The Poppy Selling Superthread- Merged

[TCM621]

paracord poppy, pin backed and bulletproof. Pucker up and plant one, poppy police.

If you know where I could find how to make one of those, I'd be grateful.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

The legion loves to send letters to whoever they feel is violating their trademark, even when they don't have a chance of bringing them to court. That means someone selling beaded poppies for a fund raiser or whatever else legion members report to Dominion Command on. In truth they own the trademark to that exact poppy but they interpret that to mean any poppy, including the British legion poppy in Canada.

They claim to be the keepers of the poppy symbol but did you see some of the crap the sell at the legion poppy store.

https://www.poppystore.ca/

Holy crap that's alot of poppy crap there...

 

[Pusser]

If you know where I could find how to make one of those, I'd be grateful.

Ashley's Book of Knots (available on line I believe).  The poppy knot depicted is a flattened turk's head.

 

[Kat Stevens]

It’s a four bight, three lead turkshead. The centre is the same knot in smaller cord. Flatten them out, glue one on top of the other and stick a back on it.

 

[Pusser]

It’s a four bight, three lead turkshead. The centre is the same knot in smaller cord. Flatten them out, glue one on top of the other and stick a back on it.

Now you're just showing off.  Most pongoes heads exploded when I just said it was a turk's head...

 

[Blackadder1916]

Now you're just showing off.  Most pongoes heads exploded when I just said it was a turk's head...

No, they didn't.  We were just a little jealous thinking about our forebearers in the early part of the last century who could actually "flatten a Turk's head" . . . probably with a shovel or some other implement of war.


Edited to add

And a turkshead is also known as a "woggle knot".  Should be familiar to any former Boy Scouts, though you only got to wear it after the Wood Badge.

 

[Pusser]

And a turkshead is also known as a "woggle knot".  Should be familiar to any former Boy Scouts, though you only got to wear it after the Wood Badge.

Correct.  I have one too.

 

[TCM621]

It’s a four bight, three lead turkshead. The centre is the same knot in smaller cord. Flatten them out, glue one on top of the other and stick a back on it.

Thanks to you and Pusser

 

[mariomike]

I heard that some stores are banning the practice. 

Do you have a source?

Global News
November 14, 2019

poppies, according to the Royal Canadian Legion, are still popular.  The non-profit group that represents Canadian veterans distributes about 20 million poppies across Canada every year and brings in about a dollar each in donations, the organization says.

“The trend is steady,” says Legion spokesperson Nujma Bond.

 

[kratz]

One of the annual news reports:

ref: CTV.ca

'Stop trying to be Woke Foods': Staff poppy ban at Whole Foods stirs outcry

TORONTO -- Employees of international supermarket chain Whole Foods have been told not to wear Remembrance Day poppies because they don’t align with the company dress code.

“Whole Foods Market honours the men and women who have and continue to bravely serve their country. We support Remembrance Day in all of our Canadian stores by observing a moment of silence on November 11th and by donating to the Legion's Poppy Campaign. With the exception of those items required by law, our dress code policy prohibits any additions to our standard uniform," the company said in a statement.

Canadian politicians spoke out online against the company policy Friday morning, calling it “shameful and wrong.”

The dress code restriction even spurred Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who called the policy "disgusting and disgraceful," to announce he would seek legislation in the province to ban employers from prohibiting staff from wearing poppies during Remembrance Week.

Canada’s Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay called the policy "absolutely unacceptable" on CTV News Channel on Friday.

"[Poppies are] to show respect for people who stood in danger for our freedom and democracy around the world. Quite simply it's totally unacceptable and hopefully they can change this quickly," he said.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole posted a video message online calling the dress code policy "stupid" in a tweet.

“The poppy is not a cause, it is a sign of respect,” O’Toole said. “The sacrifice of Canadians in the past provides the freedom for a US grocery chain to be stupid today … Let’s tell Whole Foods to stop trying to be Woke Foods.”

The new controversy follows another flashpoint around Whole Food uniforms earlier this year, when U.S. staff filed a federal lawsuit against their employer after they were told they couldn’t wear “Black Lives Matter” face coverings at work.

At the time, store managers also cited the same company dress code language, which forbids symbols and phrases not affiliated with Whole Foods.

“It was wrong when they banned staff expressing support for Black Lives Matter and it’s wrong to ban the Poppy,” wrote NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Twitter. “Canadians shouldn’t lose the right to honour the sacrifices of veterans when they go to work.”​

Mayors of two of Canada's largest cities responded to the news on Twitter, with Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson calling it "One of the most ridiculous decisions made by a company in recent memory" and Toronto Mayor John Tory urging the company to "rethink its unreasonable ban."

The poppy has long been a symbol of peace used to honour the memory of fallen soldiers from the First and Second World Wars, most often associated with a poem written in 1915 by Canadian physician Lt.-Col. John McCrae.

It’s disgusting and disgraceful that @WholeFoods has banned poppies for their employees. We will always stand with our veterans. Whole Foods should apologize and immediately reverse this decision. Everyone should wear a poppy #lestweforget.

