The Poppy

[Evil Genius]

Wearing paper poppies is an expression of British nationalism and imperialism.

To you, maybe. For many thousands of people in NI who do not otherwise e.g. belong to the Orange Order, fly Union Jacks outside their house, or belong to any political party etc,  it is a simple remembrance of friends, family and loved ones who served at one stage or another.

It is unacceptable to wear such a thing in any country given what the British have been up to over the years, but it is entirely unacceptable to do so in Ireland as we have been at the receiving end of this militarism.  

Unacceptable to you. You have no idea why people wear Poppies, since I have no doubt you have never asked a single one. Nor, I suspect, would you accept their explanation if they did.

That TV presenters and others do so is a sign of the continuing sectarian nature of these TV stations.

Or the sectarian nature of your mindset.

It has nothing to do with the shamrock, which has no military connotations.

Too right the Poppy has nothing to do with the shamrock. Then again, I've never heard anyone object to the wearing of the shamrock - even though it does have a certain "military connotation" - and a Brit one, at that!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1911770.stm

It has nothing to do with commemorating the First World war, there will be gathering of Belgians, French, Austrians, Czech, Slovene, Italians and so forth to commemorate the First World War and there won't be single poppy on anyone's lapel.

Horesh1t. The Poppy dates back nearly 200 years, as a reminder of the poppies which sprung up on the battlefields of Flanders. After 1917, it was particularly chosen as a war remembrance symbol by Britain and numerous other Commonwealth countries:
http://www.rsa.org.nz/remem/poppy_sig.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Flanders_Fields

There might be some excuse for your prejudice, but there can be none for your ignorance.

[el_cuervo_fc]

Brave teen defies dissident threats over contribution to charity record for Army

Doubt it was much of a definance. Good Luck to him, he could wear clown nose and comical glasses for all I care. Each to their own. Poppy's never annoyed me and neither should it anyone. I just dislike the fact that certain people turn their noses up at people who don't and those who wear them for the wrong reasons.

I thought the Headline was a bit much, but it was the threats that I was really getting at

[pintsofguinness]

EG I live in what would be described as an very old english style city, it wouldn't be a place emigrants would settle (for example I've only seen about 3 black since I've been here).  Today I went in to the town, down the main street, in to 3 or 4 shops and then in to the supermarket.  With this discussion in mind I took note of how many poppies I seen, I met hundreds and hundreds of people and counted  8 poppy wearers. 
And you come on here and try and tell us that unionists in Northern Ireland don't wear them to rub nationalists noses in it?
HA!

[pintsofguinness]

What do people expect this young fella to do?  he's trying to win this competition.  I can't understand how some people can be so small minded

Dissident republicans blowing hot air, I woudlnt pass any remarks. Bet Dungiven gaa club was packed again last night.

[Maguire01]

And you come on here and try and tell us that unionists in Northern Ireland don't wear them to rub nationalists noses in it?

Who cares if they do? What difference does it make? Why would you be offended?

[pintsofguinness]

And you come on here and try and tell us that unionists in Northern Ireland don't wear them to rub nationalists noses in it?

Who cares if they do? What difference does it make? Why would you be offended?

It doesnt offend, I just think it's pathetic.

[Evil Genius]

EG I live in what would be described as an very old english style city, it wouldn't be a place emigrants would settle (for example I've only seen about 3 black since I've been here).  Today I went in to the town, down the main street, in to 3 or 4 shops and then in to the supermarket.  With this discussion in mind I took note of how many poppies I seen, I met hundreds and hundreds of people and counted  8 poppy wearers. 
And you come on here and try and tell us that unionists in Northern Ireland don't wear them to rub nationalists noses in it?
HA!

Very scientific.

As I said earlier, different people in NI wear Poppies for different reasons. With some of them, it might be out of pro-British, anti-Irish prejudice. But by your refusal to ackonwledge any other reason than that one, you are merely displaying your own anti-British prejudice.

Anyhow, one additional reason why many people in NI make a point of wearing Poppies is to commemorate the Poppy Day Massacre.

Which possibly explains why many Irish Republicans feel "their noses are being rubbed in it" when confronted by the sight of a Poppy...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enniskillen_bombing

[pintsofguinness]

Anyhow, one additional reason why many people in NI make a point of wearing Poppies is to commemorate the Poppy Day Massacre.

aye lets wheel out the Enniskillen bombing. 

I think it speaks volumes that unionists in the north are more concerned about wearing poppies than English people. 

[updown9194]

Irish republicanism and pacifism are not mutually exclusive ideals. How dare you insinuate that al Republicans should be guilty for the actions of a few?

