons friend who committed suicide 3years ago after suffering PTSD from his time in Afghanistan....these are personal marks of respect and rememberance and private reflections...my son will join me this year at our village rememberance service and observe the two minute silence which always makes me feel very moved.

merlotgran Sorry if I seemed patronising – I didn't mean to be. However, you did sort of imply that soldiers in World War I were conscripted. Of course, you could have been simply emphasising that they volunteered (until 1916) as patriots not to further a military career. You also implied that soldiers since 1945 have all been professionals, as they are now, and that wasn't the case for another 15 years.

Btw Did anyone read about the little boy who was refused a poppy because he had only 70 or 80p and the poppy seller told him that they cost £1? The British Legion has said that although there is a "price list", it is for the sellers only an there is no fixed rice required – just a donation. So what is the price list for in the first place?

Micelf - yes.

fixed price. Either my brain or my fingers or both are still asleep.

I have always felt uneasy about children being 'asked' to bring food items at harvest festival time, to be distributed to old people. Some families have barely enough food for themselves.
At my catholic junior school, we had to bring 'school fund' every Monday, and the teacher would read out each term how much each pupil had brought. My name was invariably at the bottom of the list, because my father was totally opposed to our being coerced in this way. It was deeply humiliating. The girls who brought most were always given extra coaching for the 11+. Fortunately, I didn't need it - I was top of all entrants in Salford in 1951! The head nun was furious. Do schools still expect parents to make regular financial contributions?

Yes they do Greatnan. Sizeable contributions and some parents aren't even aware that they are not compulsory.

When we had 'poppy day' at school, there were three kinds of poppies - 1d for a basic one, 6d for a bigger one and 1/- for the biggest one. As a prefect I was one of the sellers. I don't think anyone got the penny poppy. Mind you, it was a fairly affluent community.

As an Army family we wear our poppy's with pride I do not just have one on my lapel in November I have one permenently fixed to a photograph of my DS2 and three of his pals taken just before they left for Irag when the invasion first took place,only two of these boys came home to their families and I was lucky that my boys came back to us.
I dislike the term "squaddies" used by most of the red topped tabloids and dismiss the fact that these boys join because there is no other choice for them both of my boys joined because they had always aspired to be soldiers and they where well educated and bright youngsters,the younger being the more daring of the two choosing to be a front line medic in the thick of action constantly, only those who have first hand experience what having a child/husband/close relative can understand the trauma you go through whilst they are away on tour and the sorrow when they don't come home.

Glamma - I can understand it. Like everybody else who has commented, I would prefer that government did not lead us into wars and invasions for their own purposes, but I am very moved when I see those flag-draped coffins, or injured service men and women.

Respect Glamma. Lots.

Actually, absentgrana I was referring to 'today's' (meaning recent times) soldiers. I am fully aware that National Service was not abolished until 1960. My post was short and, I thought, fully explanatory. Funny how every word gets picked on like bare bones sometimes.

I'm glad people can and do wear their poppies with pride. But I'm also glad that there is no obligation towear a poppy should one choose, for whatever reason, not to. It is the erosion of this principle of freedom that I'm arguing about – nothing else – as was Jon Snow. This freedom is what the world wars were supposed to be about. Let's not forget that.

In my view, selling poppies in primary schools is a form of social coercion. Social coercion does not wnhance our dear won 'freedom'.

enhance

merlotgran Sometimes things seem crystal clear when they are posted and it always comes as a surprise to discover that someone has misunderstood or completely missed the point. Mea culpa.

Sorted, absentgrana

Absent,I think is.where we loose out on facial expression,don,t you think?

Greatnan, When I was teaching Food Technology we asked the students, at the start of every 11 week module, for a voluntary contribution of £1 towards items and ingredients that the school would provide. Most parents were happy to oblige but we knew the ones who wouldn't. We were aware that some parents couldn't afford to contribute so nothing was said.

very well said Glammananna, my son was a "high flier" I would guess as he joined Army from Sandhurst as he wond a cadetship (no longer available) he had to be very able academically and super fit, I was extremly proud of him and of my 2 trips to Sandhurst hat obligatory!! still have the photo of his passing out parade in 2003 in pride of place just me and him!!

In my opinion it is atrocious the lost of life of young men, and such a waste, I too thank god my son was spared and feel for those that were not.

Wearing a poppy and a minutes silence on the the 11th is the very least respect we can show for recents conflicts and the 2 world wars.

I was born after both of them but do feel a debt of gratitude no one stops to wonder what life would be like if Hitler had taken over our country.

rant over!!!

I have one good thing to report about my convent school - my mother could never afford the termly amount for school dinners (we didn't call them lunches) and to avoid my being embarrassed the headteacher, Mother Anna, would lend me the full amount and I would pay her back week by week, discreetly, every Monday morning.
Some girls were able to go on foreign trips, mainly to Lourdes, but other than that we did not get taken out much, which was fine by me as I would not have been able to afford it.

I have never been convinced by the dulce et decorum est idea and am even less so in the light of Iraq and Afghanistan when there is no question of pro patria. In fact, every death – of British service personnel and the local population – is a heart-breaking, pointless, wicked obscenity.

Nevertheless, Messrs Cameron, Milliband and Clegg will make sure that they are photographed and televised wearing their poppies, laying their wreaths at the Cenotaph, sitting in the front row at memorial services and crying their crocodile tears. Will the egregious Mr Blair be there too? Such an opportunity for spin.

celebgran YES! Wearing a poppy, for which one has contributed a small donation to a very good cause, and observing a minutes silence to remember the dead, is the least we can do. For those who object...so be it. I would sooner remember..and I hope that generations to come, will continue to do so.

soop I don't think anyone is objecting to those who wish to wear a poppy, observe the minute's silence or remember the dead of however many wars they want to remember doing any of these things. Even I, who can rarely shut up, can manage a minute's silence in privacy once a year.