With Remembrance Day right around the corner, you will be seeing more people wearing poppies out in public. The poppy is a very powerful symbol because it represents all those who have served in the military, both past and present regardless of race, gender, political beliefs, sexual orientation and all other factors.

The way most people connect poppies to Remembrance Day is from John McCrae’s 1915 poem In Flanders Fields, which has become a staple of the holiday. The poem goes into detail about the poppies in the field and remembering the fallen soldiers from the battle. In Flanders Fields, wearing of the poppy and the playing of the Last Post are all common Remembrance Day traditions.

Although in recent years, there has been some controversy around challenging these traditions. In 2019, there was plenty of debate online over the wearing of a rainbow poppy. Although this was found to be a hoax, many people were very passionate in arguing over the wearing of the poppy that was represented in a different way. In an interview with CityNews1130, Ryerson journalism professor Marsha Barber says people can be too trusting of what they see on social media.

“People tend to trust online media posts, wrongly and unfortunately, because their friends share them. You see these posts on Facebook, you see them in intimate settings.”

The poppy is such a powerful symbol that many people were offended when it was modified; however ,the way a poppy should be visualized is up to the veterans who have made the sacrifices. They have gone to war and have seen things no human being should have to endure in their lifetime. Let them make the decision on what a poppy should represent and how it should be presented.

Everyone should wear a poppy this Remembrance Day.