[red hander]

Always thought it highly ironic that the allies in the second world war were fighting fascism, but now we have this 'poppy fascism' where anyone in the public eye who doesn't wear one is attacked by loyalist bigots in the letter columns of newpapers or on the radio ... all because they're not wearing their swastika armbands, er, sorry, poppies...

[red hander]

Walking around belfast yesterday, i would say 20-25% of people were wearing their poppy. Considering the unionist population over here would be max 60% it is clear that the unionist community in Northern ireland feel the need to show their support for the poppy much more than their english counterparts 

True enough, but "showing support for the poppy" should not automatically be conflated with fllaunting their Britishness, rubbing it in etc. There has always been a strong military tradition in NI*, more so than in other parts of the UK, so it is hardly unexpected that more people in NI should feel an affinity with the Poppy.

I've no doubt that many more people e.g. in garrison towns like Aldershot or Portsmouth etc wear the Poppy than e.g. in those parts of London where over 50% of the population was born outside the UK.


* - And in Ireland generally, prior to partition.

Yeah, the military tradition was that strong that when Adolf went into Poland the vast majority of those loyal subjects eligible in the statelet rushed to join reserved occupations (shipyard, B-Specials etc) rather than face the panzers ... much less hazardous staying at home bullying and intimidating the indiginous disloyal population ... and sure they'd be there to fight bravely for the union jack should Rommel come through the back door

[Evil Genius]

Anyhow, one additional reason why many people in NI make a point of wearing Poppies is to commemorate the Poppy Day Massacre.

aye lets wheel out the Enniskillen bombing. 

This is a thread on an Irish forum, about the wearing of the Poppy, a week and a half before the anniversary of a particularly heinous massacre in Ireland, on Poppy Day. Anyone who can't see the relevance of that, or why it should be particular cause for many people in NI choosing to wear Poppies, is an idiot.
Since I don't think you're an idiot, is there any particular reason why reminders of that Massacre should strike a particular nerve with you?

I think it speaks volumes that unionists in the north are more concerned about wearing poppies than English people.  

Some Unionists in "the north" [sic] are more concerned about wearing poppies than some English people.

Live with it.

After all, we don't picket or demonstrate when Irish Republicans hold Commemorations etc for their "war dead" etc, even when these are for psychopathic, sectarian mass murderers like Seamus McElwaine:
Recalling the names of fallen IRA Volunteers Louis Leonard, Seamus McElwaine, Sean South and Fergal O'Hanlon, Mr. McHugh added: "It is important that we remember those who have given their lives in the struggle for Irish freedom, not just in his generation but in previous generations."
http://www.impartialreporter.com/archive/2002-04-04/news/story3334.html

[Evil Genius]

Always thought it highly ironic that the allies in the second world war were fighting fascism, but now we have this 'poppy fascism' where anyone in the public eye who doesn't wear one is attacked by loyalist bigots in the letter columns of newpapers or on the radio ... all because they're not wearing their swastika armbands, er, sorry, poppies...

Only someone with a particularly twisted mindset could equate the wearing of a Poppy with wearing a Swastika Armband...

[pintsofguinness]

EG

This is a thread on an Irish forum, about the wearing of the Poppy, a week and a half before the anniversary of a particularly heinous massacre in Ireland, on Poppy Day. Anyone who can't see the relevance of that, or why it should be particular cause for many people in NI choosing to wear Poppies, is an idiot.
Since I don't think you're an idiot, is there any particular reason why reminders of that Massacre should strike a particular nerve with you?

Do you wear any badges or symbols to commentrate any other atrocity in Ireland? What do you wear in August to commentrate Omagh? What do you wear in January to commentrate Bloody Sunday?  Don't insult our intelligence by wheeling out the Enniskillen bombing (and it's innocent victims) to justify you and your fellow unionist's bigotry. 

[red hander]

Always thought it highly ironic that the allies in the second world war were fighting fascism, but now we have this 'poppy fascism' where anyone in the public eye who doesn't wear one is attacked by loyalist bigots in the letter columns of newpapers or on the radio ... all because they're not wearing their swastika armbands, er, sorry, poppies...

Only someone with a particularly twisted mindset could equate the wearing of a Poppy with wearing a Swastika Armband...

As usual, you miss the point ... the point being that everyone is expected to act uniformly (ie British) when it comes to the poppy, and there is no recognition by British people like yourself that there are other people in the statelet who are not British, they are Irish, and refuse to wear this symbol for very good reasons, one of them being the fact it encompasses black and tan/udr/ruc/rir members who colluded in and carried out the murder of irish people without fear of sanction because they were the so-called forces of law and order ... were the poppy just used to commemorate the lions led by donkeys in WWI or the brave men who fought Hitler in WWII, then I wouldn't have a problem, but I draw the line at showing support black and tan, udr, ruc and rir murdering scum