FIFA and the Poppy dispute
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37832115
As I am sure most of you are aware FIFA have rejected England and Scotlands request to wear a poppy for their International match on Friday. They say that is it a political symbol. But is it?
Do you think FIFA have made the right decision? Or should the players be allowed to wear a poppy?
And if anyone who doesn't know what the remembrance poppy is can read about it here. But in short it an artificial poppy that is worn to remember all the soldiers who have died.
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@King-Noel I think the Poppy is political, but I do disagree with FIFA as people should be allowed to wear what they want.
Wearing a poppy shows that you are supporting the soldiers, but also supporting the war? For example, the Iraq war. To invade Iraq there had to be a parliamentary vote, so then that was a political decision made by our politicians.
So I do think it is a political symbol, and also in Northern Ireland it is used as a political symbol, but Northern Ireland is messed up so that doesn't really matter
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@ruby2003 The main role of a poppy is to remember the fallen soldiers of the British army in world wars and other conflicts. It is not about condoning or supporting war, although some people like to use the poppy politically in order to justify war. And there are stories from the 'poppy brigade' each year, who believe that everyone should wear a poppy. I don't think you can force people.
Whatever your personal stance on this, it can't be denied that the Royal British Legion do great work in helping ex-servicemen who have fallen on hard times and ended up in poverty. It doesn't get talked about much, but their work is very important. They get pretty much all their money from the annual poppy campaign too as the donations go to then.
But let's not forget that there are also other poppies. The white poppy is about remembering all the fallen in war, regardless of country or whether they're soldiers or civilians. It's also about peace, something that the red poppy doesn't have. They're harder to come buy, but if I see a white poppy then I will wear it alongside a red one.