Several people on here have said we don't wear a poppy. Does that mean you don't respect us either?

I don't remember any of the founders of the Daily Mail being involved in acts of sabotage and I am sure their proprietor did not sign a book of condolence on the death of Hitler.

Says far more about you than about Tristan . You seem to have somehow misunderstood the meaning and spirit of the poppy

This is exactly the kind of thing people mean when they talk about "poppy fascism". The bullying and vilification of any public figure who dares to choose not to wear a poppy, fuelled by the complete scum at the Sun and Daily Mail etc.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dail...ort_of_fascism

Can we not have a poppy debate every single year 😤😤😤 ?

They were out and out fascists, and not in any local-struggle, nationalist, anti-English way

There are some very observant people, I don't think I really notice who is or isn't wearing one.
It's a personal choice and shouldn't be compulsory. I usually wear one but wouldn't think anything of it if someone else didn't. None of my business.

The fact you have little respect for those who choose not to wear it makes you appear extremely intolerant.

The freedom the poppy is supposed to represent has been totally hijacked by the poppy fascist brigade who do not represent those who fought in the wars.

I did find it funny when I noticed, when the singers were introduced, that Lance was only wearing a teeny tiny weeny one right in the middle of his tie. Felt like a sandpit trap for the Poppy Police.

Couldn't agree more.

I have a complicated relationship with the poppy.

I used to wear one, principally because the British Legion were fantastic to my grandmother after my grandfather died (he was a desert rat in WW2). They helped us get her benefits when she became disabled, provided extra modifications to her flat to make life easier when the council did the bare minimum, etc etc. I always gave a decent donation and wore a poppy to encourage others to do the same as it's their main source of donations through the year.

Then it all got politicised and the papers started to hound people who didn't wear one. I hate that. Social shaming is a form of social control, obliging people to comply. This is not a hallmark of a free society. So I carried on donating to the Legion but stopped wearing a poppy because I will not be told what I must and must not think or to demonstrate it to the world at large for fear of social shaming.

Then my husband, who is ex-British Army and has very trenchant views on these things, got aerated with the Legion because they took corporate sponsorship from BAE (long story, don't ask!) and didn't want to give them money any more.

So now, I don't wear a poppy, don't donate to the Legion and when poppy season comes around, send some money to Combat Stress instead!

I expect Giovanni doesn't have strong feelings on it either way, unlike Tristan, so when the BBC Poppy Bot pinned one on him, he wore it!

Were?! They called judges traitors this week!

Yes, true... I understand that attacking judges was one of the first prominent attacks of the Nazis?? (History not my strong point.)

Yep. Menacing and intimidating judges applying the rule of law via political speech or use of supportive media is the hallmark of any fascist dictatorship. And, if you ask me, intimidating people into wearing a poppy isn't much better.

Beautifully put.

There's a lot of pontification on this thread with some silly people expounding some odd reasons why they don't wear a poppy.

Well, pin your ears back for some home truths.

The fact that you are here and can pontificate and come out with some daft reasons for not wearing a poppy and can do so without any fear of retribution, is entirely due to those members of our armed forces who gave their lives in two world wars. These people died so that you could be here and make an ass of yourself.

The money collected goes towards those who suffered and some still suffering from the effects of subsequent conflicts, not of their choosing.

So I really don't care why you don't wear a poppy, it really is of no significance to me or I expect to many others. So stop bleating about it.
We who contribute and are quite proud of what little we do to support this noble organisation. Successive governments have done little enough to support them for decades.

The BBC come in for a lot of criticism, some of it deserved, but not over this. The wearing of poppies by people on TV is a reminder to others that it's about time to get their hands in their pockets for a good cause. A pound is neither here nor there.

Just think, it can cost less than some trivial mobile phone conversation.

You are the loudest bleater on the thread . Wear you poppy but let the rest of us make up our own mind . We dont need your lecturing
But then lecturing is what you do it seems .

Well, as I deliberately didn't direct my post at any particular person and given your response, count yourself in as one of the ones I intended it for.
Live with it.

Well aware you didnt . Its your modus operandus , a passive agressive tone
Believe me I dont need your approval anyway as you would be last person I would listen to on any point
I have no time for your " know it all " type and shrug that kind of passive aggressiveness off like a buzzing fly

What part of "I don't care why you don't wear a poppy," did you not understand?

If anybody died in any war specifically so people could post on Digital Spy then that truly *is* a tragedy.

The significant number of broken, substance-abusing, mentally traumatised ex soldiers, homeless on the street, in prison, or drifting, deserve more than the pontifications of 'We who contribute'.

They deserve politicians able to weigh the real human cost of conflict before committing forces; they deserve to go properly equipped; they deserve complete support for mental and physical conditions caused by their role; they deserve time, respect and understanding; they should not be the human price of a thriving arms trade.

Malthus was right. But that doesn't make it right.

Up to the individual I say. I personally don't wear one but donate money instead.

There were a lot of Italian solders killed by the Germans in Greece in World War II and lots of Italians came to live in the UK because of Mussolini.

Of course they do, but you aren't going to change anything. All we can do is help where we can, even in a small way.

I really can't understand why some think that by not contributing or wearing a poppy, is some sort of "protest" against...well anything. The wearing of a poppy, is a "silent encouragement," for people to contribute. Without the poppy, contributions would fall dramatically.

That's the daftest thing I've read today and really disrespectful to anyone who posts on here who may have lost relatives in any conflict, in which this country has been engaged.

Unless it was supposed to be a joke in bad taste.