White Poppies My Ass
Who’s brilliant idea was it to have a white poppy? Read the news people, it’s all around us. White poppies to promote peace, only around Remembrance Day!
Inform yourselves before reading on:
Jonathan Bartley, director of the religious think-tank Ekklesia says
“The red poppy represents the glorious dead,” he said. “The white poppy says that war isn’t glorious and you shouldn’t look back and see it through rose-tinted glasses.”
You know what? I’m not going to rant about symbols of peace. Hey, I’m all for peace.
What I am disturbed about is the blatant use of Remembrance Day as a launchpad for the Peace Pledge Union who is responsible for the white poppies. Strike One.
Using an already recognized symbol but just changing the colour? Strike Two.
Shoving it back in our faces and saying that we should be promoting peace, not remembering the dead? Strike Three.
Mr. Clark of the Legion couldn’t have said it better (from this Globe and Mail article):
“Instead, said the Legion’s Mr. Clark, peace activists should focus their efforts on Sept. 21, which is the UN-sanctioned International Day of Peace. But even then, he added, white poppies would infringe on the Legion’s trademark. He suggested they use a different symbol such as a dove.
“Nov. 11 is the day that we honour our veterans. We need to make sure that that does not get confused, combined or anything else with another campaign,” he said.”
Excellent points Mr. Clark. I stand behind your thought process. While they’re at it, why don’t they use the peace symbol attached the dove?
Remember, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for peace. But what this is just plain disrespectful.
4 replies on “White Poppies..>Bah.”
Right on! The poppy has always been a symbol of the men and women that gave their life in a time of conflict and to remember that their sacrifice of their life in a time of war should never be forgotten!
What the white poppy says to me is ” war is bad and they should have never gone off to get killed in the first place” I say ” If they want to know how bad war is , Go and talk to a vet!” I bet they would start selling red poppies after that talk!
WIB go find your own symbol!
Well said.
I’ve been in that shop in Edmonton where they’re selling them.
I hadn’t heard about this until reading your blog, but I’m in 100% agreement with you.
It’s already hard enough to get people to understand, study, honour and appreciate what so few did for so many!
By having this new and barely different symbol, especially at this oh so important time of year, are we not taking the chance that people will become even less focused on the importance of remembering?
Excellent points, Palmer. Peace is important but we must always remember what it took to get peace… remember those who fought and lost their lives. Respect for our veterans and respect for the symbolic red poppy.