Poppies

There are lots of reasons people choose to wear poppies, though the main one is remembering our dead, who fought and died, sometimes for causes great and other times for causes not so great, but we still remember them even if we despise the governments and decisions that put them in harms way. It's a small way of giving something to charity and showing respect to those who lost their lives serving their country.

BBC.

A Hollister clothes shop assistant was told to remove her Remembrance poppy as it was not part of the uniform.

Harriet Phipps, 18, said the assistant manager at the Southampton branch had told her to remove it.

Miss Phipps initially refused to take it off, but was made to feel so "uncomfortable" she eventually did.

Hollister, which is owned by US giant Abercrombie and Fitch, said it had reviewed its policy and staff may now wear a poppy on Remembrance Day itself.

Miss Phipps said she wore her poppy in honour of a friend currently serving in Afghanistan.

Now whilst as a libertarian I believe that what you do on someone's private property is up to them, I'm absolutely amazed that the manager in question couldn't see a public relations disaster looming over this decision. No a poppy isn't company uniform, nor is it corporate wear, it's a gesture of respect and only worn during the period leading up to remembrance day. Already people out there are talking about boycotting the store so much so that the store has been forced into making a statement.

"Our company policy is currently to permit associates to wear a poppy as a token of this appreciation on Remembrance Day.

"In the future, we will revisit, in light of local custom, whether to extend the policy to the days or weeks leading up to Remembrance Day."

You can just imagine the reaction in the companies public relations department somewhat along the lines of "He's done what!" "Oh my God we're going to be crucified over this, doesn't he have any common sense?"
Seems even the government can't get all the jobsworths working for them after all.