Today the Sunday National has made a small change to its front page.
Instead of sporting a red poppy, we have this year opted to feature a white one to mark Remembrance Day.
We understand that some people may be confused, or perhaps angry, that we have moved away from the traditional symbol of Remembrance.
However, we have made this decision because we believe the meaning of the red poppy has been diluted and co-opted by those who seek to dilute or change what it represents for political purposes.
The party leaders and MPs who proudly display red poppies on their lapels while continuing to approve arms exports to Israel – despite mountains of evidence of war crimes being committed against the people of Palestine, the thousands of civilians killed and left in humanitarian crisis – make it impossible for us to feel comfortable using this symbol.
The politicians who wear them after continuing to meet with figureheads from extremist governments, and shake hands with lobbyists from the defence companies profiting from endless killing, mean we cannot follow along in good conscience.
The poppy is supposed to commemorate those lost and push us to reflect on the horrors of wartime.
The white poppy was first sold by the Co-operate Women’s Guild in 1933, and later taken on by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU). The flower represents Remembrance for all victims of war, challenging militarism and commitment to peace.
It is also important to note that the white poppy remembers people of all nationalities who have died in war, and includes both civilians and members of the Armed Forces.
“We want to remember British military dead, but they are not the only victims of war,” the PPU states. “We also remember the many civilians who have died or suffered in war, both in the past and today, in Ukraine, Yemen and many other places around the world. Suffering does not stop at national borders, and nor should Remembrance.”
We chose the white poppy this year as what we see as a true symbol of peace and Remembrance for all who have died in conflict, plus those who continue to face the appalling consequences of war.
We chose the white poppy to take a stand against endless war around the world.
To those who may find this move disrespectful, we point out that countless veterans have decided to move towards the white poppy.
The late Harry Leslie Smith – who served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War – stopped wearing red poppies in 2013, concerned that the “solemnity of Remembrance” had been turned into a “justification for our most recent armed conflicts”.
If you wish to wear a white poppy this year, you can purchase them via Scottish CND or the Peace Pledge Union.
