I didn't get the controversy on Nov.11th, and still don't.

[snfu73]

White poppy emblems anger Edmonton veterans

Last Updated: Wednesday, November 8, 2006 | 10:56 AM MT

CBC News


Edmonton veterans are considering legal action to stop the sale of white poppy emblems.
The Earth's General Store on Whyte Avenue has been selling white poppies during the week leading up to Remembrance Day.

Store owner Michael Kalmanovitch says the white poppies symbolize the hope for peace.
(CBC News) ​

Owner Michael Kalmanovitch says the poppies promote a message of peace.
However, a veteran with the Royal Canadian Legion says the white poppies are an insult and may infringe on the legion's trademark.
"The use of the poppy in any other colour other than in blood red is a disservice and dishonour to all our fallen dead, the past and our latest veterans," said Robert Torrie, spokesman for the Kingsway Legion, Branch 175.

Store will continue to sell poppies

Kalmanovitch says he'll continue to sell white poppies despite the legal threat.
"I mean it's a little bit un-Canadian that somebody has a trademark on the poppy. It would be like having a trademark on the rose in Alberta or the beaver.… It's just bizarre," said Kalmanovitch.
Edmonton Women in Black, an anti-war group, is also selling the poppies.
"We thought that it would be a really good idea to bring attention to the importance of peace at this time. We didn't think in any way the two types of poppies were at odds," said spokeswoman Barbara Sykes.
Kalmanovitch purchases them from Britain's London-based Pledge Peace Union. According to the organization's website, the white poppy dates back to 1933.
"The White Poppy symbolizes the belief that there are better ways to resolve conflicts than killing strangers," states the website.

 

[hermanntrude]

I think i prefer the red ones. they're supposed to be red. It's not about campaigning for peace it's about remembering those who died

 

[karrie]

Rememberance Day is about remembering the price of war. The deaths of the soldiers. Sure, peace is a good message... but it's implicit with remembering how many men die in war. I know it sounds bad, but the Royal Canadian Legion relies on those poppy sales to help spread their message, that war leads to death, and that doesn't disappear. Those soldiers can't just be erased. Every fallen soldier is on the heads of the country who sends them to war. I think their message means a LOT more than just saying 'hey, we want peace'. It reminds the government that they can't lightly trot off into a baseless war, without the support of their own people, because we won't simply let the deaths of our men be forgotten.

Starting a new campaign, with a different message, overlapping the message of the red poppy, descreases their ability to do their work, especially since they chose to overlap the holiday itself. In today's day and age of slacktivism, where we buy a poppy and a cancer wrist band, and feel we've done a lot, the money from those little poppies is big business for fundraising. And much like the wrist bands for cancer research, we've entered a new era, where people have no qualms about selling counterfits and copying the idea for their own campaigns.

Just my two cents.

 

[hermanntrude]

I think i prefer the red ones. they're supposed to be red. It's not about campaigning for peace it's about remembering those who died

having said that i suspect it's not worth the hassle. After all if people agree with me they wont buy the white ones much.

 

[snfu73]

It's not really a new campaign. The white poppy has been around since before world war II. Many people who wear the white poppy wear the red poppy along side of it.

 

[Dezzarai]

how about we wear red poppies in the week leading up to rememberance day, and can wear white onesafter rememberance day to symbolize future peace, but recognize that the soldiers died. it's just that they died in the past, and we need to think also about the future.