Will you be wearing a poppy?

I wont be.

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

I saw a poppy advert today which showed a picture of a soldier putting a prosthetic leg on with a caption "it only takes a second to put a poppy on".

That is all it should have taken him to say no to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

I've seen similar adverts from previous years.

I haven't worn one for a few years now. But its rarely been for a reason other than "I cba".

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

I have worn one. I can remember getting one when I was in primary school or something. Infants actually. I must have owrn them since too,but I remember that due to some oddities in getting it (you couldnt buy two by paying twice the money...).

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

I'm wearing an Oppy. Surprised no-ones

DOB

ed me.

You're inadvertantly supporting the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. You are funding the "bravery" of soldiers who fought and are fighting in such places.

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

if as a Muslim you cant wear the poppy to remember the deal of the two world wars and disagree with current operations in Afghanistan why not just wear one to remember the 75 British service men killed defending fellow Muslims in Bosnia and the 1o killed in Kosovo.

Just a thought

Mike

Because it will not be exclusively used to fund them - if there was a way to buy a poppy which said "all veterans etc except those who took part in Iraq, Afghanistan", that would be a way forward, but there is no such option.

Most veterans from WW1 are dead now and any other veterans it falls on the government to fund them.

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

its a pity there is no poppy to remember all the innocent Muslims killed by fellow Muslims

You wrote:
You're inadvertantly supporting the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. You are funding the "bravery" of soldiers who fought and are fighting in such places.

I disagree. There's a line from the Mahabarath "Kings wage wars; soldiers must fight them."

I don't hard-core disagree (yeah, every soldier has responsibilty for their actions) but I disagree enough. The war leaders should be tried for war crimes. The crippled need looking after. For me it's a social/community thing - you can't restore the justice of the massacred innocents by taking action against soldiers. The right of justice is better served by putting action where it's most effective in keeping with a moral standard.

For me that means someone has to look after the wounded and crippled, and they belong to my community; it also means seeking political redress for the crimes committed by the war leaders and supporting the people of Afghanistan and Iraq against being terrorised in their own homes.

Gentleness and kindness were never a part of anything except that it made it beautiful, and harshness was never a part of anything except that it made it ugly.

Through cheating, stealing, and lying, one may get required results but finally one becomes

They are looked after through the benefits and other systems that the MoD will have - they are not abandoned.

A problem with that line from the drama is that soldiers are no longer forced at gunpoint to go to these ventures. If they refuse to fight immoral wars, maybe the leaders will think twice before waging them.

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

BY WEARING A POPPY you are remembering those who fought in WW1 and WW2 which I think is a good thing as I beleive everyone needs to thank them for their efforts fighting hitler, nazism etc. Many Muslims also took part in WW1 and WW2
Many who disagree with iraq n afghanistan wars still wear the poppy to show respect to those who fought in the world wars.

Not wearing a poppy is personal choice; to say it is wrong or unislamic to wear it is crazy!

 

TheRevivalEditor wrote:
BY WEARING A POPPY you are remembering those who fought in WW1 and WW2 which I think is a good thing as I beleive everyone needs to thank them for their efforts fighting hitler, nazism etc. Many Muslims also took part in WW1 and WW2
Many who disagree with iraq n afghanistan wars still wear the poppy to show respect to those who fought in the world wars.

Not wearing a poppy is personal choice; to say it is wrong or unislamic to wear it is crazy!

+1

Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.

Remembering the Muslim contribution to Britain's Armed Forces

10 November 2010

As Remembrance Sunday draws near, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) pays tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of Muslims in the Armed Forces. There are many Muslims who serve in the Armed Forces today, they follow generations of Muslims who have sacrificed their lives in two World Wars. Remembrance Sunday should serve as a reminder to all of us that all faith communities, including Muslims, laid down their lives for this country.

Last year, the MCB published highlighting the long-standing and continued support from British Muslims for the Armed Forces. The MCB has republished the document ahead of Remembrance Sunday. The document outlines how Muslims have made a historic contribution to the defence of this nation. The document also covers the current contribution of British Muslims to the UK military.

'Remembering the Brave' acknowledges that the operations which the Armed Forces are engaged in today are deeply controversial. But that is not simply a concern amongst Muslims; it is shared by other British people also.

The Muslim Council of Britain's Secretary General Farooq Murad said: We need to remind not only the Muslim community but also the general public that the Muslim contribution to the defence of this nation runs deep. Many Muslims will be joining fellow Britons this Sunday to remember those who made deep sacrifices for this country.

In July this year, the MCB leadership joined HRH The Prince of Wales in a special ceremony in France to honour the thousands of Commonwealth soldiers who died during the First World War.

 

Who is the money raised when buying one going to?

There are not many WW1 or WW2 vets around.

Besides, WW1 was not a noble war. it was the war that was waged to destroy the Ottoman empire.

