Shard

OMG! Are you still?

Tirytory

No, I was baptized as a teenager and left when I was 18....cue fractured family and stilted conversations. Grandfather passed without ever speaking to me again.

I always talk about friends back home rather than family for that reason. I am the black sheep!

Shard

Were you GW as a child or just from teenage years. What made you leave?

Tirytory

Brought up as one- parents devoted as is my brother now...my children were feeling sorry for me the other day for my lack of birthday and Christmas . Hypocrisy in one easy answer...

My best friend and my mother became my two witnesses required to disfellowship me when I refused to repent my sins.. Might have been easier to pay it lip service but as you might gather that's never been my style

scrubbedexpat091

I tried to find US version but it seems to vary greatly local to local and not consistent nationwide on how it looks.

Of course the poppy campaign in the US is in May for Memorial Day, but not nearly on the same scale as seen in Canada.

The November Holiday in the US is to show respect to all veterans both in war and peace time and more specifically to honor living vets where Memorial Day is the day to honor those who died in war.

scrubbedexpat091

While I have never gotten flack from people selling them, and really around here almost nobody out selling them, just a tray at some check out counters in some stores.

But I have received flack for not wearing one, and more then once and happens every year at some point, always a customer while I am work as they know I can't defend myself and have to be nice to them since I am at work.

But there are indeed people out there who do feel the need to point out your not wearing one and give you flack, I have not gone a year yet where it has not happened.


I'll respect those who have fought and have no issues with those who did, I just don't have any personal connection to a war, and aside from living in a military city growing up, have no personal connection the the military. None of my parents, grand parents, or great grand parents were involved in any war or military, and without a personal connection, I likely feel different then those who do have a direct connection.

I just hate wearing things, and so choose not to wear a poppy, although I do donate a small amount every year. I just wish I could escape the comments over not wearing one which is what irks me.

Piff Poff

I have never felt pressured or bullied into buying a poppy either. I choose to buy a poppy, generally emptying all the change in my purse, this does get expensive as I tend to lose 3 or 4 before remembrance day

I think most of us, especially the Europeans have some connection to both the World Wars, the lucky ones are those that have relatives/friends that are willing to talk, to share their stories, so we dont forget. It is also with remembering that the Poppy Appeal helps todays war vets.

We are fortunate enough to have become very close friends with a couple that did some remarkably brave if not somewhat awful in some cases things at the tail end and post World War 2. It's people that serve, whether its MI5/6 or military or both or even Officialy Deniable that we have to remember and thank, whether or not you go to a memorial service or just have a moment of contemplation, whether or not you buy a poppy, these people deserve thanks.

(Not aimed specifically at you Gozit).

Alan2005

I shall be showing my respects by enjoying the day off. This freedom from a day at work was bought at a heavy price and it would be churlish to spend the day moping about.

Gozit

Not cross looks in general from people near me. But the people near me when I politely say "no thank you" when asked if i'd like to purchase a poppy. That's what I meant and yes it indeed happens.

To echo Shard, OMG ! I feel sorry for teenage tory. Glad you obviously found the path of logic and reason

Yeah, this. I think it goes both ways...

Yup same here. Esp. in school they hand them out on remembrance day and teachers constantly ask me where mine disappeared to. Yes even in H.S.....

Yep same here. I don't like wearing "thingies" or so on my body. I won't do watches, necklaces, etc, and I don't do poppys for the same reason. I have the utmost respect for those that fought in WW I and II and ultimately saved my great grandparents, which put me on this earth.

Tirytory

Ugh no sympathy required. Worse things happen...

kimilseung

We need more white poppies

kimilseung

Just came across this, not even read it yet, but it looks relevant. (About UK though)
Enough with the poppy-pushing - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

Gozit

Yeah its about the UK but applies perfectly well here in Canada... That was a great article.

dbd33

That's hair splitting. If you don't want to wear a poppy then don't.

Wearing one just acknowledges the sacrifice of individuals in two wars. It doesn't endorse those wars, it doesn't endorse wars in general and it doesn't suggest that the sacrifice of those unlucky conscripts on our side was less or greater than the conscripts on the other. In the case of the second war it's likely fair to say that we're here because they're dead. I don't find it a trouble to acknowledge that annually.

All that said, I lose a few poppies each year, if I'm between them no one says anything, some people have them, some don't. The only time I've seen strong opinion on Remembrance Day is over people who will not shut up for two minutes.

MillieF

My father was awarded the DFM as a navigator during the war. He also bombed Dresden, once in real life, but thereafter once weekly mentally at home with my family....service families suffer big time, they need our support. I am all for white poppies, nobody wants bloodshed do they?

My son has worked at the Veterans Unit this week, the men that he was with hadn't really been given a chance one way or another. How many of us on a day to day basis actually decide our fate?