Never intended to be insult to the soldiers who died in WWI, the white poppy nevertheless still seems to be controversial. Now distributed by the Peace Pledge Union I have seen a few in Cambridge this year - possibly because of the active Quaker community. For me, buying a red poppy doesn't mean that I'm 'pro war' and does support ex-servicement who have sacrificed a great deal and commemorate those who have served us so well. But I don't object to people wearing the white ones - we certainly can't claim that its message about the harm done to civilians in wartime is irrelevant today.
Two GT:
1. The right to freedom of opinion
2. The carnage in France/Belgium is not being forgotten
I would like to have a third about war being a thing of the past....
This was taken yesterday - today has involved camera destroying rain.
I have never seen a white poppy but have no objection to them at all..we all remember in our own way. So good to see Remembrance Day gathering more & more support every year & the you g people of out country being respectful too.
@tishpics@happypat I must say though that I find the TV's obsession with poppy wearing slightly worrying and I'm glad that the atmosphere of 'wear one or you're not patriotic' seems to have relaxed this year a bit. It surely only means something if the wearer has actively chosen to wear it (and indeed to donate as it was always for fund raising). Many people have died fighting for our right to make our own decisions but it was starting to have shades of previous times/places when the wearing of symbols was compulsory... And anyway - if I wasn't wearing one it wasn't political - it was because I keep losing them.
I've never seen a white poppy. I've faved your shot just because I really, really like it but can't explain exactly why - maybe the movement in the main figure. I don't buy or wear a poppy - different ways of remembering. I agreee with the quote I saw on aol about war being organised murder - and I feel sure it will always be going on somewhere in the world.
I have never seen a white poppy. In the US, the veterans groups sell red paper poppies to raise money, especially at this time of the year with today being our Veterans Day (where we honor everyone who has served in the past, not the just ones who have given their lives, like on Memorial Day). As the wife of a soldier actively serving, I would view that as a negative statement toward those who serve, kind of like spitting in the returning soldiers faces after Vietnam. But, it is a very nice picture. Thanks for educating us on this topic!
@homeschoolmom Oh they were 'invented' by mothers and wives of men killed in WW1 - definitely not an intention to insult soldiers - I think more a protest about General Haig.
I totally agree with you on all counts, Judith. And thank goodness we have the ability to express our beliefs because of those who make the sacrifice to protect that freedom...and that's certainly not a statement supporting conflict.
Am interested, having just posted a shot of my white poppy to see your photo and all the comments it's generated. I wear a white poppy I suppose with the same sentiment as your third GT, but I sometimes think of wearing a red one alongside it. Anyway, it's a good shot - well captured.
I keep losing my poppy within hours of buying them. I don't think it matters what colour poppy you wear as long as you remember the brave men and women who fought for our freedom! Nice shot Judith. I had a 2 minute silence with an 89 year old client this morning and felt privileged to have shared it with someone of her generation who knew what it was like during WW2
@judithg How I agree about the poppy wearing on TV. In the run up to the day I think they must cart a very large box round with them & dish them out to all & sundry....I think if there wasn't such a blanket rule that everybody wore them it would be more meaningful. I think if there was a swimmer being interviewed he would have to have one pinned to his bare chest!
I quite like the idea of the white poppy because it's not forgetting the people who have served and perhaps died, but a comment against unnecessary war.
@happypat LOL! @rosiekind how lovely. And Adam lost his poppy between the hallway and the car this morning in < 1 min. Then he bought one for the service at school and lost that before it started. Good job I'd lent him my tie pin type one as well!
I've not seen white poppies anywhere but isn't there a movement to make this more prominent in the commemorations next year? Totally agree with your sentiments.
I've never heard of white poppies either, so I've learned something else new from this site! Love this shot. The white poppy on his dark coat is great and I like the fact that you have old and young in the same picture.
Interesting, I haven't heard about these white poppies before. This is a great street shot, the white poppy certainly shows up against his coat, and I like the guy on the bike doing his own thing in the background.
Totally with you on the poppy thing - whatever, however, you choose is all fine and certainly not compulsory. There are always mutterings about poppy wearing but there does seem to have been a noticeable poppy backlash this year - I think possibly stemming from a feeling that there is some kind of compulsory element. I've worn one as long as I can literally remember (early childhood) as a general anti-war statement and continue to do so.
November 17th, 2013
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
While humans exist war will never be a thing of the past.
My dad used to wear both white & red, years back.