White poppy controversy

For years I've been quietly wearing a white poppy in the run up to Remembrance day (the 11th November, when Britons commemorate those who have died in wars, traditionally wearing the Red Poppy of the Royal British Legion which became a symbol due to the flowers that grew in the trenches of the 1st World War). Until this year, most people were unaware of the white poppy's meaning (as only 50,000 are worn annually compared to 10's of millions of red poppies) which is to honour the dead while not glorifying warfare, and expressing a commitment to non-violence.

This year things have suddenly changed with prominent TV personalities such as newsreader Jon Snow refusing to wear a poppy on air, and the fierce backlash in the media to my friends at Christian think tank Ekklesia encouraging churches to stock white poppies as well as red ones to give people the choice of what to wear and stimulate discussion on the myth of redemptive violence (the idea that long-term peace can be achieved through war). Simon Barrow's article "Giving peace a chance proves highly controversial" gives a good overview of the debate. See also the Peace Pledge Union's White Poppy site.