Pride Poppy Uproar

As it becomes known that the Royal British Legion (RBL) donate to Stonewall and are recruiting for a £60k+ diversity officer (paid for from your donations) the RBL have unveiled a new ‘Pride’ poppy badge.

The poppy has always been the ultimate symbol of inclusion, inclusive for everyone, from all nationalities, all races, all political and sexual persuasions. Whereas the pride flag is a political symbol that segregates. The pride poppy is just for the LGBGT community, it divides on a day when historically we come together as a nation to remember everyone who fought and in many cases died for our freedoms.

Many people across social media seem concerned that their poppy donations are being funneled to Stonewall as well as feeling the need to seek to employ a diversity officer for the RBL. The RBL was the most inclusive organisation, the simple plain red poppy symbolised one cause, one memory, one moment of thanks from a nation eternally grateful for the ultimate sacrifice made by so many.

Division

No one is excluded by the plain red poppy, it represents all who fought and fell without exception. By introducing niche, political poppies the RBL are driving division, increasing inclusion. The vast majority of the public wil look at the pride poppy and think that it doesn’t represent them, it actively seeks to exclude them, to remove them.

Divide and Conquer

The modern habit of segregating people into silos is divisive and sets people against each other, it doesn’t unite us. Within the LGBGT community they seek to further sub-divide themselves by umteen genders, dividing into ever smaller sub-communities.

We are at heart just a load of primates clinging to a rock, spinning through space. We are living through an age of division instead of seeking to find common ground that unites us and brings us together.

Rememberance Day has, until 2024 been one of the few days that brought us all together, from all races, all walks of life, all cultures, all backgrounds. Stonewall in conjunction with the RBL are seeking to break that unity, that day, that moment of national unity.