Wearing a poppy has its history for a century, what do people in Cardiff think about news reporters, sports players or other celebrities who appear in front of the public but do not wear the symbolic poppy?
The beginning of this month marked the poppy season. Some people have started wearing a paper or pin poppy, a century-long custom first launched by the Royal British Legion in 1921, to show respect to the lives lost in wars until 11 November – the Remembrance Day.
A few years ago, ITV News presenter Charlene White has decided not to wear a poppy on air, which made her face considerable criticism.
Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow is another TV presenter who has refused to wear a poppy on TV and deployed the term poppy fascism to reply to the people who demand others to wear a poppy.
What do the people in Cardiff think about news reporters, sports players and other celebrities who don’t wear one in front of the public during this memorial period?
Gail Rockett, 79, retired, Cardiff
“It’s each individual choice. I wear it to remember, but obviously, it’s everyone’s choice. It’s very very important for me to wear a poppy because I had cousins and uncles that were killed in the war. One (of them) was only 19. Hopefully, if you do remember, then it will never happen again.”
Adam Clark, 22, student, Birmingham
“I don’t think it bothers me too much. I think it’s nice to wear one ‘cause I think it has a lot of meaning in this country. If I’m not working, I wear a poppy. Any day, but not year-round.”
Roger Laming, 69, housekeeper, London
“They should wear poppies. It is to remember the people who lost their lives during the first world war, second world war and other wars.”
Emily Biles, 40, pension administrator, Cardiff
“My family background is the army, so it is important to me. But if people don’t believe in it or they don’t have family who had gone through that kind of thing, then they don’t wanna wear it. That’s up to them.”
Martina Braico, 19, student, Italy
“I didn’t think about it. I think it’s just a choice but it doesn’t mean that they don’t care. I wore it at school when I was in Italy.”
Andrew Charles, 58, business director, Cardiff
“If I wear one, great. If they wear one, great. If they don’t wear it, great. I wear one, but it’s not important as much as giving to charity. The badge is just a badge, doesn’t important.”
Mike Atkins, 40, civil servant, Cardiff
“I think it’s their personal choice. If they don’t want to wear one, they don’t have to. I would say I occasionally wear them, not every year. Sometimes just forget.”