Don Cherry's Comments on Wearing The Remembrance Day Poppy

[Bounces R Way]

Cherry for sure is the bigoted xenophobic jingoist he always has been but I don't really understand the outrage over this particular segment. He thinks people should buy a poppy, he thinks immigrants should buy a poppy, he thinks the sacrifices Canadians made in WW1 & WW2 should be honoured and remembered. Doesn't really seem all that extreme or blatantly offensive.

He didn't say all you people should go back where they're from, or that they're threatening any way of life Canadian's enjoy. He is of the opinion everyone should buy and wear a poppy. Are we going to outlaw opinions now?

 

[spintheblackcircle]

"These people died for your freedom, so do exactly what everyone else does or else!!!"

 

[clunk]

respectively disagree

As I posted in my response

Men and Women join the military to prevent oppression. restriction of person rights and people having freedom --I have seen Cherry's rant--not this is not first time he has done it. He is forcing his views and beliefs on people who may have come from war torn countries where they had no freedom and were under constant oppression from the governments and could not express themselves.

Cherry COULD have used his platform to explain to them why WE wear the poppy

How is he 'forcing his views and beliefs on people'? People don't have to tune in and watch Coaches' Corner. He had an opinion, he said it, and that opinion should be respected if we are in the country that I thought we were. Nothing he said was 'hateful'. He was expressing frustration with people entering the country that do not involve themselves with Canadian tradition.

 

[Barnum]

And he is neither of those things so it really doesn't matter anyways.

you are right, he is both those things and the channel that employs him agrees.

 

[ffh]

The point of his tirade was to slam immigrants not honor the veterans.

 

[alphabetical]

Sure walk around Canada.

Or are you claiming that all new immigrants are wearing poppies?

That's not evidence.

 

[Barnum]

"These people died for your freedom, so do exactly what everyone else does or else!!!"

Nothing says freedom and liberty more than compulsory “patriotic” activities.

 

[KCbus]

Don Cherry has been a national embarrassment for years now.

That's not fair.

I'm fiercely proud of being a fan of the National Hockey League, and I'm an American. So Don Cherry is a continental embarrassment; not just a national one.

 

[bluesfan94]

Sure walk around Canada.

Or are you claiming that all new immigrants are wearing poppies?

I hope everyone wears their poppy into the shower. God forbid you get caught without it.

 

[Jumptheshark]

How is he 'forcing his views and beliefs on people'? People don't have to tune in and watch Coaches' Corner. He had an opinion, he said it, and that opinion should be respected if we are in the country that I thought we were. Nothing he said was 'hateful'. He was expressing frustration with people entering the country that do not involve themselves with Canadian tradition.

what he said was not about honouring Vets it was about bashing immigration

 

[MXD]

Cherry for sure is the bigoted xenophobic jingoist he always has been but I don't really understand the outrage over this particular segment. He thinks people should buy a poppy, he thinks immigrants should buy a poppy, he thinks the sacrifices Canadians made in WW1 & WW2 should be honoured and remembered. Doesn't really seem all that extreme or blatantly offensive.

He didn't say all you people should go back where they're from, or that they shouldn't be able to display religious symbols at work(a law Quebec actually passed this summer to talk about real systemic racism), or that they're threatening any way of life Canadian's enjoy. He is of the opinion everyone should buy and wear a poppy. Are we going to outlaw opinions now?

The issue is that a very specific group is being targeted, while "Not Wearing The Poppy" is something done by every demographic group in this country.

Also, there are other ways (... and most of them significantly more constructive and less about virtue-signalling) to honour Veterans and Actual CF Members.

 

[rojac]

Not wearing a poppy doesn’t mean you don’t support. Wearing a poppy also doesn’t mean you support the troops. It may mean you want to be seen as supporting the troops (even if you don’t) or it may mean you simply wanted a splash of red on your outfit.

Are there any veterans in this group who feel unsupported when they see someone not wearing a poppy?

 

[bluesfan94]

That's not fair.

I'm fiercely proud of being a fan of the National Hockey League, and I'm an American. So Don Cherry is a continental embarrassment; not just a national one.

God, I can’t imagine letting a xenophobic blow hard be the face of a sport. Like at least in America when we had a hockey guy dip his toe into sexism his role was reduced.

