The anti-anti-poppy possie

Today is Armistice Day, 11 November, and I am proudly wearing my poppy.

I strongly believe in today. I think it is a matter of the utmost respect to honour the people who fought for our freedoms, whether they fell or not. Even if they came back they undertook missions at which I would blanche and witnessed horrors I cannot imagine. It changed those people whilst it changed our history and our future. And let no-one forget that.

Recently, however, there has been some incredibly negative pro-poppy propaganda going around. You must have seen it on any social network. It usually goes something along the lines of "if the poppy offends you, feel free to leave the country". And I don't get it.

Firstly, this reaction is in response to a tiny, miniscule, insignificant element of radicals who have deliberately targetted the poppy to inflame the situation. And by people rising to it they have been satisfied, those radical elements have achieved exactly what they set out to do - a bit of cheap publicity for their cause. They actually want to be hated. I would much rather just ignore them and not feed their flames.

Secondly, they are probably British nationals anyway. That is unfortunate, that people have been turned (whether under there own influence or otherwise) to such extreme views on their own soil. But simply to assume that they are foreign nationals with little knowledge or understanding of the British or British history is ignorant and naive. I know of many immigrants who have been so desperate to feel a part of this country, to adopt this country as their own, to fit in with their community, that their knowledge of British history is better than many of the indiginous peoples. But that British people could harbour such opinions against the poppy brings me on to...

Thirdly, part of the fight which the poppy represents is the freedom of expression. Rather than simply attacking back,we should be looking at what it is that turns these people radical, why they choose that route, and what we can do to address or prevent it. Is it that they have not properly understood or had explained to them history, the reasoning behind the wars? Or do they see it as political when putting a personal view to it and giving an insight to some of the individuals behind the image may have more pursuasion. The moment we turn to insult and inflame, any reason within the argument is lost and the anti-anti-poppy suddenly becomes dismissable as extremist; which brings me on to...

Fourthly, the some of the reaction has been so offensive and inflamatory of itself so as to be as bad as the original acts. Yes, the anti-poppy acts and demostrations are deeply offensive; but so is the National Front and the BNP who are leading the anti-anti-poppy 'offensive'. And yet somehow their message has slipped into public mainstream and people who are usually moderate and reasonable are starting to come across as xenophopic, racist and radical.

And the final reason is that the post usually isn't about the poppy - it is of itself purely inflamatory. There is no reference whatsoever to the meaning behind the poppy or otherwise. In fact the word poppy could be substituted for puppy or anything else and the post would have practically the same effect and message. There are other racist posts which talk about those who have died in battle etc. but again from a very  protectionist, racist point of view. And that just simply isn't how the British operate.

There has been a recent 'phenomenon' of the white poppy - or the peace poppy. The intention behind it is to make a call that there be no more war. Very idealistic. But there could very easily be an argument put forward that this is denegrating and bastardising the symbol of the red poppy; belittling the honour of those who fought in the wars as not just irrelevant but plain 'wrong'. They never say this; but if you were wanting to argue strongly against the white poppy movement I can see how that argument could be inferred.

So yes, I will wear my poppy with absolute pride that those people fought long and hard to protect my freedom. I observed the two minute silence with the utmost honour, respect and reverence. But I will not start stoning people who deliberately set out to provoke inflamatory retorts.

Do not be diverted from the cause. Instead, simply we should remember them.