Poppy facists are out in force again.

Well, it's November and the UK once again has its collective knickers in a twist over one of our most beloved symbols of remembrance; the poppy. This time furore has broken out over a decision by FIFA not to allow poppies to be stitched onto England shirts for wear in their friendly against Spain. Amidst allegations of Sepp Blatter and co being biased against England, corrupt, and having no respect, there some that are quite frankly ridiculous, jingoistic and downright off-topic.

Well the reason FIFA have given is that they do not allow extra symbols that may have religious or political connotations to be included in a strip. We can argue until we are blue in the face that the poppy isn't either of those, but the point is that they said no. So deal with it gracefully and perhaps get the team to donate (quietly) their collective match fees to the British Legion.  

Some of my favourites circulating on Twitter:

  • The poppy is a national symbol - no it's not. End of. The Three Lions is a national symbol. Like the rose in rugby. Or the daffodil inWales....you get the meaning. It is a symbol of (what was once) dignified remembrance for our fallen war dead spanning 90 years.
  • David Cameron calls the decision absurd - perhaps trying to detract from the protests currently happening in London, and also that the Home Secretary may be lying about UK Border Agency policy. In fact, Disco Dave, p*ss off away from the bandwagon. 
  • Wear them anyway and let them try cancel the match - oh sure. Eighty-thousand or so angry England fans (not to mention the Spanish fans who travelled here) in a confined space. I'm sure that will go down well. 
  • Sepp Blatter and FIFA are Swiss and are guilty of corruption and profiteering from Nazi gold stores. - What???? Sure, it's given that  Blatter and his recent World Cup dealings are a tad  on the shady side. But  please show me proof that the FIFA vault owns any swastika-stamped gold bars before bleating away like that. 
  • My grandfather/great-grandfather  fought in the war and thus the team should wear the poppy - it must be truly wonderful to know that a member of your family fought for yours and our freedom. As a mixed race Brit, I am grateful for their sacrifices and eventual victory which has allowed me to live a life free of persecution. I personally don't know if a member of my family fought in the wars; my paternal grandfather died when Dad was three and the trail stopped cold there. But I feel strongly that people who trot out the fact their family was involved in the war for a spot of cheap political pointscoring for a football game cheapens their memory. Yes, Jack Wilshire, I mean you.

The Help For Heroes campaign kicked off  not so long ago has brought the poppy back into the public gaze, to young people who probably didn't realise the significance, and helped  raise millions for our war-injured. Unfortunately it seems to have uncovered  a band of facists who to take their "poppy watch" to new extremes. In between arguments by the PC Brigade to who is wearing/not wearing one on BBC news bulletins, to the argument for/against 'bling' vesrions worn on the X-Factor, and a PM who uses it as a politcal smokescreen when avoiding his own troubles, the true significance of the poppy is being lost.

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/

Picture courtesy of Reuters

Comments

  1. Natalie Vincent9 November 2011 at 15:27

    The Royal British Legion have come out and said they do not mind that the poppy won't be worn on the football shirts. Do you think this has been one big storm in a teacup? Or do you feel that FIFA have got it wrong? Comments welcome below!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awesome Wez9 November 2011 at 16:59

    Great article Nat, as always - couldn't agree with you more. It's mind blowing to think that some people would consider the poppy a political symbol (and equally hideous that some people try to use it as one).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Natalie Vincent9 November 2011 at 17:04

    Thanks Wez, much appreciated! I saw on the news that the EDL have gotten in on some action. As if Disco Dave hadn't done enough damage to the whole issue.

    ReplyDelete

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