James McLean refusal to wear poppy on his shirt

[Jackson]

[UFGN]

It is the right of people in this country to respect the flag if they want to, and not respect it if they want to.

If people choose to and mean it sincerely then great. If people choose not to, or only acknowledge the flag because they feel they have to, then that is probably the fault of the state for doing whatever caused people to feel that way. Respect has to be earned, and that goes for countries as well as people.

One of the fundamental things the Union Flag represents is a person's right to turn his back on it.

[Royal Gooner]

What a load of tosh.

Knowing where this guy comes from and what happened there I don't blame him.

I would say that the non-British players could respect the anthem, why couldn't he? Mind you he did abuse a loophole in FIFA law to allow him to play for a foreign nation instead of his own. I have no respect for a person who hates their own country like him.

He is playing for his country. He comes from Derry not London Derry. Soccer is the only sport on the island of Ireland that has 2 countries representing it - Rugby, Hockey, Boxing etc all represented under one flag the Republic of Ireland Flag.

Derry doesn't exist any more. It was destroyed in 1608. Londonderry is the town he was born in. Slight correction on the rugby, they compete as Ireland not the republic of Ireland; why do you think that they don't use the irish tricolour or the soldiers song as their official flag and anthems?

[GoonerAlexandre]

Booed again for not wearing a poppy

[Trequartista]

Wearing a poppy is a political statement - whether you like that fact or not. Absolutely his right not to wear it if he feels uncomfortable doing so.

They way people are hounded about toeing the line on Remembrance Sunday is extremely worrying and is a feature of human behaviour that is only usually seen in extremely authoritarian societies. Each year it becomes more and more like one of those choreographed cult-worship events in North Korea - with this year the press even ripping into people for not bowing deeply enough to a statue. We should all be free to respect those that have died in war however we see fit, as long as we stay within the law.

[22-0]

his right not to wear it.

just cus he doesnt wear it doesnt mean he doesnt remember or feels bad about it. sick of the token shit.

saw a vid of a guy getting knocked out cus he refused to wear a cancer bracelet.. zzz

[GoonerAlexandre]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... tings.html