Be prepared Poppy Harlow, the Royal Canadian Legion may lay claim to your name

Look out Poppy Harlow, the Royal Canadian Legion may lay legal claim to your name!

Poppy Harlow/CNN

Just when you thought the asininity over Remembrance Day poppies was limited to large retail outlets such as Target attempting to block their sale in stores, along comes the Royal Canadian Legion itself bitching at the website Reddit for displaying a poppy on its subreddit r/canada/.

In something akin to Santa Claus laying claim to all things reindeer, the Legion wasted no time pointing out that the poppy is a trademarked entity, and they own the rights. But far from being a commercial logo, the poppy is a means of remembering those who gave their lives in war. Poppies have appeared on stamps and coins, on buildings and lapels. Can legal action against Poppy Harlow of CNN be expected?

The legion got it wrong when it tried to ban turbans and kippahs from its premises some time ago stating they were the same as hats, which are traditionally seen as a show of disrespect when worn in a Legion hall. A turban is as much a “hat” as a kilt is a skirt; which is to say not at all. They have it wrong again when they try to interfere with the respectful display of poppies.

… it is only logical that a section of the site, or SubReddit, that focuses on Canada would display a poppy as we approach November 11th

In 2004 the Legion threatened a woman who had created a hat she called the Poppy Hat because of its color. Said Peter Underhill, a Legion spokesperson ‘The “Poppy” is a trademark registered to the Royal Canadian Legion. Please remove reference to Poppy on the Poppy Hat. Thank you for your consideration’.

I’m not big fan of Reddit,  a site that gives those who want to play the role of Internet police an opportunity to “moderate” what is appropriate for posting, these folks, much like ‘Admins’ on Facebook group pages, must need to feel a sense of power. But be that as it may, it is only logical that a section of the site, or SubReddit, that focuses on Canada would display a poppy as we approach November 11th.

DCMontreal is a Montreal writer born and raised who likes to establish balance and juxtapositions; a bit of this and a bit of that. a dash of Yin and a soupçon of Yang, some Peaks and Freans and maybe a bit of a sting in the tail! Please follow DC on Twitter @DCMontreal and on Facebook, and add him on Google+