 

[Baxterman]

The point is that there's plenty of people born here that don't respect Remembrance Day too. Why single out immigrants

He chose to talk about the group that stood out to him that doesn't mean he doesn't feel the same for others. He never said it was only immigrants who caused the problem and that everyone else gets a pass.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

Exactly. Performative nationalism is all the poppy thing is. A bunch of xenophobic old farts trying to pump up their image. We don’t have poppies in America, are we suddenly at risk of not supporting the troops?

And before anyone says yes, check out the budget. Of course, we do a terrible job of supporting people after they leave the military but hey, that’s not supporting the troops. Maybe if we all wore poppies veteran homelessness would decline.

Maybe Don Cherry gave you the wrong impression, but wearing a poppy in Canada isn't a symbol of Nationalism or even really of supporting the troops. It is a symbol of remembrance for those who have died in War. I've known plenty of people who are as anti-war and anti-nationalist as they come who wear a poppy leading up to Remembrance Day.

 

[Baxterman]

you are right, he is both those things and the channel that employs him agrees.

He is neither which is why there is never any evidence provided by the people whining about it and only pathetic name calling.

 

[sandysan]

The thing is he was targeting immigrants in particular. A LOT of people don't wear poppies, including white Canadians. He should have called out everybody.

I'm sorry, what ? Is the presumption that " downtown toronto" which doesnt wear them ( apparently) is now 100 populated by immigrants ?

You call out downtown toronto, one of the most diverse places on the planet, you are calling out everybody. Even whites.

 

[MXD]

He chose to talk about the group that stood out to him that doesn't mean he doesn't feel the same for others. He never said it was only immigrants who caused the problem and that everyone else gets a pass.

In other words, he spoke about the group he actually has an issue with.

Which is, Immigrants. As opposed to Non-Poppy Wearers.

Got it.

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

As a son of immigrants, I wasn’t offended because I just don’t get offended. I also disagree with many because seemingly now their movement is if you disagree with someone effectively trying to eliminate rational debates. It just makes no sense to me. I can empathize with people who are offended in this situation a bit though. You just don’t say “you people” generalizing any group of anyone. I see many non immigrants not give a shit about our history and the sacrifices those people made in WW1, not just immigrants.

Could he have worded that whole situation differently, of course but the underlying thing he was trying to say was we should all support and recognize the people who gave us these freedoms we have now. Without them my dad wouldn’t have crossed a desert fleeing death and be accepted here in the 80’s and gone on to university. I agree with don in that sense and donate when I can.

Those guys are real patriots, they actually fought for something unlike many of the wars going on now.

 

[Baxterman]

That's not evidence.

It definitely is.

 

[bluesfan94]

Maybe Don Cherry gave you the wrong impression, but wearing a poppy in Canada isn't a symbol of Nationalism or even really of supporting the troops. It is a symbol of remembrance for those who have died in War. I've known plenty of people who are as anti-war and anti-nationalist as they come who wear a poppy leading up to Remembrance Day.

Remembering those who died in the military is nationalism and supporting the troops. Knowing people cursed with cognitive dissonance doesn’t change that.

 

[Barnum]

But there are many people coming to Canada that don't integrate into Canadian culture. He made the point because it's the truth. He has a right to be frustrated and express his opinion without having his life ruined for it.

Imagine everything you've known and loved about your nation changing. Don Cherry is a VERY patriotic guy, and when he experiences this change, he's going to be frustrated, at the very least. He didn't say anything millions of other Canadians aren't thinking.

So, wearing a poppy, a tradition and custom from England makes you more Canadian? Didn’t know that.

If bullying and disparaging others in a democracy into forced patriotism then yeah, Grapes has that in aces.

 

[Alex Jones]

"These people died for your freedom, so do exactly what everyone else does or else!!!"

Nothing freer then forced patriotism

 

[Baxterman]

In other words, he spoke about the group he actually has an issue with.

Which is, Immigrants. As opposed to Non-Poppy Wearers.

Got it.

In your made words that suit the agenda you want to push.

In the real world he brought up the group he has an issue with people not wearing poppies. If he has an issue with immigrants he would have brought them up in general and not have needed to discuss poppies at all.

 

[sandysan]

The thing is he was targeting immigrants in particular. A LOT of people don't wear poppies, including white Canadians. He should have called out everybody.

he called out downtown toronto, who lives there I wonder ?

( pssst the answer is everybody)