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

You- looks like your friends have same view as you:

As the clock struck 11am, the nation paused to silently mark the anniversary of Armistice Day, when peace returned to Europe at the end of the First World War.

But in London the solemn moment was marred by a small group of protesters calling themselves Muslims Against Crusades, who burned a model of a poppy and chanted "British soldiers burn in hell".

They held banners which read "Islam will dominate" and "Our dead are in paradise, your dead are in hell".

The group clashed briefly with police. Three men were arrested at the scene and one officer was taken to hospital with a head injury but his condition is not serious.

The protest, in Exhibition Road, Kensington, involved about 30 people. About 50 counter demonstrators gathered nearby but the two sides were kept apart by police.

 

The Big Question: Why are we asked to wear a poppy, and is its significance being lost?

By Terri Judd

Why are we asking this now?

Yesterday saw the official launch of this year's Royal British Legion poppy appeal. Dame Vera Lynn, 92, joined soprano Hayley Westenra in a rendition of the classic wartime song "We'll Meet Again" in front of the crowd in London's Horse Guards Parade, accompanied by the Regimental Band of the Irish Guards and flanked by four troopers from the Queen's Life Guards.

Why do we wear a poppy?

An American teacher, Moina Bell Michael, inspired by John McCrae's 1915 poem In Flanders Fields, began selling silk poppies to friends to raise money for the ex-Service community. McCrae, a doctor serving in the First World War with the Canadian Armed Forces, was moved to write the poem about the poppies that grew after the aftermath and devastation of the bloody fighting in the Flanders and Picardy regions of Belgium and Northern France. "Take up our quarrel with the foe; To you from failing hands we throw, The torch; be yours to hold it high, If ye break faith with us who die, We shall not sleep, though poppies grow, In Flanders Fields," he wrote.

In 1920 the poppy was proclaimed as the United States' national emblem of Remembrance and the following year Madame Guerin, a Frenchwoman, sold millions to raise funds for rehabilitation in areas of France. She also sent women to London to sell poppies and persuaded Earl Haig to adopt it for the British Legion. The first official Poppy Day was held in Britain on 11 November 1921.

What is different about this year?

The most memorable image of Armistice Day last year was the sight of the three surviving British First World War veterans laying wreaths at the Cenotaph. Henry Allingham, 112, who served in the Royal Air Force, Harry Patch, 110, formerly of the Army, and Bill Stone, 108, who was in the Royal Navy, led the silence. It was to be their final remembrance. All three died this year, with Mr Patch, the last British survivor to have fought in the trenches, passing away on 25 July.

Is the poppy relevant to the veterans of today?

Over the past few years the Royal British Legion has been at pains to dispel the belief that it only helps elderly veterans and remind the public that a new generation is coming home from war. For the first time this year the poster features an image of a coffin being repatriated from Afghanistan, in a hard-hitting campaign. Using the motto, "For their sake, wear a poppy", the appeal urges people to support troops wounded in Helmand and the families of those killed in the conflict.

How much money does Poppy Appeal raise?

Last year's poppy appeal raised almost £31m and it is hoping to exceed that figure this year. In 2008 the Royal British Legion raised £104.1m, almost half of which was from appeals, donations and legacies.

What is the role of the Royal British Legion?

The Legion, which currently has around 380,000 members, was founded in 1921 as a campaigning voice for the ex-Service community as a merger of four organisations: the Comrades of the Great War, the National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers, the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers and The Officers' Association. Earl Haig, commander of the Battle of the Somme and Passchendaele, was one of the founders of the Legion. It was granted a Royal Charter on 29 May 1971 to mark its 50th anniversary which gives the Legion the privilege of the prefix "Royal".

Where does the money go?

The Legion currently spends more than £1m a week helping over 130,000 armed forces' dependents, as well as veterans and those bereaved, and is hoping to extend that to 160,000 beneficiaries this year. In 2008, it spent a total of £101.2m; on care services £18.4m, community welfare services £41.6m, Remembrance and ceremonial £3.2m and funds generation £23.9m. The charity says that for every pound raised, 80p goes towards achieving objectives while 6.6p goes on support costs.

Who is eligible for help?

There are 9.5 million people eligible for help in Britain because they are serving or have served in the armed forces for at least seven days or are a dependant of someone who has. The charity's work varies from offering home help to elderly and disabled veterans to campaigning for higher compensation payments for the wounded.

While it continues to support veterans from previous conflicts, it also helps survivors and grieving families of those killed in Afghanistan such as Royal Marine Lance Corporal Peter Dunning, 24, who lost both his legs in Helmand last year, and Hester Wright, 22, whose husband Damian, of the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, died in a roadside explosion in Afghanistan in 2007. The legion has helped her pay off debts, buy household goods and a school uniform for her six-year-old son Josh.

