James McClean

[steve347]

OK That should have read some or many republicans.
That has really come from my own family where a number have served and are still serving in the forces and have suffered in various ways. And then you get one or two 'in your face ' relatives who are predisposed to upset others with very unkind views.

[Garawa]

But I don't see this as one particular event. This is in remembrance of all who died in a war that engrossed the whole world. When those names were read out in church, they were just names - how many were of republican belief or muslim for example I don't think anyone will ever know or even care. It was just a whole group of people that died from my immediate vicinity probably of all kinds of persuasions. To not join in due to a particular political stance sounds highly narrow minded and kind of irrelevant to me.

[Poshgill]

But you are being a little simplistic and naive Gary. This McClean may think he is being political by making this stance but not all people that refuse to support the poppy appeal do so for political reasons. There are many , like Quakers , that will oppose on moral grounds. In both world wars there were conscientious objectors to the war. Inthe first war they were imprisoned or made to go to the front as stretcher bearers. In the second war many were sent down the mines or became firemen. I believe that we shouldn't judge people because they don't support the appeal as long as they articulate their reluctance. Personally it is a charity I always support and I have previously had the honour of laying the wreath for fallen railway workers at the memorial at Victoria station.

[Garawa]

What doesn't help with this though is that football has been dragged through the gutter and I am sure he finds himself in a VERY small minority, a chance to help heal the divisions football created has only gone and got that little bit wider.

I see what you are saying Posh, however was he asked to support it or was it a case of simply being asked to wear a shirt? I bet none of the players were asked to pay into the charity in order to wear the shirt for that game so what's the issue. It must be very difficult to find someone who doesn't know anyone affected by the spoils of war and remembrance day covers all wars past and present. No-one asked him for a weeks wages, not even sure he was asked for anything at all just to show solidarity with those who had lost loved ones. All he has done is to go against what the vast majority believe to be just and right and show how football no longer represents those who fund their lucrative lifestyle.

[lidbid46]

So what did he do during the two minutes silence I wonder? If he stood silently in the centre like all the others did, then he was lending his support to the concept of rememberence anyway. If he ran around kicking a ball and continuing his normal pre match routine, that would have been very offensive, but more authentic. I don't see how wearing a poppy is much to do with the politics of today, or even of 70 years ago - it has to do with remembering the actions of millions of brave souls who were either killed or wounded fighting for our freedom. It is the individuals who I try to remember, not the politicians. Men like my dad, who was wounded on the D-Day beaches and who carried the scars until the day he died. Looking at his medals gives me an unbelievable sense of pride and would do so even if I didn't believe in the reasons for going to war, which in the case of the fight against facism, of course I do.

[Poshgill]

Mark is being unusually reticent since his previous post.