They might not have your respect, but that does not mean that you can deny others from respecting the Forces. It is our elected leaders that send them to war.

However, it is not just fighting on the frontline that the Forces are involved with. I was personally glad that a Forces Doctor was my anaesthetist. When the fire brigade goes on strike, spare a thought for those who have just come back from Afghanistan, giving up their annual leave and time with their families in order to maintain the emergency service? Who are out in foreign countries, helping to rebuild towns and support structures (roads and bridges) owing to the destruction that their own people have caused? Who are out in lands that have gone through disasters of nature, providing support and assistance to those that have lost everything owing to a tsunami, hurricane or some other natural disaster? It was the RAF who had the responsibility for the 'Search and Rescue' teams, prior to being privatised.

There is so much more than fighting that are the Forces are involved in. To say thank you and remember those (several under the age of 25 who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others), it is not much to ask that they are remembered.

It is not just the British Forces, but those of all nationalities, genders, race and cultures who have also sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others.

The least I can do is wear a Poppy, to show my respect.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was chosen because it went better with the outfit!

"To say thank you"

Why do we always have to be thanking these people? They do a job, they get paid, they get a degree of recognition. Why the need to go overboard all the time?

"Who are out in foreign countries, helping to rebuild towns and support structures (roads and bridges) owing to the destruction that their own people have caused?"

More often they are destroying roads and bridges. And villages.

"Who are out in lands that have gone through disasters of nature, providing support and assistance to those that have lost everything owing to a tsunami, hurricane or some other natural disaster?"

That really is clutching.

"It was the RAF who had the responsibility for the 'Search and Rescue' teams, prior to being privatised."

I have no problem with Search and Rescue. I have a problem with Bomb Villages, Execute Prisoners and such like.

"but that does not mean that you can deny others from respecting the Forces."

I do not wish to and did not suggest this at any point.

And there we have it!

Totally disrespectful ignorance posted at 11 O'clock.



Just to get themselves noticed.

Shameful!

I didn't even notice the time TBH. If there is offence or ignorance in what I posted, point it out.

No one "likes" war! Mankind has never managed to live in a world free from warfare, and never will. Some people may be idealistic in taking a stance like yours but imo they are not realistic.

I find your comments about "poppy drivel" and telling people to "move on" highly offensive for many reasons. It also makes me sad to see that the purpose and point of our Remembrance is missed by someone lucky enough to have benefitted from the defence of democracy and sacrifices made by millions of our people.

"I didn't even notice the time TBH."
"If there is offence or ignorance in what I posted, point it out"



That was easy!

That you find my sincerely held view offensive is irelevant. Why are you telling me this?

You haven't done what I asked.

To call someone's different opinion offensive just shows how incredibly close-minded you are being. Stop listening to the mainstream force-feeding you lies and actually do some research on how yes, our involvement in the World Wars was entirely justifiable, but our involvement in current conflicts puts us well and truly in the frame of being the 'bad guys.' We are in a country that does not need us, pillaging their valuable resources while we kill thousands upon thousands of innocent people. There is no pride to be taken from this. It is shameful.

While people continue to put forward an opinion that is flat out wrong and untrue, we will continue drawing your attention to the facts.

It says a lot about you that causing offence is irrelevant to you.

Read the Forum rules. You are not meant to insult to fellow members.

You might have your views, however wearing the poppy, whether red or white is to remember those who have laid down their lives for their country, not just those that are part of the UK.

What a nasty and disrespectful post!! My uncle was killed in WW2 and my mum and the rest of the family went through so much grief and sorrow, he was just 21 years old and forced to go just like many others. Their lives were turned upside down by this and I don't think its a lot to ask to be able to remember them all. We should never forget, it must never happen again.

A red poppy means you remember and honour all those who fell - on all sides - in conflict. It is not a celebration of anything but a mark of respect like a black arm band. It is politically neutral. A white poppy, a recent fad amongst celebrities, signifies that you respect those who fell but you are a pacifist. It is a political statement. Being a pacifist means you do not support war in any circumstances whatsoever.

Think about that. It's not about undemocratic acts of aggression but about all armed conflict.

It means Great Britain not defending itself against Hitler and simply giving in to fascism. It means not supporting Poland, not liberating France or any part of Europe from the jackboot of the evil dictators, not standing up for freedom, agreeing that defending yourself or others is worse than fighting for what you believe in. It means not fighting back against the Taleban or terrorism.

Liberty is not the default condition of human lifestyles. Slavery and subordination are. Every free society has fought for its liberty. Great Britain from the Nazis. America from Great Britain. Almost every country in Latin America against Spain. Almost all peoples against some invader or other group in their own country. America's greatest loss was in the Civil War where North fought South over the literal issue of liberty.

Unfortunately all you need is not love. Freedom must be fought for and people die for it and that's what wearing a RED poppy stands for and why millions of us pin one on every year at this time.

Very good post, thank you

Consider my post edited. I have been a member of this board for over 8 years, so am fully aware of the rules, however the absolutely blind 'opinions' put forward in this thread have pushed me over the edge. I just wish people would seek out the facts for themselves rather than just believing the lies they are told. It makes me feel incredibly sad.

I'm sure you're right - lemon dress, white flowers in hair, red poppy on chest - ooh no, that won't be stylish.. I know, wear a white one......................

I very much doubt that she or the stylist who suggested it had the vaguest idea of it's significance.

I prefer the white poppy as a symbol of peace because to me the red poppy glorifies war. It means different things to different people.

I never do more than read the X Factor thread but suddenly there's a post for which I had to say thank you. Better put than I could hope to achieve.

The wearing of a red poppy is not jingoistic or triumphalist: it's an act of remembrance.

ME! ME! ME! LOOK AT ME!

I addressed their question and they then say I didn't.

Don't feed the troll.

Then you don't know what you are talking about and are completely wrong. (I doubt that will stop you )

Not to mention highly offensive to all those who today wore a NORMAL red poppy who you think are glorifying war or did it to glorify war.

It's pleasing to me that more and more people actually think about the poppy nowadays and more people are beginning to challenge the jingoistic glorification of war and soldier worship the media imposes on ordinary people. 10 years ago people just wore the poppy and tugged their forelocks without questioning but I suppose we have had the atrocities of Iraq and Afghanistan since then.

That and the media pushing and pushing to the point where people start to get sick of it.

I truly think the world is beginning to move on and for that I am thankful. The BBC and their "Festival" of "Remembrance" really is awful though.

I don't mind people wearing a poppy if they want to, it's a free country people should be able to express their support if they want.

I don't wear the poppy and I don't support the British Legion for personal reasons, but I understand why people do. One gripe I have is that anyone appearing on TV is made to wear one which is ridiculous.

It's a symbol which has been used in recent years to glorify war and to promote propaganda. That's a real issue and it's why people have begun to turn away from it.

People who choose not to wear a poppy are capable of remembrance without a red badge.

Thank you.

Roland Mouse - just because this is what it means to me doesn't mean I'm telling everyone else to stop wearing a red poppy. I said in my previous post, the poppies mean different things to different people.