Any views on the FIFA poppy ban for the England-Scotland game

[Rangersmandownunder]

Just looking for a bit of fairness. Its seems these days its ok to bring military weapons on to football pitches but not to wear a poppy is some sort of a crime.

You don't want to wear a poppy then fine, no one is forcing you to wear one or to contribute to the charity, however to go out and publicly campaign against it is a different matter, that is what and your ilk do, unsurprisingly not a peep was heard from you lot when the ROI wore a commemorative shirt to remember the Easter uprising or do we hear anything when white lilies are worn on the lapels of folk.

As for the "military weapon", it was used to mark the start and the end of a minutes silence at Ibrox stadium, a mark of respect for the fallen, for those who gave their lives so the likes of you could spread your hate, and of course in a stadium of which you were not present, it was a very respectful couple of minutes and how anyone sees offence in it is actually quite ridiculous, but expected from you.

Our armed forces are no longer allowed to come onto our pitch in numbers due to the moon howlers and the hand wringers, and even now we have the likes of you complaining that we show any respect and to remember our dead, the hypocrisy from you and your ilk is breathtaking.

[Rangersmandownunder]

That isn't a political statement - that is just taking the piss out of the armed forces to annoy your rivals..

A handful of army personnel walk on to the pitch with a large poppy, place it in the center circle and stand for one minute to remember the fallen, a gun marks the start and end of the minutes silence. Only the more hateful within our society will see any offence in that.



Your wrong Jack, as much as you want it to be it is not and never has been a political statement, Rangers fans do get upset when your fans tarnish the memories of the fallen and try to portray the poppy as I've never considered it political, it's always been a symbol of remembrance of all those killed in wars and a way of providing charitable support to the forces victims of wars. It's never (to my mind) been a political statement of support for war.

It is not a political protest or a support for war, it is symbol of our nations respect and grief for those who lost their lives in events where politics and politicians failed.

I find it abhorrent that those who claim to oppose wars refuse to accept that, instead choosing to side with those whose political agenda is vehemently anti-British and use remembrance as an excuse to launch another political attack.

If FIFA really want to remove politics, why not ban national flags and national anthems as these are absolutely 'political' by nature. In fact, fold and ban Internationals altogether, which is competitive sport between geographical political entities.

Or maybe even stop awarding the finals for political and financial reasons...allegedly.

Looks like the Scottish and English teams are to defy FIFA and wear the poppy, good on them I say.

[Rangersmandownunder]

Jack I should also add that the Irish boys I know out here don't have any issues with the poppy, they are happy to donate and to wear it, but then these are real Irishmen.

[Higgins09]

Your wrong Jack, as much as you want it to be it is not and never has been a political statement, Rangers fans do get upset when your fans tarnish the memories of the fallen and try to portray the poppy as I've never considered it political, it's always been a symbol of remembrance of all those killed in wars and a way of providing charitable support to the forces victims of wars.

Just for future reference, since you are so keen to correct the spelling of others, it should be 'you're' and not 'your'.

No need to thank me RMDU.

[psych]

The poppy has become political because it has been hijacked to whip up support for the British troops in more recent conflicts. Remembering the war dead of the 2 world wars was something people could unite behind and even if people in a democratic society didn't want to participate for personal reasons or other then in wasn't a big issue because poppy wearing was something people opted in to.


Thing have changed. For all the decades after the 2 world wars the very thing the poppy was commemorating there was no poppies on football shirts. There was no minute silences at football grounds up and down the country every year. There would be a minute silence at the service of remembrance on Armistice Day on the 11th hour.



Why has this changed over the last decade?



As for RMDU 'Our armed forces are no longer allowed to come onto our pitch in numbers due to the moon howlers and the hand wringers'

Thanks for reminding us of the triumphalist dishonouring of the solemn remembrance at Ibrox that prompted the Army secretariat to write

“The General Officer Commanding Scotland has now had the opportunity to review the events that took place at Ibrox Park with the other service heads in Scotland.