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) November 6, 2020

 

[blacktriangle]

Classy.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

We don't expect to get much in the way of donations this year from the local legions, I think last year the West Van legion made some $95,000 in the poppy drive (don't quote me as I am going on memory and minimal coffee) My Navy League Corp gets some $4,000 a year from the local legions which really helps. With no tagging, no poppy sales we expect to be close to $9,000 short next year, thankfully we can just survive on money saved from this year and rental of our facilities.

 

[CBH99]

One of the annual news reports:

ref: CTV.ca

It's sad that he has to explore introducing legislation in regards to this...decency and common sense would allow an employee to wear a poppy if they choose.  It's Remembrance Day for crying out loud, not the 'social justice issue of the month'. 

Beyond stupid...  :facepalm:



I've never thought about it before, but I guess it isn't illegal for an employer to tell their employees not to wear a poppy at work.  Laws eventually get passed because someone does something absurdly stupid... alas... this...

 

[Haggis]

This law hasn't passed and I don't think it should. It opens the door for all manner of special interest groups to demand that the wearing of their symbol of sacrifice, service or hardship be allowed in the workplace.

Like the Thin Blue Line...

 

[Kat Stevens]

This law hasn't passed and I don't think it should. It opens the door for all manner of special interest groups to demand that the wearing of their symbol of sacrifice, service or hardship be allowed in the workplace.

Like the Thin Blue Line...

Or the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB all wearing BLM (the organization, not the principle) patches?

 

[BeyondTheNow]

The issue is the interpretation of the symbol. Yes, the wearing of a poppy can be viewed as support of political issues to some (which isn’t permitted/protected under the Human Rights Codes within a workplace environment in ON), but the majority don’t view it as such. Most simply see the poppy as a symbol of respect and gratitude. Whereas several other insignia have clear-cut political messages behind them.

I had a brief interaction about this w/ an acquaintance who’s well on their way to becoming a lawyer (they’re a CAF member). He personally agreed that the poppy isn’t political, and he explained how Freedom of Expression as provided in our Charter, and the Human Rights Codes which are provincially legislated, are separate. And yes, a workplace has every right to ban any emblem/symbol/marking etc falling under the listed articles, and include such measures in their employment policies/contracts. But it’s also very brain-dead to include the poppy. Unless a measured safety risk (think, perhaps, a daycare employee working with babies and toddlers—the pin falls off, a child grabs at it on the clothing, etc or something) I have personally never seen/heard of any company in the customer service industry in this country not allowing their employees to wear poppies. (Several fast food/restaurants allow it—except perhaps those working in the kitchens and/or there’s a policy that the simple pin design can’t be worn, but a more secure style with a backing—retail, grocers, hairstyling & other beauty services, etc)

It’s a PR mess, especially in the NCR that Wholefoods could’ve avoided. Yes, they’re an Amer company, but someone in their Canadian offices should’ve had the forethought to address the matter. Instead, backlash was harsh and swift.


For reference:

 

[Haggis]

The issue is the interpretation of the symbol. Yes, the wearing of a poppy can be viewed as support of political issues to some (which isn’t permitted/protected under the Human Rights Codes within a workplace environment in ON), but the majority don’t view it as such.

As I mentioned a few replies ago, the ongoing discussion of the poppy's symbolism is similar to that of the Thin Blue Line, except that the poppy has not (yet) been co-opted by any extremist groups.

Despite what the majority think of the poppy, the vocal minority are the ones getting the media coverage.  Those 'woke" activists see the poppy as representing the glorification of war, the ongoing militarization of youth and of lives and treasure lost to protect corporate and governmental greed. The Legion, like most large organizations, is reactive and are always struggling to get inside the activist's OODA loop in the media.

While I believe that, except for health and safety reasons, every worker should be allowed to wear a poppy at work, the employer still has a legitimate say in when, where and how the poppy is worn. But legislating protections for it's wear is another example of governmental overreaction to address a minor problem that could be solved through education rather than enforcement.

 

[BeyondTheNow]

...Those 'woke" activists see the poppy as representing the glorification of war...

Yup, queue the white-poppy crap...

 

[Haggis]

Yup, queue the white-poppy crap...

You mean the White Power Poppy, right?

(See what I did there???)

 

[mariomike]

Unless a measured safety risk (think, perhaps, a daycare employee working with babies and toddlers—the pin falls off, a child grabs at it on the clothing, etc or something) I have personally never seen/heard of any company in the customer service industry in this country not allowing their employees to wear poppies.

Our department encouraged poppies to be worn. You did have to be careful though as you and your partner were carry patients in your arms - almost as you would a baby, except a lot bigger and heavier, often thrashing about. 

As I mentioned a few replies ago, the ongoing discussion of the poppy's symbolism is similar to that of the Thin Blue Line,

Our emergency services respond, wearing poppies, without controversy.

Can the same can be said of the TBL patch?

Critics suggest that the "thin blue line" symbolism represents an "us versus them" mindset that heightens tensions between officers and citizens and negatively influences police-community interactions, by setting police apart from society at large.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_blue_line#Appearances_and_controversy