Red or White?

Now that Remembrance Sunday is fast approaching, we have the liberal do-gooders out in force attempting to promote the wearing of a white poppy in preference to the traditional red one.
Their argument is that wearing the red poppy glorifies war, whereas the white poppy encourages people to think of peace.
What a load of bollocks. The red poppy initially symbolised the blood spilt on the fields of Flanders, Paschendale, Somme and the like. Millions of these RED poppies grew on many battlefields after the First World War. We should never forget the ultimate sacrifice these men (and women) made for our country.
As an ex serviceman myself, I feel very strongly that our war dead, past and present are forgotten too quickly once peace is restored and if wearing a RED poppy is all it takes to jog peoples memory, then that is a small price to pay.
I make a point of buying my RED poppy from a war veteran just so that I can shake their hand and thank them personally for the contribution and sacrifice they made towards this country remaining free.
Once again, the nanny state rears it's ugly head in trying to suppress us from expressing our true feelings about which to them, is a touchy subject. You cannot hide from the fact that there will always be wars fought for whatever reason and wearing a RED poppy does not in any way glorify it. It always reminds me of the horrors of needless conflict that thankfully I have never had to experience.

In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row by row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard among the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If yea break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.