Are you buying a poppy this year?

This afternoon in our local pet shop I donated to Animal Aid in support of all animals injured through being used in war and conflict. I shall wear my purple poppy in remembrance of all those horses, dogs, even pigeons, etc who suffered and lost their lives in war.

The theory - that war is part of evolution - is set out in an interesting article.

discovermagazine.com/2012/jun/07-is-war-inevitable-by-e-o-wilson#.UnvcqFCpXz4

merlot sorry to take a while to answer re glorification I have been out and about!

I think it is the generals et al who take the prime positions with the politicians that make it feel that way for me.

I always weep when I see the veterans at Whitehall/Cenotaph as I find that v moving and reminds me of my grandad who used to take me to London to watch. He cried for his lost friends and comrades.

I always buy a poppy, the factory in Richmond is very close to where we live. I like to show my support for our armed forces, they don't have a choice as to where they are sent or the pointless conflicts they find themselves in, they are pawns of successive governments. Similarly those generations who were conscripted into the first and second world wars certainly didn't have a choice. In particular the Great War is one I am sure could have been sorted out with diplomacy, I never really understood why the assassination of an Arch Duke could have unleashed such hell. So many young men never returned from the trenches and were treated as mere cannon fodder. It's also appalling to read how some of these youngsters, were executed as cowards when they refused to go back to the front due to the awful psychological damage they suffered from shell shock. Having said all that I do appreciate the stance some took who declared themselves pacifists that was not an easy thing to do either.

I think the day has drifted away from being purely from being a day of remembrance and a reminder not to let it happen again, to become something else for many people. I had always hoped that it would sort of die out when I was younger, as a little girl I really thought that all the grownups should just put their differences aside and get on with things, having learnt from their mistakes. My mother thought it was funny (I was 8) and my father was horrified. However, we have lost so many young men in more recent wars and they do not have their own special days of remembrance, so as long as we continue to have wars there will always be soldiers who have died in battle to remember. Only a cessation of war that lasts until the last descendants of a war have passed on will stop the sale of poppies.

I married into an RAF family. Anyone who doesn't think the families live in ghettos should try staying in Northern Ireland. Having your car searched on a regular basis and having to show papers to soldiers with guns every time you have visitors to stay. Visitors don't like it and often don't return.

Just got home from visiting Mum in her nursing home. I chuckled when I saw her sitting up in bed with a poppy pinned to her nightie. The BL had just been round and although she struggles to remember birthdays and anniversaries she was quite clear about why she was wearing a poppy!

Hello bach - yes of course in WW1 Ireland was part of UK and many were conscripted and volunteered. Tends not to be commemorated though does it. I remember years ago standing in the square in Bantry and noticing the war memorial. In every other country in Europe and the commonwealth as well, it would have related to the 2 world wars but not in Ireland.
It also struck me in Normandy while on holiday that there were many, very visible memorials to allied troops but none to the sons of Germany who also died there in large numbers.

I've bought my poppy and will probably watch part of the Remembrance Sunday wreath laying as I usually do, but I will switch off the religious service. I find it anachronistic - if that's the right word.

grannyknot I've just made my first knitted poppy (Pattern online) but will give donation to British Legion.

I live in southern Ireland and I get my son to send me a poppy. I wear it in thanks to all those of all nations who have given their lives in the fight for peace.

Next year, the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WW1, I shall be growing poppies on the front garden and some on the hedgerow.

I have been challenged by one person (on another forum) who asked how many Irish were killed in the first world war The answer is 30,000 died. Quite a lot from such a small island

I do take your points Elegran - I think what I find so hard is the politicians who send young people to war metaphorically vying for the best camera angle on the news items of the remembrance events. It makes me shudder.

I do buy a poppy and make my contribution, but agree with others that those who send young people to war should be prepared to provide the after-care and support - it all comes from us in the end one way or another, but it should be part of the package and not dependent on a charity.

I think my views are coloured by my father's strong and oft-repeated views that he had no wish whatsoever to remember any of it and could not begin to understand why people would wish to do so.

I buy and wear my poppy to Remember Isn't that the whole point? I feel slight embarrassment if I change coats and go out without a poppy.
I'm glad it helps the BL to do their sterling work too, with those injured or affected by conflict.

