White Poppy

No ideas for world peace? I am surprised as there is so much criticism in this regard, especially for the present government, (who clearly have an extremely difficult task, damned if they do and damned if they dont,) but no ideas as to what they or anyone else can do to at least try to alleviate the situation.

You need to buy one every year though, it's not just the wearing of the poppy, it's also the money it creates for The British Legion and Armed forces.

Hear, hear, ffinn and elegran. I'm another who doesn't like badges and labels and 'identity politics'.

Exactly, luckygran There is no "correct" colour of poppy. Wearing a white one doesn't mean that the soldiers who fought are being insulted, and wearing a red one does not mean that the wearer is glorifying war. Each to his her/own.

Remembering the fallen is the reason for the day. The lessons learnt from their deaths are both personal and universal.

An interesting parallel Elegran, re. uniform and poppy wearing.

I'm not going to wear a red or white poppy. I don't wear any other 'badges for cause' either, because I'm uncomfortable with the way it 'defines' me to others. I hold my own counsel privately, and am happy with that.

I wear a white poppy, but that does not mean I would criticise anyone who chose not to, or wore a red one.

In reality, the wearing of either means subtly different things to each person depending on their life experiences.

Maybe the white dog in the photo is one?

To show that we support 'brave' animals.

Perhaps we should all just wear purple ones.

That seems to be a common subtext on one or two threads at the moment, Elegran!

Was that a song contemporary with WW1? Conscientious objectors were not at all popular then, when there was a fever to join up and fight for the country and freedom.

On this thread, I don't see people criticising wearers of white poppies, but there are quite a lot of people who feel that they are being criticised for not wearing them, but wearing the red ones.

A parallel with those who were criticised during WW1 for not being in uniform?

Do I detect a touch of "You are not making a public declaration that you think the same as I do, therefore I shall assume that you are against what I stand for" ?

I do think that trisher's post (trisher Sun 20-Sep-15 12:06:51) has truth in it - unfortunately.

I am in the process of researching songs from the first WW and also poems that might be suitable to set to music for an event in 2018. I am particularly keen to find poems about poppies that are NOT remembrance-related to set to music for the children who sing with us. If anyone knows of any, that would be very helpful.

I think it would be lovely to remember how beautiful poppies are, aside from their tole in remembrance of soldiers who died.

Some of the WW1 songs that I have been looking at are very moving and go straight for the heart - and none the worse for that. But there is one about conscientious objectors that is horrible. Here is the link to the songs: www.ww1photos.com/WW1MusicIndex.html

dj You keep thinking that people have posted things that they haven't. Should you be a bit worried?

The question was to roseq, who said it in her previous post

As far as I am aware, I did not say it in my previous post.
Did I?

djen that is dreadful and shouldn't happen.

How come a Labour Council like Brent is so heartless?
Labour regained control in 2010 and increased their majority at the 2014 election

Let us hope that the Royal British Legion will help, with the funds they receive from the Poppy Appeal. That is what it is for.

I wasn't implying anything about Jeremy Corbyn. It was a genuine question, and not aimed at him particularly, but at all politicians whatever their political leanings. What or where on earth is the answer to these appalling events when you are up against such a cacophony of pig headiness at best and pure evil at worst? Do you try to interfere or do you turn your back, leave them to get on with it with all the misery and terrible suffering that entails? I simply don't know and just wondered if anyone here had any ideas?

welfaretales.wordpress.com/2015/09/19/britains-oldest-pow-forced-to-live-off-charity-handouts-and-facing-eviction-by-brent-council/

So much for us caring about force's people.

The question was to roseq, who said it in her previous post.
Corbyn hasn't said he approves of terrorists' actions, which is what is implied. He does not approve of any warmongering.

Plenty of people durhamjen.
The people who sympathise with them, should be sure to make clear that they dont approve of them.
Else, in my opinion, their sentiment actually goes further than sympathise.

Who approves of terrorists' actions?

Whatever Poppy we wear, it still doesn't sort out the here and now, that is Syria, IS, Yemen, Turkey, Northern Ireland (looking distinctly tricky) and a host of problems worldwide. How we should react.and what the answers are goodness only knows, as, with the exception of NI(?) I can't see any of the aforementioned countries sitting around the table discussing peace any time soon!

Yes. The blood of those who died, of those we wish to remember. The clue is in the name, Remembrance. Wearing a red poppy is not showing support for war; it is showing gratitude to those who had no choice

A good post, thatbags and others whose posts were similar.

The Poppy Appeal this year begins on 22nd October 2015, so anyone wearing one before then is probably wearing one left from last year. That's fine, as long as they put another donation into the box this year!

To raise enough money to help ex-servicemen and their families the appeal has to start a couple of weeks before Remembrance Day, otherwise not enough money would be raised.

Does the money for the white poppies go to a World Peace Fund?
I do think the sentiments expressed in the OP puts a different interpretation on the purpose of the wearing of red poppies - it is not up to the people in charge of that organisation to do that, however laudable their ideals are.
It is setting one lot against the other, whereas the aims and ideals of both is peace.

I am not sure how the wearing of a white poppy can be compatible with the approving of terrorists' actions either.
Seems like double standards to me.

Sorry, but this whole thread is about wearing white poppies, and criticising those who do.
Is that not political?

You're right about the road to hell etc, and there are so many poems, have you read The Poppy Seller? It is quite a tear jerker. I just feel that surely for two minutes of one day in one year, we can wear our poppies, and commemorate the dead of all conflicts, without politics rearing its head. What's done is done, you can't put back the clock or alter the past. Whose fault it was or their motives is now academic. What you can do is hopefully learn by the past, and try to do the best you realistically can both now and in the future. A tall order indeed!!!