Probably my last poppy

OUT OF HOURS BULLY'S TRUCKSTOP BAR (INTERACTIVE)
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Since I was a teenager I have always supported the Poppy appeal every year since, and encouraged my kids to do the same.
I will now be thinking twice before I buy one this year.
My mate sent me this,

Apparentlly the ‘right on and woke lefties’ have even infested this charity now, so now some poppies are attatched to…well it aint even a rainbow flag, it is a step above that, which as far as I know covers every known sexual possibility and gender.

Now I have absolutely nothing against people of different sexual persuasion to myself, but wt actual f has it to do with the primary reason for a poppy, basic respect for fallen soldiers in different wars and conflicts?
It is totally irrelavant to the whole format of the charity.

The people I have the problem with are the type of people who come up with these mad assed ideas, why do they not just f. right off into their own little world,.and leave the test of us alone.

It would be interesting to know what any ex military guys think of this.

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With you RR. I don’t care about anyone elses gender identity, but I do get sick of “other than straight” being rammed down my throat, constantly.

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Pages and pages of different pins and badges…

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Doesn’t surprise me. I’ll make em a few quid 8 ■■■■■■■ pound! I got a knitted one couple of years ago from some craft fair so I wear that every year. Only ever really donate to RNLI and change box in pub

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Yeah?..ok.
So what’s your point exactly?

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt,.and assume you are just pointing out other products as a matter of fact, and not trying to justify this particular badge as relavant to the cause after all, …in your trademark way,…devils advocate at best, shear obtuseness at worst.

Looking at those products, I get it, the bigger the choice of merchandise, the more the charity benefits, but even me as an avid football fan, I still kinda disapprove of the football club crest version also, as I think it takes the focus off the concept of the poppy.

The poppy is all inclusive, ‘one size fits all’, worn by both high ranking officers, and lower ranks in the services, civilians, men, women, kids, all occupations, all classes, all religions, all political parties, it is for everybody…including those intended in the offending badge in question.

So that in mind, …
My point was, why does an orgsnisation of which a lot of people (rightly or wrongly) find controversial, feel the need to actually highlight THEIR group, when the poppy symbol already includes that group by it’s very nature, thus taking the focus away from the REAL reason for it, and essentially hi.jacking it?
I find it disrespectful to the people it is MEANT to represent.

Surely even you are not going to argue against that.:roll_eyes:

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I just think we all owe these guys a hell of a lot, so I make a point of donating every year, and even after I get the poppy I put any change I have in every box I see afterwards.

Same thing with ‘Help for Heroes’, I aint ex forces, but I do have a lot of deep respect for guys who have served, and those who gave their lives for the country.
Also those young lads who lost limbs in Afghan etc,.who always seem to raise above their disablement sometimes to points that out do able bodied people.

If you want to see what I mean, you should visit the row upon row of gravestones in war cemetries up and down Europe, as I have many times, it really rams it home to you.

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Bearing in mind that most of the ‘ex military’ in question weren’t career ‘military’ they were conscripts and who are no longer with us and probably would have just laughed at the notion.That’s the best way of dealing with the woke agenda.Just laugh at it and ask for a ‘normal’ poppy of the type they knew.
I don’t think they are actually withdrawing the choice ? which would be a different matter.

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There are many, many, many, different types of poppy badges, pins, brooches, mugs, decorations, bags, etc.

But if someone is so narrow minded as to only see the one that they object to, (although what harm it is actually doing them?) and chooses to make such a dram…oh…of course.

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Yep, the best way to deal with these types is to not take them seriously.
They are on their way to ruining society in general.

Problem is though many organisations, and especially authoriative ones do take them seriously, in fear of causing ‘offence’ to whoever.

So much so that these type’s views and opinions, take precedence over ‘normal’ people, who are still essentially (and thankfully) in the majority.

A lot of problems in this country from trivial and parochial matters, right up to important and crucial matters to the country, are caused and perpetuated by these out of touch clowns.

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I’ll be looking for a “normal” poppy, without question, and I too object to this “woke-ification” of every single facet of life. Similarly, its the issue of having this forced on me that I object to, not the people who gather under this umbrella

Point in question this week, some guy my age was wearing a Dark Side of the Moon t-shirt, he said he’s sick of people coming up to him with various unwanted “comments” (ie taking the urine) assuming it means something other than the iconic album cover that it is :roll_eyes:
It’s out of control when these ideas are infecting things from over 50 years ago!

However… To be more practical, The British Legion’s income has been negatively impacted by the success of “new kids on the block” Help For Heroes. Not surprising really, TBL have a major image problem; when people say “The British Legion” I usually think of one of the CIU-affiliated clubs where a bunch of men who are old-before-their-time can be found drinking pints of bitter in the early afternoon.

So I suspect that rather than TBL “becoming Woke”, they’re just being advised by some trendy PR people that this could be a way to appeal to more “modern” minds. And if you have some Wokee who will buy anything appearing to support their (ever-enlarging) agenda, then is it just good business sense to tap into this?

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Maybe you are right.
But I still think it devalues the reason, and takes the focus off it on to something else.

Better if they had got an alternative group in to modernise their image, it has been done before with organisations that have become old fashioned and stuffy, without sexualising ) for want of a better phrase) something that should demand utmost respect like the poppy appeal.

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PR people just buy into whatever works to influence people, (EDIT: I also think they are more prone to the fear of backlash over “non-inclusivity” accusations) so I’d be surprised if anyone else would be very much difference.

RNLI seem to very successfully avoid it though, but they have a fiercely independent stance and have done seemingly since day one.

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I have my enamel poppy pin with my RMP cap badge, I wear it on my uniform all year round, I also have a simple enamel poppy pin with no year on it which I wear on my coat. I subscribe to the poppy lottery every month so I don’t buy from poppy sellers. Gender specific posturing deserves no mention in the poppy appeal, many across the “sex spectrum” have given their lives in conflict so it’s not fair singling one specific orientation out for special mention.

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Spare a thought this morning…even if you aint ex. Forces.

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Isn’t it tomorrow, Monday 11/11?

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The purple poppy is to commemorate animals used in wars, horses etc.

The white poppy was adopted by pacifists, and recognised civilians also, which I suppose is fair enough to a point.

However it has recently been used to make a political statement, or hi.jacked by the usual loony lefty libs crew, to highlight the situation in Palestine…
which has f.all to do with us, and takes away the true meaning of the poppy imo.

All poppies in this context should be red imo, and not used for any political point scoring, or any pc reasons.

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Yep11 11 at 11am…
But the Remembrance services at the cenotaph in London, and all others in the UK is this Sunday morning.
I am watching it on tv now in fact.

I know it is a very serious and respectful event, so I will not make light of it.
However among the ex PMs…Liz Truss.
I would not have the gall, I’d be ringing in sick.
Also can’t wait to see Prince Edwards ‘fancy dress’ this year…and his military impersonation.:roll_eyes:
Complete waste of space that fella
Admiral of the Fleet?..
Air Vice Marshall?
Brigadier of The Parachute Regiment?
Again…I would not have the .f kin cheek.:roll_eyes:
Even ‘Andy the no nce’ has more right to be there.

Sorry if that comes across as disrespectful to the concept, it is just my thoughts as I sit here watching it.

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We shall remember them.

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The remembrance service is the second Sunday of November.
Check out all the casualties up to the final hours and minutes of WW1 even though the armistice had been agreed.Over 2,000.

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Yep casualties AND deaths.
Down to the poor abd primitive communication facilities in those days I would reckon.