The time of Remembrance should rightfully be an emotional and thoughtful time but sometimes it stirs the wrong emotions. There are those who seek to disrupt by carrying out actions designed to provoke in the guise of a protest. This year's example of this is Anjem Chaudary and his punny Hell for Heroes protest planned for Remembrance Day at the Albert Hall. This loathsome man is very successful at getting publicity far beyond that warranted by the scale of his protest. Of course, once the sanctimonious Daily Mail has got wind of his plans, he is onto a winner.
In the past few years the use of social media has escalated and with this comes the ready and rapid distribution of information and news. But that also brings with it the ready and rapid distribution of information that isn't so accurate. Take, for example, the case of Poundland. Poundland has a dress code and in Northern Ireland, a country that is also very sensitive to religious icons one poppy-wearing member of staff was asked to remove it. On a matter of principle that individual left work, stating that they would return to work on the following Monday wearing their poppy. Poundland recanted their policy thereby allowing poppies to be worn should staff so wish.
No-one was sent home.
The same piece of self righteous outrage also says that Body Shop have banned staff from wearing poppies. In fact, they haven't. Nor have they ever. In 2009 BodyCare asked THEIR staff not to wear poppies, but after an MP protested, they too recanted. Indeed, Body Shop have put a statement on their Facebook page to that effect and it should be noted that Body Shop and BodyCare are not connected in anyway.
I guess what it comes down to is that some people want to be outraged. Do the research, people.
In the past few years the use of social media has escalated and with this comes the ready and rapid distribution of information and news. But that also brings with it the ready and rapid distribution of information that isn't so accurate. Take, for example, the case of Poundland. Poundland has a dress code and in Northern Ireland, a country that is also very sensitive to religious icons one poppy-wearing member of staff was asked to remove it. On a matter of principle that individual left work, stating that they would return to work on the following Monday wearing their poppy. Poundland recanted their policy thereby allowing poppies to be worn should staff so wish.
No-one was sent home.
The same piece of self righteous outrage also says that Body Shop have banned staff from wearing poppies. In fact, they haven't. Nor have they ever. In 2009 BodyCare asked THEIR staff not to wear poppies, but after an MP protested, they too recanted. Indeed, Body Shop have put a statement on their Facebook page to that effect and it should be noted that Body Shop and BodyCare are not connected in anyway.
I guess what it comes down to is that some people want to be outraged. Do the research, people.
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