Poppies

[Viazon]

I don't know if anyone heard about this, but Sienna Miller has come under some criticism for appearing on The Graham Norton show on Friday night and not wearing a poppy. Here were some things people tweeted about her.

'Catching up with last nights @grahnort @TheGNShow which was gr8t! Shame the actress #SiennaMiller couldn't be a role model & wear a poppy.'

'Where is Sienna Miller's poppy tonight?!?'

'@TheGNShow Sienna Miller no poppy - shame on you.'

'There should be no excuse for not wearing one so we can honour the war dead.'

What are your thoughts on this? Personally, I think people take these poppy things way to far. Sure, it's a good things to honour all of deceased soldiers who died in the war but I don't see why you need to wear a poppy in order to do it. I don't think anyone should be judged as badly as this for not wearing one. People put to much importance on these things. Just because you don't wear one, doesn't mean you don't honour them. In fact, things like poppies just seem like a way for people to say, "hey, look how much I care. Aren't I a decent person?"

[Everlong]

Could you explain what the poppies are all about? It's some sort of remembrance thing? Why would a person have been expected to wear one?

[Viazon]

This is a remembrance poppy. Remembrance day in the UK is November 11th and people buy these poppies and pin them to their shirt to show respect for those who died in the war.

[Str8Shooter]

I don't see the problem with wearing them. It's a little thing you pin on your shirt or jacket for max a couple weeks. Do people really think that's too much of an inconvenience? It's worn to remember those who have died fighting for our freedoms that pretty much everyone takes for granted. Most people don't even think about those people at all the rest of the year, so if wearing them makes people take notice to do so, for as little as it may be, I think it's a good thing.

[AkydefGoldberg]

I don't think I've ever worn from my recollection and I wouldn't wear one. I don't like the debate the poppy has become. Just look at West Brom footballer James McClean - he's made it quite clear he'll never wear one yet every year the press report "Oh my, he's not a wearing a poppy!!!" - he's articulated quite well why he won't yet the outrage.

Also, the amount of posts I see on my Facebook wall of people of a picture with a poppy saying "If you don't like my poppy, fuck off!" or words to that effect are depressing. I can't remember the poppy conjuring up so many issues 15 years ago but it seems it has become a stick to beat people with who don't wear on and slurs of their lack of patriotism or remembrance for the war dead.

Even if you decide to wear a white poppy, even though it remembers war soldiers and civilians, you get criticism for that.

If Remembrance is on 11th - why is the TV coverage full of everyone wearing a poppy? Jon Snow, channel 4 broadcaster, wears one on the 11th but it seems it's a "look at me! I'm wearing my poppy!" thing so if someone like Sienna is noticed, not for wearing one, they get shit for it.

[prophet]

I don't get the yearly outrage with people who choose not to wear them, it doesn't stop you from wearing one so why do you care whether or not someone else has one on or not? I honestly couldn't give a shit what James McLean does and fail to see why anyone should. (McLean in particular is a most amusing case, he's never worn one and articulated his reason for not doing so fairly well in the past yet every year the same outrage rears it's head).

For the record Sienna Miller apparently did have one on at first but it was pulling on her dress so she took it off, which is fine by me.

[Str8Shooter]

What is the deal with all the controversy you guys are talking about in the UK? We wear poppies here and pretty much everyone on TV wears them throughout the early part of November. But I don't recall there ever being a big fight or argument about wearing them or not wearing them.

People walking down the streets not wearing one aren't going to be accosted here.

[prophet]

What is the deal with all the controversy you guys are talking about in the UK? We wear poppies here and pretty much everyone on TV wears them throughout the early part of November. But I don't recall there ever being a big fight or argument about wearing them or not wearing them.

People walking down the streets not wearing one aren't going to be accosted here.

Celebrities/Athletes that choose not to wear them are believed to be being disrespectful to those fallen in the war and are thus lambasted in the media to a ridiculous degree, it's all a bit daft.

[Hanley!]

I don't get this. When are people supposed to wear the Poppy? If it's a November 11th thing, why are people bitching about celebrities not wearing them right now? What are the rules around this whole Poppy business, and how do you find them out?

Sounds stupid anyway. Wearing a symbol to pay tribute to people is a nice idea, but when you start attacking others for not wearing them that's pretty disgusting. What a needlessly judgmental, obnoxious, self-righteous thing to do.

[Viazon]

I don't see the problem with wearing them. It's a little thing you pin on your shirt or jacket for max a couple weeks. Do people really think that's too much of an inconvenience? It's worn to remember those who have died fighting for our freedoms that pretty much everyone takes for granted. Most people don't even think about those people at all the rest of the year, so if wearing them makes people take notice to do so, for as little as it may be, I think it's a good thing.

Hey, it's cool if people wanna wear them. I got no problem with it. But I don't feel they should harshly judge other people who don't wear them.

[Chewy]

Siena may not have worn a Poppy on her top, but she had some heroin in her pocket so it all equals out.

[Twister]

This is something which really annoys me. The men who fought for our country gave us the right to choose, that includes the right to choose whether to wear a poppy or not. How do these people who condemn those who aren't wearing one know their reasons? Maybe they bought one but lost it? (Always happens to me), maybe their poppy is pinned to their other jacket or maybe their job means they can't wear one for health and safety reasons.

It's utterly ridiculous, it's not mandatory to wear a poppy, it doesn't mean you don't pay respects to those who fought for our freedom. Wear a poppy If you like, but respect other people's choice not to.

[VaderBomb]