"They share your view that the format of the half-time event and the conduct of those taking part in it was inappropriate for Remembrance weekend and will take steps to ensure that such events are conducted with appropriate solemnity in the future.

“They believe that the minute’s silence before the match was the correct way to mark the occasion and Army commanders will be directed to restrict future Remembrance events to this type of activity in the future.

“The focus of Remembrance activities must be on the fallen, not on those who are serving in the Armed Forces today.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcKJheBXKYU

I will leave it to Harry Leslie Smith, one of the declining number of WW2 veterans still alive no longer wears a poppy because he believes "the spirit of my generation has been hijacked" to "sell dubious wars" in Afghanistan and Iraq.

[52N4E]

Regarding WWII, they fought to try and cling on to their thieving Empire, nothing else.



http://twitter.com/crimesofbrits

[AguyIknow]

That isn't a political statement - that is just taking the piss out of the armed forces to annoy your rivals..

Whit? Taking the piss oot the armed forces to annoy your rivals??? The ones taking the piss oot the armed forces were the club who had the armed forces turn up at their club to give some military display but didn't pay taxes which went to finance said armed forces.

I heard both Partick and Celtic clubs contributed thousands of pounds to the Poppy Appeal this year but The Rangers didn't - can you confirm?

[Rangersmandownunder]

Just for future reference, since you are so keen to correct the spelling of others, it should be 'you're' and not 'your'.

No need to thank me RMDU.

Away an hug a tree ya bellend.

[Rangersmandownunder]

Whit? Taking the piss oot the armed forces to annoy your rivals??? The ones taking the piss oot the armed forces were the club who had the armed forces turn up at their club to give some military display but didn't pay taxes which went to finance said armed forces.

I heard both Partick and Celtic clubs contributed thousands of pounds to the Poppy Appeal this year but The Rangers didn't - can you confirm?

Why ask him to confirm, why not just provide the evidence you have that Rangers refused to contribute to the appeal this year.

Anytime yer ready.

[Rangersmandownunder]

The poppy has become political because it has been hijacked to whip up support for the British troops in more recent conflicts. Remembering the war dead of the 2 world wars was something people could unite behind and even if people in a democratic society didn't want to participate for personal reasons or other then in wasn't a big issue because poppy wearing was something people opted in to.


Thing have changed. For all the decades after the 2 world wars the very thing the poppy was commemorating there was no poppies on football shirts. There was no minute silences at football grounds up and down the country every year. There would be a minute silence at the service of remembrance on Armistice Day on the 11th hour.



Why has this changed over the last decade?



As for RMDU 'Our armed forces are no longer allowed to come onto our pitch in numbers due to the moon howlers and the hand wringers'

Thanks for reminding us of the triumphalist dishonouring of the solemn remembrance at Ibrox that prompted the Army secretariat to write

“The General Officer Commanding Scotland has now had the opportunity to review the events that took place at Ibrox Park with the other service heads in Scotland.

"They share your view that the format of the half-time event and the conduct of those taking part in it was inappropriate for Remembrance weekend and will take steps to ensure that such events are conducted with appropriate solemnity in the future.

“They believe that the minute’s silence before the match was the correct way to mark the occasion and Army commanders will be directed to restrict future Remembrance events to this type of activity in the future.

“The focus of Remembrance activities must be on the fallen, not on those who are serving in the Armed Forces today.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcKJheBXKYU

I will leave it to Harry Leslie Smith, one of the declining number of WW2 veterans still alive no longer wears a poppy because he believes "the spirit of my generation has been hijacked" to "sell dubious wars" in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The military were correct, the army personnel who were cheered by the Rangers support were not the ones who the remembrance was for and as such the event is now carried out in the manner expected. We can salute our army personnel at events at other times of the year, such as the offer of free tickets to them.

Times change and we now see football grounds as places where many remembrance events are held for folk that have died, the poppy is not a political symbol, never has been and never will be, it is the haters who are trying to turn it into one, ,,,if you don't agree with it so be it..