Follwing this blog I received the following short email from someone:

"Poppy story is not a conspiracy - why was it posted. I strongly disagree with this person, although will defend his right of free speech- just as all the soldiers have- I just question why you gave it exposure on this site- disappointing"

I just wanted to make my feelings clear on this as the article below is not my own work, so here is my response to the email:

 

I'm sorry you disagree with the post on the site... However I wouldn't have posted it if i didn't agree with it. I don't support any wars, for any reason and that is the main reason I do not wear a poppy. I don't need someone else to tell me when it is appropriate to pay respects to someone for whatever reason. The majority of people wear a poppy through peer pressure and actually have no idea why they are wearing one anyway... Just ask around. These people aren't paying respects, they're doing what they think is expected.

And what about all the people who died innocently in wars? Those who were never engaged in fighting? What colour poppy do you wear for all the dead innocent children who have been murdered in wars around the globe?

 

Its disgusting how public money is raised as charity to help injured soldiers, what about all those people suffering in the world who haven't set about inflicting injury and death on others?
I've no doubt that in their hearts the majority of soldiers truely believe that they are doing good for their country but the basic fact remains that with no soldiers there would be no wars and no mass slaughters. Look at the battle of the somme, what a waste of human life. Men being ordered to march slowly towards thousands of firing machine guns. It's senseless, yet the suited politicians keep sending more people to 'fight' for freedom. We shouldn't be fighting, we should be standing together and uniting.

 

I hope that doesn't offend you in any way,

 

Liam

 

 

It is that time of the year again when it seems like everyone is wearing a poppy; on the tube, on the bus, in the park. You cannot get away from them. Yet, like every year, I refuse to wear one. It is not because I am opposed to remembering those who died in WWI. In fact my great uncle Muhammad Shaban, of the 30th Punjabis, was killed in the First World War fighting for the British in Tanzania but I still cannot pin a poppy to my clothes.

It feels as though everyone that appears on TV has to wear a poppy. Asians, Muslims and black people wear extra big ones just to show their additional loyalty to, what has become, a nationalistic and a patriotic symbol.

Rather than wearing a poppy, if we really want to remember the dead, then why don't we stop engaging in new wars? Why don't we stop occupying other countries? Why don't we stop bombing and killing children? It seems, however, the politicians are committed to repeating the mistakes of the past and sending other people's children to fight their wars over resources, power and status.

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