Do you wear a poppy?

Answer 1

I wear a poppy in memory of ALL who died in war. I don't think it should be only a patriotic symbol but rather to remember the waste and suffering and even the bravery of all concerned, whichever side they fought on - after all, the majority who fought were conscripts who had no choice in the matter.

Answer 2

I wear a poppy and do so with pride. It is right to remember those who gave their lives and continue to do so in recent conflicts in the name of the nation and respect that they have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Those people who said that they never wear them want to think again and realise that without people who are prepared to stand up against an enemy we would be a nation controlled by a madman, overrun with foreign occupiers and without our freedom of speech. Hang on - George Bush runs this country and the Muslims have done the rest!

Answer 3

Every year I wear a poppy, and I buy a small wooden cross with a poppy on it, and visit our Gardens Of Rememberance and place it with the many thousands of others that people place there.

Answer 4

Yes. And proudly.

I have one on my car all year round (sticker), and I buy at least three poppies every year. I've just joined the Royal British Legion, and will be selling them this year. It's an honour to do so as my predecessors fought and died for my freedom. I currently serve in the RAF and feel proud to do so.

I can only imagine the horrors of war. The RBL supports veterans of all wars, from WW1 to the last Gulf war. These brave men and women deserve our respect.

Answer 5

Yes definitely! These individuals risked their lives to give people their freedom here in Britain! I am very proud of what they done and wear the poppy with pride!!!

Answer 6

I think wearing a poppy is only a European tradition. Americans observe "Veterans Day" as a holiday, but don't wear poppies. We would be more inclined to display our national flag and/or wear something red, white and blue.

Answer 7

With pride! I think it's everybody's public duty to honour the fallen hero's that made Great Britain the country that it is today. Our fore-fathers died in their millions in the two World Wars, so subsequent generations can live in a free democracy.

Nobody could of imagined the horrors of the trenches in the First World War, over 60,000 men died on the first day of the 'Somme', that's worth remembering alone.
The sad fact remains that there's only a dozen or so veterans still alive from WW1 as naturally there numbers dwindle each passing year. We must NEVER forget these brave men, and women, and the human sacrifice they made for us all.

May they all rest in peace.

Answer 8

I can see this is going to be an unpopular answer but I don't, basically because I feel like I would be contributing to the glorification of war and nationalism. The standard answer to this is an attempt to separate the personal sacrifice made by soldiers from war-as-violence which obviously everyone condemns - but I think it's a very difficult separation to maintain. Armistice celebrations contribute to the symbolic (and financial) exaltation of soldiering as a profession, and I'm not comfortable honouring people who, as well as suffering and dying to defend one group of people, also voluntarily inflicted suffering and death on another group of people. Many people might protest that they are honouring ALL soldiers that died, German as much as British, but there is still an implicit nationalism in the use of flags, in the way each nation gathers around its own monuments, and above all, in this idea that they died "for" us, to defend our way of life. Did the German soldiers die "for" YOU? What sacred bond ties you to a British man who lived 90 years ago more than a German man?

This belief contributes to the feeling that there is a national identity, and this belief that Brits, for example, should stick together and stand up for our way of doing things (whatever that might be!), is then mobilised to encourage men to enlist, for example, for war against Iraq. I would rather not contribute to that ideology to begin with.

I know it would be ridiculously idealistic to believe that it would be possible for nobody to sign up for the army, and therefore for no wars to occur. However, Costa Rica does not have an army, and I do think that defence expenditure exceeds what is strictly necessary for a relatively peaceful country such as ourselves (within our own boundaries) - look at the figures on what was spent on bodyguards for military chiefs in Iraq.

Also, I'm suspicious of a general trend towards ostentatious charity giving. Look at the recent fad for wristbands or pin-on ribbons showing that you've given money to AIDS awareness, Breast Cancer or Make Poverty History. There's a big social pressure not just to give money to charity, but to SHOW OFF that you have done so, and I don't like the accompanying smugness or the aggressive and coercive attitude towards people who haven't done so. Look at the guy above saying people who don't wear poppies are "arseholes". Maybe some people are poor, or have ideological objections?

I do read history books, and I do think that the best way of honouring the dead is through rememberance - but to assume that rememberance MUST take the form of public ritual is a different step, and leads to questions as to how that ritual should be carried out.

Answer 9

Of course, its a mark of respect to those who died. Regardless of the why's and wherefores, the poppy fund provides for those from the forces (or dependants) who have suffered as a result of conflict.

Answer 10

Yes, I wear a poppy, for all those young men and men who went to war, not realising the horror they would face, not realsiing they would never again, see their mums, their wsweatheart, or their children. Not realising they would never come home, I wear my poppy for those, And I salute them