Poppies

Once, just once, I'd like us all to get through poppy season without people taking offence, falling out and arguing over nothing. Myself, I don't care if Scotland and England footballers wear a poppy on the field or not. The day after Armistice Day (and I wonder how many of the younger generation know what that stands for) it will all be forgotten till it rolls round next year and somebody posts on Facebook or Twitter:

Proud to wear a poppy and don't care who is offended by it. 

Who's offended by it? Nobody I've ever met. Muslims are not offended by the poppy because many Muslims fought in the armed forces in the UK and have seen the devastation caused by war - for over a century now.

I begin to wonder if this excitement over the poppy every year is a giant confidence trick. The government - whatever shade it may be - never supports ex service people. It leaves it to charities like the Haig Fund, the British Legion and Help for Heroes - among others - to do that.

It was ever thus. I remember my grandfather telling us how he was offered a choice in 1919. He was a career soldier and a battalion middleweight boxer who had survived the trenches of northern France and the Dardanelles, and his choice was: honourable discharge into civvy street with a good reference (although there were no jobs) or a 2 year posting to Ireland as a Black and Tan. He went to Ireland but only until my granny could get the money together to buy him out. He came back to a land said to be 'fit for heroes.' But better not go into that here.

In my view, wear a poppy or don't wear a poppy. It doesn't matter. As long as you support the armed forces, particularly the veterans who are routinely discharged and left high and dry by the government that recruited them to fight in hellholes like Iraq and Afghanistan. I'd prefer it if footballers - who have the money - went without a poppy on an armband but donated vast amounts of money to the charities that look after ex-service people.

Call me a cock-eyed optimist.