The White Poppy - Hated and Confused

As the 11th of November approaches I decided to think about whether or not to wear a poppy and if so which colour. After a few internet searches I realised the hostility many felt towards the white poppy and some confusions about exactly what it is and what it signifies. 

If one types 'White Poppy' into Google the fourth item on the page is a blog by a man called Damian Thompson from the Telegraph. In the blog Thompson gives a blunt account of what he believes you should do if you see someone wearing a white poppy and what he thinks of their decision. Pacifists apparently, "... dishonor our war dead," and, "... you should give them a cheery wave not involving the use of all your fingers." These are unkind words, from what I would normally expect from a more radical institution then the Telegraph. However a key point in this is that there is a belief, and judging by the comments on the blog he is not alone, that the white poppy is somehow saying that they are disgusted by people who died in previous wars and they do not respect anyone who has fought. However the Peace Pledge Union website states clearly that, "...the white poppy was not intended as an insult to those who died in the First World War... but a challenge to the continuing drive to war."

I also noticed many people seemed confused about exactly what the white poppy was and some passed it off as a modern politically correctness drive. The white poppy was first used in 1933 set up by various organisations which were built of people who had lost family members and loved ones in the First World War. I doubt the idea of political correctness was too prominent in their decision to ask for peace. 

But what is wrong with the red poppy?

This is a good question, I have often wondered the reasoning for needing two colours, does the red poppy actively support war? The red poppy is not pro-war but it is not decisively against war, it remembers the fallen and supports the wounded but does not actively work to put themselves out of use. I believe there is a place for the white poppy, but is it right to wear one? 

Is peace just? 

Peace is something many say they strive for but never truly believe in, if you ask people if they thought World War Two was justified many would say yes. In truth, so would I, however we have to think of the reasoning for the war. Britain did not go to war because they hated fascists otherwise we would have been at war with Spain, although it hurts to say, WW2 was to defend the Empire and Britain's  international status, and in that sense we lost. However, it is difficult to deny the outcomes of WW2 were good, defeating Hitler was the right thing to do, so was the war justified. It is difficult to say, there may have been alternatives which would have toppled Hitler without war but no one can definitively state that it would have worked. 

The righteous path.

Thompson's blog stated that white poppy wearers try to, "assert their supposed moral superiority" this suggests the white poppy has no meaning, to every person that wears one it is just a badge saying, 'I am better then you.' Was it just about getting one up on someone else when the Women's Co-operative Guild started the idea? WW1 caused suffering, was it such a terrible thing to ask to spare another generation that suffering?

The poppy is a symbol, it carries weight as it carries the memories of millions of lives, the white poppy is not disrespectful to anyone of those lives. It just believes that there is a better way, we can learn from our mistakes and create lasting peace. 

I will finish with this link, it holds potency and is one of the reasons I am now a full supporter of the white poppy appeal and the Peace Pledge Union.