Guest guest Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canada's war veterans are girding for a new battle, this time against peace activists they say have hijacked their long-standing floral symbol. A store in Edmonton, Alberta, is distributing white poppy replicas that the Royal Canadian Legion said is a " disturbing " and " illegal " infringement of the red poppies worn on lapels since just after World War One to commemorate those killed in battle. A Legion official said that Remembrance Day on November 11 is the only time of year they ask citizens to wear the poppies to pay tribute to the 117,000 military personnel who have died in conflict. " It's something symbolic, which encroaches on a registered trademark, for one thing, " Legion spokesman Rod Stewart said of the " white poppies for peace. " " But it puts a political slant on the meaning of Remembrance Day and that's unacceptable in our eyes. " White poppy distributor Michael Kalmanovitch, owner of Earth's General Store, said the version he's distributing was first produced in Britain in the 1930s to symbolize hope that humanity would move beyond armed conflict to solve disputes. Kalmanovitch said he ordered 200 white poppies from the activist Peace Pledge Union in London. It his his third year of distributing them. Legion officials have told him that poppies of any colour are their registered trademark and the alternative ones are illegal. But Kalmanovitch said he has no intention to stop distributing the white symbols. He said he wears both versions, and does not consider the white ones to be discourteous to the Legion. " We're not saying 'or', we're saying 'and', " Kalmanovitch said. " I do respect those people who went off and got hurt or killed in those wars ... but I hope we live in a society where everything can withstand criticism or examination. " The tradition of wearing commemorative red poppies in Canada, Britain and other counties comes from the World War One poem " In Flanders Fields " , a tribute to the fallen written by Canadian Lt-Col John McCrae, which begins: " In Flanders fields the poppies blow, Between the crosses row on row... " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 Actually, it's the other way around.... the Poppy has been a symbol of peace since ancient Greece: in ancient Greek myth it was the flower used by Demeter to help her sleep after Persephone had been taken to the underworld, and as a result, Hypnos, the god of sleep, was often symbolised by the Poppy. Similarly, in Rome, Somnus was often symbolised by a Poppy. This later got transferred into Christian symbolism, where it was carved into church pews and gravestones as a symbol of the restful sleep of the dead while waiting for Judgement. So, basically, for something like 3000 years, Poppys have been a symbolism of peace and rest... so really the Royal Canadian Legion has no claim to any copyright on the symbolism. Incidentally, red poppies were actually first worn out of respect for those killed in battle by Napoleonic soldiers remembering their dead comrades.... BB Peter - " heartwerk " <jo.heartwork Thursday, November 09, 2006 8:01 AM Red Vs White in Canada > CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canada's war veterans are girding for a > new battle, this time against peace activists they say have hijacked > their long-standing floral symbol. > > > > A store in Edmonton, Alberta, is distributing white poppy replicas > that the Royal Canadian Legion said is a " disturbing " and " illegal " > infringement of the red poppies worn on lapels since just after World > War One to commemorate those killed in battle. > > A Legion official said that Remembrance Day on November 11 is the > only time of year they ask citizens to wear the poppies to pay > tribute to the 117,000 military personnel who have died in conflict. > > " It's something symbolic, which encroaches on a registered trademark, > for one thing, " Legion spokesman Rod Stewart said of the " white > poppies for peace. " > > " But it puts a political slant on the meaning of Remembrance Day and > that's unacceptable in our eyes. " > > White poppy distributor Michael Kalmanovitch, owner of Earth's > General Store, said the version he's distributing was first produced > in Britain in the 1930s to symbolize hope that humanity would move > beyond armed conflict to solve disputes. > > Kalmanovitch said he ordered 200 white poppies from the activist > Peace Pledge Union in London. It his his third year of distributing > them. > > Legion officials have told him that poppies of any colour are their > registered trademark and the alternative ones are illegal. > > But Kalmanovitch said he has no intention to stop distributing the > white symbols. He said he wears both versions, and does not consider > the white ones to be discourteous to the Legion. > > " We're not saying 'or', we're saying 'and', " Kalmanovitch said. " I do > respect those people who went off and got hurt or killed in those > wars ... but I hope we live in a society where everything can > withstand criticism or examination. " > > The tradition of wearing commemorative red poppies in Canada, Britain > and other counties comes from the World War One poem " In Flanders > Fields " , a tribute to the fallen written by Canadian Lt-Col John > McCrae, which begins: " In Flanders fields the poppies blow, Between > the crosses row on row... " > > > > > > To send an email to - > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 Thanks Peter Funnily enough Colin asked me about this earlier today - so your answer is 'extra' handy :-) BB Jo - " Peter " <metalscarab Thursday, November 09, 2006 11:43 AM Re: Red Vs White in Canada > Actually, it's the other way around.... the Poppy has been a symbol of peace > since ancient Greece: in ancient Greek myth it was the flower used by > Demeter to help her sleep after Persephone had been taken to the underworld, > and as a result, Hypnos, the god of sleep, was often symbolised by the > Poppy. Similarly, in Rome, Somnus was often symbolised by a Poppy. This > later got transferred into Christian symbolism, where it was carved into > church pews and gravestones as a symbol of the restful sleep of the dead > while waiting for Judgement. > > So, basically, for something like 3000 years, Poppys have been a symbolism > of peace and rest... so really the Royal Canadian Legion has no claim to any > copyright on the symbolism. > > Incidentally, red poppies were actually first worn out of respect for those > killed in battle by Napoleonic soldiers remembering their dead comrades.... > > BB > Peter > > > - > " heartwerk " <jo.heartwork > > Thursday, November 09, 2006 8:01 AM > Red Vs White in Canada > > > > CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canada's war veterans are girding for a > > new battle, this time against peace activists they say have hijacked > > their long-standing floral symbol. > > > > > > > > A store in Edmonton, Alberta, is distributing white poppy replicas > > that the Royal Canadian Legion said is a " disturbing " and " illegal " > > infringement of the red poppies worn on lapels since just after World > > War One to commemorate those killed in battle. > > > > A Legion official said that Remembrance Day on November 11 is the > > only time of year they ask citizens to wear the poppies to pay > > tribute to the 117,000 military personnel who have died in conflict. > > > > " It's something symbolic, which encroaches on a registered trademark, > > for one thing, " Legion spokesman Rod Stewart said of the " white > > poppies for peace. " > > > > " But it puts a political slant on the meaning of Remembrance Day and > > that's unacceptable in our eyes. " > > > > White poppy distributor Michael Kalmanovitch, owner of Earth's > > General Store, said the version he's distributing was first produced > > in Britain in the 1930s to symbolize hope that humanity would move > > beyond armed conflict to solve disputes. > > > > Kalmanovitch said he ordered 200 white poppies from the activist > > Peace Pledge Union in London. It his his third year of distributing > > them. > > > > Legion officials have told him that poppies of any colour are their > > registered trademark and the alternative ones are illegal. > > > > But Kalmanovitch said he has no intention to stop distributing the > > white symbols. He said he wears both versions, and does not consider > > the white ones to be discourteous to the Legion. > > > > " We're not saying 'or', we're saying 'and', " Kalmanovitch said. " I do > > respect those people who went off and got hurt or killed in those > > wars ... but I hope we live in a society where everything can > > withstand criticism or examination. " > > > > The tradition of wearing commemorative red poppies in Canada, Britain > > and other counties comes from the World War One poem " In Flanders > > Fields " , a tribute to the fallen written by Canadian Lt-Col John > > McCrae, which begins: " In Flanders fields the poppies blow, Between > > the crosses row on row... " > > > > > > > > > > > > To send an email to - > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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