british legion

[ethandron]

has anyone else received a mailshot from them containing, amongs other things, a small wooden cross with a poppy attached to it?
i always buy a poppy and i support the help for heroes campaign, but i have to be honest and say i found this mailshot to be quite distasteful and have put it in the bin. what are your feelings about it?

[emmie]

I haven't, but i wouldn't find it distasteful, people, family, friends, put the little wooden crosses on memorial sites, as they do or did outside Westminster Abbey, with whole rows of names, regiments, which service they belong to, some with photo's of the servicemen and women who have given service and their life in defence of this country. I have visited after the Rembrance service, when they are displayed and found them profoundly moving.

[ethandron]

i know what they are em, and have seen them myself outside the abbey. if i wanted to buy one i would, i do however object to being sent one through the post. it's nothing to do with me not appreciating what our wonderful forces people do, it's the fact that i was sent a cross, unasked for, through the post. it seems to me to be a waste of money by the british legion, and also a reason for some folk to be very upset by it.

[emmie]

I'm not sure i understand, but as said, i wouldn't be. I'm glad i don't have relatives in the services though. It's a sad but very poignant service, and i try and go each year, but i'm not that steady on the legs these days, so can't stand for long. Have you looked up The Legions's website to see if they give a reason for this addition, change. I do know that they try and find ways to get more contributions, and that many retail outlets won't allow the poppy sellers to stand outside their places, which is a terrible shame.

[emmie]

It hadn't occured to me, though this is in no way an explanation, but
its the Royal British Legion's 90th anniversary, and if you look at their website, it mentions the crosses and the poppies. I doubt that was their intention, to upset people.

[ethandron]

perhaps part of it is that i'm not the least bit religeous and really dislike any kind of religeon being forced on me, which is how i view this cross. a poppy is quite a different thing.
i agree, it's a great shame if some retailers won't allow poppy sellers.

[emmie]

Neither am i, but once a year, i stand with the other people, and remember loved ones and all those lost. I wonder if this tradition will one day die out.

[askyourgran]

It isn't really a religious thing ethandron, the BL is a charitable organisation. The funds from the sale of the poppies are intended for the families of those who died and to help the young men and women disabled in combat. The fact that the crosses and poppies are turned to a religious event on 11 November is to commemorate the fallen during the wars, otherwise there would be nothing or nowhere for people to go to address their gratitude to those who serve their country. I'm not particulary religious but I am grateful to those who had the courage to fight.

[ethandron]

i'm the same askyourgran, but i do object to this cross, not extremely strongly, but enough for me to have a bit of a rant and bin it. to me, a cross is a religeous symbol and i really don't want one being sent to me in the post. i can imagine there would be a fair few people who would feel quite a bit stronger about it than i do and maybe get very upset by it. i really think it's a bad idea to include it in a mailshot.
as i said earlier, i fully support the british legion and poppy day, and all the sterling work our forces do on our behalf. and i always watch the rememberence day parade on tv. it's not about that, it's about this wooden cross that fell through my letterbox.

[emmie]

If you feel strongly, then suggest contacting them. I doubt as i said it would be their intention to cause distress to anyone.

[hc4361]

ethandron, the cross is to represent the little wooden markers at the graves of our fallen soldiers in the World Wars.

I am shocked anyone could be offended by this stark reminder.

[emmie]

Hc, if you read the threads, i think you will find that Ethandron knows that

[hc4361]

I have read the thread and ethandron continually refers to the wooden cross as a religious symbol.
In this instance the little wooden cross marked the graves, regardless of the deceased's religion.

[askyourgran]

I agree hc, they are grave markers. It saddens me to think that being a Christian country we are not allowed to have a symbol of the faith on display without upsetting someone. I suppose the British Legion haven't thought that either.

[emmie]

Lets just say that for some it might not be the right thing, but by and large TRBL do a sterling job.

[ethandron]

it may have marked the graves of all those brave people hc, and i'm not saying at all that people who want to shouldn't continue to buy them and place them wherever they want, but it is nevertheless a religious symbol, a cross, and not something to be used in a mail shot.
i personally feel a poppy is more in keeping with remembering all the fallen, poppy day IS 'rememberence day' to britain.

[Maydup]

I received one of these in the post and threw mine in the bin too. Shocking waste of money and rescouces I couldn't even recycle it.

I buy my poppy like the next person and wear it with pride but I don't have anyone to remeber personally in this way nor do I agree with any of our current troups being lost fighting other people's battles. I 'd like to know what response they got from the mailshot and hope to goodness it was worth it.

[Mamyalynne]

I have been involved with the RBL in many ways throughout my life, even as a Christian I never really saw these crosses as religious as such. However where I do agree with Ethandron is the unsolicited nature of these mailshots- African charities appeals with 5 or 6 sheets of paper and a return envelope and 2pence coin attached, telling me that can feed a child for a day!! There are many other instances and whilst I know charities have to try their best, it does not always sit well with me.

[hc4361]

1.4 million Jews, nearly half a million Muslims, 2.5 million Sikhs and Hindus fought with the allied troops.
These markers represent them, too.

[hc4361]

It is a grave marker, not a Christian cross, in this instance.
X marks the spot, it is as simple as that.

[Ann]

I totally agree Lynne - I can't believe the waste of money! It must cost them so much to send a cheap tatty pen, address labels, notelets, postcards, foot and mouth artist cards, coins, wooden crosses through the post - I have had all of those! One day I decided to ring a company about it (I think it was the Red Cross) and ended up talking to the marketing director (think the Switchboard didn't know where to direct me!) I asked him if they actually made more money by sending out "gimmicks" and he admitted it didn't always work, but all charities did it!
Re: the crosses - yes I received one, so had the good idea of taking it to our church to the lady who always does the church flower display on Remembrance Day and she will incorporate it into the display of red poppies on the communion table.