What is the protocol about wearing a poppy?

Some purists object to public figures such as politicians sporting poppies too early. Politicians have been wearing them since the beginning of this week even though the poppy-wearing period is supposed to run only from runs from the launch day (yesterday) to Remembrance Sunday or Armistice Day.

Who makes poppies?

The origins of the Poppy Factory go back to 1922 when Major George Howson MC, a young infantry officer and engineer, founded the Disabled Society to help ex-Service men and women. He suggested to the British Legion that members should make poppies, and the artificial flowers were designed so that someone who had lost the use of one hand could still assemble them. With a grant of just £2,000 from the Unity Relief Fund, he set up a small factory in south London with five ex-servicemen. In a letter to his parents, he said: "I do not think it can be a great success, but it is worth trying. I consider the attempt ought to be made if only to give the disabled their chance." Today a team of 50 people – most of them disabled and service connected – work all year in a factory in Richmond in Surrey to make 38 million poppies, 5 million Remembrance petals, 900,000 crosses and 100,000 wreaths including those laid by the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

Why is there also a white poppy?

In 1933 the Women's Co-operative Guild introduced the White Poppy to remember the dead of all wars and to promote peace. The Peace Pledge Union took part in its distribution from 1934, and white poppy wreaths were laid from 1937. In 1986 prime minister Margaret Thatcher expressed her "deep distaste" for the symbol, and opponents argue that the traditional red poppy already encompasses the sentiments and the white one diverts funds for the Royal British Legion.

Is the power of the poppy diminishing?

Yes...

* The need to help veterans of war and their families is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago

* War in Afghanistan and Iraq have generated huge public sympathy for servicemen and women

* The poppy is an enduring national symbol and an opportunity to express support for the services

No...

* The symbolism relates to the First World War, a conflict from which there are now no veterans left

* The poppy is associated with elderly veterans while newer charities such as Help for Heroes resonate more with a younger generation

* Younger generations may prefer other ways to mark remembrance

 

This is so sad, so wrong and can only harm the image of all genuine peace loving followers of Islam.

I hope these sick people find peace some day, I will pray for them

TheRevivalEditor wrote:
You- looks like your friends have same view as you:

As the clock struck 11am, the nation paused to silently mark the anniversary of Armistice Day, when peace returned to Europe at the end of the First World War.

But in London the solemn moment was marred by a small group of protesters calling themselves Muslims Against Crusades, who burned a model of a poppy and chanted "British soldiers burn in hell".

They held banners which read "Islam will dominate" and "Our dead are in paradise, your dead are in hell".

The group clashed briefly with police. Three men were arrested at the scene and one officer was taken to hospital with a head injury but his condition is not serious.

The protest, in Exhibition Road, Kensington, involved about 30 people. About 50 counter demonstrators gathered nearby but the two sides were kept apart by police.


Fool

"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi

TheRevivalEditor wrote:
You- looks like your friends have same view as you...

I hope you are aware of the link between World War 1 and the depise of the Ottoman empire...

In WW1, the very first Regiment despatched was the first Dorset regiment... and it was dispatched to Basra.

WW1 started with the invasion of Iraq and ended with the capture of Mosul.

Righteous war my foot.

"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

to the few who disrupted the Remembrance event, perhaps they should
educate themselves better on their faith:

"One day Prophet Muhammed was sitting with his companions in Madinah when a funeral procession passed by. The Prophet stood up. His Companions pointed out that it was
the funeral of a Jew, that is, a non-Muslim. The Prophet replied: ‘Was he not a human being?’"

(Fathul Bari, 3/214)

Peace to all

HGVDRIVER wrote:
to the few who disrupted the Remembrance event, perhaps they should
educate themselves better on their faith:

"One day Prophet Muhammed was sitting with his companions in Madinah when a funeral procession passed by. The Prophet stood up. His Companions pointed out that it was
the funeral of a Jew, that is, a non-Muslim. The Prophet replied: ‘Was he not a human being?’"

(Fathul Bari, 3/214)

Peace to all


SubhanAllah Smile

"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:
HGVDRIVER wrote:
to the few who disrupted the Remembrance event, perhaps they should
educate themselves better on their faith:

"One day Prophet Muhammed was sitting with his companions in Madinah when a funeral procession passed by. The Prophet stood up. His Companions pointed out that it was
the funeral of a Jew, that is, a non-Muslim. The Prophet replied: ‘Was he not a human being?’"

(Fathul Bari, 3/214)

Peace to all


SubhanAllah Smile

Now that is something I like!

Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.

I did not understand this saying but I have now learnt it, thank you for helping in my education

Peace to you

HGVDRIVER wrote:
I did not understand this saying but I have now learnt it, thank you for helping in my education

Peace to you


Don't know how we helped, but it's our pleasure Smile

Peace to you too Smile

"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi

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