Red Poppy Facism

[Guest guest]

Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow has sparked controversy by refusing to

wear a Remembrance Day poppy on air in protest at " poppy fascism " .

Writing on a Channel 4 blog, Snow admitted the absence of a poppy on

his lapel had prompted viewer complaints.

 

He said he respected the armed forces and wore a poppy off-air but

did not believe in wearing symbols on air.

 

The Royal British Legion said wearing a poppy was a voluntary gesture

and Snow was entitled to his opinion.

 

Corporate communiations director Stuart Gendall said: " While we are

extremely grateful for the support shown to us by all those in the

public eye who wear a poppy in the two weeks leading up to

Remembrance Sunday, we see this as a voluntary gesture of support and

would never prescribe when and how any member of the public wears

one. "

 

There is a rather unpleasant breed of poppy fascism out there - 'He

damned well must wear a poppy!'

 

Jon Snow

 

The newsreader said he did not believe in wearing anything on air

which represented any kind of statement.

 

He 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.

 

" Additionally there is a rather unpleasant breed of poppy fascism out

there - 'He damned well must wear a poppy!'.

 

" Well I do, in my private life, but I am not going to wear it or any

other symbol on air. "

 

Funds appeal

 

Snow's comments come a day after a Christian lobby group sparked

controversy by urging people to exchange the traditional red

remembrance poppy for the " more Christian " white poppy.

of Ekklesia Jonathan Bartley said red poppies implied

redemption through war, while white ones were created to symbolise

peace.

 

HAVE YOUR SAY

I wear red. The red poppy is not a religious or PC symbol

 

Ed, Teesside

 

 

Send us your comments

 

Meanwhile the Royal British Legion has said it needs almost £400m in

public donations to support veterans over the next 15 years.

 

The charity is hoping to raise £26m of this from this year's Poppy

Appeal.

 

While the size of the ex-service community was set to decrease from

its current 10.17 million to 7.55 million by 2020, the 85-plus age

group of veterans would increase dramatically from 290,000 to 920,000

in 2020, an RBL report said.

 

The 16-24 age group is also predicted to increase by 26%, from just

under 300,000 currently to almost 375,000 by 2020.

 

The British Legion provides a range of services to veterans,

including grant-making to those in need to war pensions advice,

counselling and job retraining, home and hospital visits, and the

provision of nursing care.