It takes a lot to upset me to my core; yet one TikTok user managed to do this on the evening of Remembrance Sunday.
They argued in a video that the poppy is “a sign that that you believe in conservatism”, that it has “become a conservative dog whistle” and that the poppy has been “co-opted by the right wing and conservatism”. They even went further, to try and put a cherry on the cake by taking a swipe at those who fly the St George’s Flag by saying: “It’s like seeing an England flag hanging outside someone’s house, you don’t know how they think about the world, but you can pretty much guess”.
As upset as I am with this TikTok user, and with good reason, I will dissect their points and counter them respectfully.
Symbolism and what the poppy means
“A conservative dog whistle”. So, apparently the poppy is a conservative dog whistle to show that you believe in conservatism. No.
The poppy is a symbol of remembrance. On Remembrance Sunday, we pause to reflect when the guns fell silent, when the fighting stopped and peace once more returned. The poppy itself was the first flower to grow in the war ravaged mud of the western front, bringing life and beauty back to an area destroyed by the horrors of war. When it grew, life prevailed at a time when peace prevailed over war.
It also stands for those we have lost in war. War is a terrible thing and those who fight in it, do so to protect those left at home. It is not something any soldier or civilian desires and when we observe the minute’s silence, we remember those we have lost and those that have sacrificed for us.
No conservatism, no politics of any kind, just the remembrance of those we have lost and the moment the guns fell silent.
Politics, or rather, the lack of it
The TikTok user argues that the poppy is “a sign that you believe in conservatism”. They argue that it has been co-opted by the right-wing. Not true.
As someone left-wing, who has voted for political candidates on the left and centre-left his whole life, I strongly dispute the fact that I believe in conservatism. Far from it. All my life I have fought for left-wing causes and every year, every Remembrance Sunday, I have worn the poppy. I also fly the England flag, something else that the user took a stab at. They can guess how I think about the world but they’d be wrong.
But it goes further than that. Of course I know Conservative supporters and have some Conservative friends, but my friendship group consists mainly of people who have either voted for centre or left-leaning parties or people who take no interest in politics at all. The vast majority of them wear poppies. People who are left-leaning or not political at all; wearing poppies. Not all do, but a majority do. They also like poppy-related posts on social media.
So, sorry but not sorry to burst your bubble TikTok user, but that co-option by the right-wing doesn’t exist. Nor is it true that those who wear the poppy believe in conservatism.
As for the “fetishisation of Remembrance Day”, nothing more insulting could ever be said. Everyone who wears the poppy and partakes in Remembrance Sunday does so to commemorate the end of war and remember the tragic losses. And as for the accusation of the “conservative dog whistle for the media”; it is nothing new for tabloid newspapers like the Sun or Daily Express to use anything for their stories, even in bad taste. That applies to everything and does not hold water as an argument to attack the poppy.
All in all, we all know the real meaning behind the poppy and behind Remembrance Sunday. There is no co-option by the right-wing or conservatives. I respect people’s choices if they don’t wear the poppy or choose to wear the white one instead of the red; it’s of no consequence to me and I see there is no malice behind their decision. I do, however, take issue to people like this TikTok user who attacks on people’s beliefs with no consideration or sensitivity for how they might feel.
My personal politics don’t matter in this, but as a socialist and progressive who has a great personal connection to the poppy and what it stands for and a great love for Britain, I take great upset in being labelled as a right-wing conservative and having my family and friends labelled as such too by a TikTok user who seemingly tars everyone with the same brush. I also take great exception to the attack on the poppy, a symbol of peace, remembrance and charity as well; something close to the heart of many people up and down the country.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
