Current Affairs Poppy season crassness

[AsiaAsia82]

Be wary of both the Poppy police and the attention seeking anti-poppy brigade.
Just wear your poppy with pride

 

[DanEFC92]

Be wary of both the Poppy police and the attention seeking anti-poppy brigade.
Just wear your poppy with pride

Dunno how you can look through this thread and think the people who are anti-poppy are 'attention seeking'

 

[JimmyJeffers]

Be wary of both the Poppy police and the attention seeking anti-poppy brigade.
Just wear your poppy with pride

See, this is the problem. It’s not meant to be something you wear to be proud of. It’s about remembering a catastrophic loss of life. This is what people like you don’t really comprehend. You’ve hijacked the whole point of it.

 

[tsubaki]

See, this is the problem. It’s not meant to be something you wear to be proud of. It’s about remembering a catastrophic loss of life. This is what people like you don’t really comprehend. You’ve hijacked the whole point of it.

Such is the way of performative outrage peddlers.

 

[Ruairi77]

See, this is the problem. It’s not meant to be something you wear to be proud of. It’s about remembering a catastrophic loss of life. This is what people like you don’t really comprehend. You’ve hijacked the whole point of it.

this is a good point and a big change I've noticed in my lifetime.
I grew up in Ireland (the Republic) and there was a WW1 remembrance monument a few doors down. Every remembrance Sunday a small crowd would gather, a poppy wreath was laid and someone played the last post. I always remember it being a solemn affair that nobody attached much of any national pride to (in a good or bad way).
Recently, the whole thing seems to have been hijacked. I'd be quite happy if there wasn't poppies on jerseys and the endless parade got dialed right back. A minutes silence before games on the weekend of remembrance Sunday seems adequate.
Here in the states it's Veterans day on Thursday. If you want an idea of where all this is heading, check out the NFL sidelines this weekend, Most of the coaches and staff wear camouflage team gear. Belichick, an army brat, famously refuses to wear the stuff, causing outrage.

 

[summerisle]

The solemn remembrance gathers apace.

 

[Harryflashman]

this is a good point and a big change I've noticed in my lifetime.
I grew up in Ireland (the Republic) and there was a WW1 remembrance monument a few doors down. Every remembrance Sunday a small crowd would gather, a poppy wreath was laid and someone played the last post. I always remember it being a solemn affair that nobody attached much of any national pride to (in a good or bad way).
Recently, the whole thing seems to have been hijacked. I'd be quite happy if there wasn't poppies on jerseys and the endless parade got dialed right back. A minutes silence before games on the weekend of remembrance Sunday seems adequate.
Here in the states it's Veterans day on Thursday. If you want an idea of where all this is heading, check out the NFL sidelines this weekend, Most of the coaches and staff wear camouflage team gear. Belichick, an army brat, famously refuses to wear the stuff, causing outrage.

I remember reading that a few years ago , was interesting to see what belichick actually does , stuff that actually matters rather than go along with what Is popular amongst that particular demographic. I’d be interested to know how many clad in that military salute to service gear do the same .

 

[AsiaAsia82]

See, this is the problem. It’s not meant to be something you wear to be proud of. It’s about remembering a catastrophic loss of life. This is what people like you don’t really comprehend. You’ve hijacked the whole point of it.

Actually I am proud of the service my family and friends have given and the sacrifice some made to serve this country.
Solemn remembrance in that but there for the grace of those do we now live in a place of freedom.
If you’re not proud of that then that’s your choice.
Whether you’re embarrassed by it, wear a white or rainbow one or not bothered at all that’s your choice too, but I am proud to wear the poppy.
Perhaps the only time I’ll wear red

 

[peteblue]

Actually I am proud of the service my family and friends have given and the sacrifice some made to serve this country.
Solemn remembrance in that but there for the grace of those do we now live in a place of freedom.
If you’re not proud of that then that’s your choice.
Whether you’re embarrassed by it, wear a white or rainbow one or not bothered at all that’s your choice too, but I am proud to wear the poppy.
Perhaps the only time I’ll wear red

I think this is the thing, best to do whatever individually you are comfortable with and with whatever thoughts, memories, family connections and sorrow you may have…….

 

[mill]

But the issue is people who fetishise it in a way that it’s not about remembering anything. It’s about showing patriotism which is an entirely different thing.

 

[Ruairi77]

I think this is the thing, best to do whatever individually you are comfortable with and with whatever thoughts, memories, family connections and sorrow you may have…….

So kinda like religion, a personal thing that tends to get a bit annoying and lose some of its meaning when it's forced on you.

 

[zukai12_]

The only Poppy i'm interested in is the type i can smoke

 

[PhilM]

But the issue is people who fetishise it in a way that it’s not about remembering anything. It’s about showing patriotism which is an entirely different thing.

Deep down and I would say hopefully for most, I don't think it is (or should be) about patriotism nor do I think it's about glorifying war in general or the tri-forces.

This quote, which I've ad-libbed, was about another war and another memorial, but I feel it speaks for many...

'Nowadays, patriotism is a complicated matter… perhaps that's why [they] ... convey the only thing about the war that [most] people can agree...

...that those who died should be remembered.'

 

[TN Toffee]

this is a good point and a big change I've noticed in my lifetime.
I grew up in Ireland (the Republic) and there was a WW1 remembrance monument a few doors down. Every remembrance Sunday a small crowd would gather, a poppy wreath was laid and someone played the last post. I always remember it being a solemn affair that nobody attached much of any national pride to (in a good or bad way).
Recently, the whole thing seems to have been hijacked. I'd be quite happy if there wasn't poppies on jerseys and the endless parade got dialed right back. A minutes silence before games on the weekend of remembrance Sunday seems adequate.
Here in the states it's Veterans day on Thursday. If you want an idea of where all this is heading, check out the NFL sidelines this weekend, Most of the coaches and staff wear camouflage team gear. Belichick, an army brat, famously refuses to wear the stuff, causing outrage.

To be fair, in the US, Veterans Day is somewhat different Remembrance Day. Since God knows the American military could never be fully honored in a single day, we have Veterans Day in November where we celebrate the living vets by donning camo and letting them eat for free at Applebee’s Then we have Memorial Day in May where we honor the fallen by getting drunk, firing up the grill and getting the jet skis out on the lake for the first time of the summer.

 

[spectateur]

I think it’s because people see it as a badge on honour and not about respecting the sacrifice.

They see war as something to be celebrated because we won and to feel superior rather than to give respect to those who went through the horror of war.

It’s a fetish that completely ignores the reality of things.

Granted my experience is limited, but the people in my life who experienced it (my grandad was 19 driving a tank in the battle of the bulge) never wanted to even talk about it, let a lot celebrate it.

I think your grandpa's reaction is fairly typical.
I had an uncle and a father in law who experienced front line battle action in ww 2.
Neither would ever talk about their experience.