in the run-up to “remembrance sunday” the annual poppies have been everywhere you look, and no more so than on television. i recently asked j, only half in jest, “are you even *allowed* to be in front of the camera without a poppy on?” turns out, I was closer to the mark than i’d guessed.

for my stateside readers, a little explanation: here in the u.k., the holiday equivalent of the u.s. memorial day and/or veteran’s day is armistice day (on the 11th November) and the following “remembrance sunday” – a day to reflect upon the losses of war and thank those who have given service to the country. the annual campaign which accompanies this holiday is known as the “poppy campaign” – a fundraising drive to support veterans’ charities, where support is signified by wearing a red felt poppy on one’s lapel. the poppy, of course, refers to the famous “flanders fields” poem, as well as the symbollic colours of red for shed blood, and black for mourning.

in recent years, however, the red poppy has become something of a symbol of political correctness. much like the big “support the troops” bumper stickers which have become ubiquitous in the states (aside: on an interesting cultural note, brits do not, as a rule, decorate with bumper stickers of any kind – but that’s a topic for another post), it seems that almost everyone wears one. whether this has been on the rise since the start of the iraq war, i can’t say, but i have definitely noted a sharp increase in the few years i’ve been here to see it.

but this year in particular, along with the blooming lapels, there has been a blooming controversy. because when almost every person you see is wearing one, it’s those who *aren’t* who begin to stand out. most notably, the t.v. newsreporter jon snow was called to task for refusing to wear one on camera. in his defence against “poppy fascism” he’s said he doesn’t believe newsreaders should make political statements of any kind while on air.

Mr Snow said: “I am begged to wear an Aids Ribbon, a breast cancer ribbon, a Marie Curie flower… You name it, from the Red Cross to the RNIB, they send me stuff to wear to raise awareness, and I don’t. And in those terms, and those terms alone, I do not and will not wear a poppy.”

and i absolutely agree. the poppy furor has also widely encompassed: outrage at those from the black community who refuse to wear one because black contributions to the armed services have not been historically recognised; outrage at those who choose to wear a white poppy as a symbol of peace; and Camilla’s failure to wear a poppy on her visit to pakistan. the poppy pother is out of control.

at what point did being politically correct become mandatory? it reminds me very much of the recent stance taken by so many americans in supporting the iraq war – the idea that “if you’re not with us, you’re against us”. dissent by omission is not an option. and i wager that if the british only realised how closely this “poppy fascism” resembled the wave of blind “yellow ribbon” conformity that overtook the u.s. post-9/11, they would drop those lapel pins in a heartbeat.

personally, i will never wear a poppy. as a pacifist, i cannot in any way, shape, or form condone war or violence. whilst i am saddened that so many people have needlessly lost their lives, i cannot tacitly acknowledge the presumption that their deaths had meaning or served a purpose. to my mind, they didn’t. they don’t. and i won’t.

but it seems that i’ll have to beware the poppy police. and thank god i’m not on television.

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poppy controversy, remembrance sunday