Zephrine I was not condemning pacifists for their views. But no-one is a greater pacifist than a wife or mother whose husband or son is at the pointy end, or someone who has been conscripted into service

What I object to is the assumption that anyone who has been injured or killed doing the bidding of his country has no right to care and comfort, or assistance when he returns to civilian life. Even convicted ex-criminals who have committed violent or financially destructive offences against their fellow men have helpto settle back into a legitimate community again.

Boycotting services which remember the death of these personnel and collections to help fund help for them doers not aid the cause of pacifism. It punishes the front line without affecting those who start wars without trying all possible alternatives.

I wear a poppy for remembrance, not glory, not pride. And I call to mind Wilfred Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est...' A savage riposte to those people (and one lady poet in particular), comfortably at home in Britain, who spouted platitudes about what a glorious thing it was to die for one's country.

My grandfather suffered badly in the trenches in WW1,and as a resullt went to an early grave aged 56, my father was killed in the 'Hitler' war before I was born, as was my G.Aunt's only son and my Stepfather was a POW in the Far East. None of them wanted to fight or kill anyone, BUT when the defence our nation was paramount they ALL put their lives on the line. I feel enormouse pride both for them and for ALL our armed forces, some rotten apples maybe, but the vast majority are ALL heroes, so for me, not to wear a poppy with pride would be inconceivable. War is HELL, but where would be be if there was no-one prepared to defend us?

Elegran many pacifists served in the war, taking on dangerous duties but refused to kill. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

You might as well say that an ordinary funeral service glorifies cancer, or heart attacks, or speeding motorists. Any glorification is done outside the memorial service, which is full of sadness for the young lives lost.

I fail to see how remembrance services glorify war? They are public acts of remembrance, gratitude and sorrow.

I think events like the Edinburgh Military Tattoo glorify war because they are showcases of military expertise.

I always buy a poppy, having served in the Army, I met a lot of good friends. Luckily I wasn't in any hot spots.The poppy to me is in memory of the ones who have fallen in all the conflicts. I shall wear mine with pride.

So if another country sent in an army to invade your town and kill the inhabitants, you would say "welcome, go ahead", hicaz46 ?

And, more importantly and more relevantly to the buying and wearing of poppies, if one of your neighbours tried to stop them and was seriously injured, would you let them bleed and die on your doorstep rather than give them help? Or even an invading soldier who needed immediate first aid?

How cold and hard.

Yes, absolutely!! The act of wearing my poppy shows respect to those who fell or were injured and supports the families and those still serving. I feel naked without one.
My parents lived through and served in WWII, my grandparents and their siblings through WWI as well and we have several nieces and nephews still serving in the Forces, my husband was in the Army and the TA when he was young, Thank God he never had to fire a shot in anger.
I hold in my memory two individuals who died on active service in WWII who were mourned by my parents, both were victims of friendly fire actually and it is important whilst remembering that war is the failure of politicians.

Sorry www.ppu.org.uk/whitepoppy/

Also meant to say I do not like the 'glorification' of war at memorial services. In war there are often no real winners but dreadful losses on both sides...no glory in that.

Remembering those who died is a different thing.

I do buy a red poppy, 3 so far this year as I keep losing them. I do this in support of the Legion that does stirling charity work for ex-servicemen.

I am anti-war and pro- peace negotiation. However I am realistic enough to know that there are some circumstances when the lesser evil is to take a military stance. Service personnel deserve public support if we expect them to be there , at the front line on our behalf. Even when I have not supported the decisions for the military action the individual military personnel still need help and support post action or when injured etc. Of course this ought to be part of the package they sign up to but if this is not happening support needs to be there from somewhere.

I also support http://www.ppu.org.uk/whitepoppy/ because to me it is the other side of the coin. I do not want young men and women to have to fight on my behalf and risk or lose their lives. therefore I have to support an organisation that is trying to promote avoidance of conflict.

I never buy a poppy because as a lifelong pacifist I do not believe we should be fighting wars and certainly not interfering in other countries wars. Families seemed shocked and outraged when people are killed or injured as members of the armed forces. Don't join these services if you don't want to get killed is my suggestion.

Did that post make sense? I'm a bit narked that the BL are wasting money sending all these freebies.