Should be *Sigh* and ““Britain’s full of PC wimps rants again” rather than just “Britain’s”…

Cheers!

Before you lot go off on your regular “Britain’s” full of PC wimps rants again….of I’m too late. Well have a look at this anyway: http://ukcommentators.blogspot.com/2008/03/cross-section-of-community.html

It’s still a problem, just of a different sort. Sadly one we have allowed in over the last 10-30 years. You have no idea how angry genuinely “British” people are at things like this.

Could Harry’s service help with this problem, maybe? Or … will it actually exacerbate it?

Melanie Philips wrote a good article on Harry.

Between the two World Wars, there was a period when American Soldiers were ordered to report to their stateside posts in civilian clothes and change into their uniforms there to avoid violent protesters.

We had a grossly undersized army then, with every soldier, non-com, and officer ready to advance by two ranks. That nearly describes today’s army.

If we are returning to those days, if the “pacifist” movement today is doing what it was then and growing as it grew then I can only fear for what will come next.

“Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has held talks with Cambridgeshire police over the problem, described as “despicable” by the city’s mayor Marion Todd.

RAF officers have been urged to identify the culprits and police have pledged to target problem pubs or streets where personnel have been harassed by yobs.

A source close to Gordon Brown said: “All our armed forces should be able to wear their uniforms with pride and with the respect of their communities.

“If they face abuse or even violence then the law must clamp down on that severely and urgently.”

To that I’d add that RAF MPs and MoD police should flood the town until the problem is stamped out. BTW, back when I was in the forces I knew of some recruits that were attacked in the local town just because of their occupation- scumbag yobs are not a new problem. In this case, IMHO, it’s the station commander who is making the mistake in banning uniforms over mere verbal abuse. If her people are concerned she should have left it up to them to decide what to do.

The Europeans take off their uniforms, and keep a low profile so as not to antagonize their aggressors. The hope is, if they don’t piss ‘em off or confront them in any way, they’ll just leave them alone……

Not a real effective plan.

While recruiting offices are picketed or bombed in the USA, British RAF personnel have been ordered not to wear their uniforms while off duty in their own country, lest they provoke verbally abusive moonbats or get kidnapped by Muslims. Eventually……

Always have. Always will.

Put on uniform in public. Take names. Kick ass.

I’m one of those shaking your hands in airports and interrupting your meals in restaurants to say thank you, uniformed soldiers. I need you to wear your uniforms so I can express the gratitude in my heart, and train my children to honor and respect those who have earned it.

We were spit upon in the 70s.

davidk on March 6, 2008 at 8:45 PM

Yes you were and I wasn’t comparing the two experiences.

Those currently wearing the “cloth of the nation” are rarely being spat upon. That’s old school. The new tactics are epitomized by Berkley’s city council giving the anti-military crowd parking passes so they can comfortably show up to picket recruiting offices.

I can tell stories of me walking through airports and shaking 100 hands between the front door of the airport and the gate to board the plane, getting patted on the back, and not being allowed by fellow patrons to buy my own beer in the airport bar when I was wearing my uniform. Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and St. Louis to name a few.

Did anyone ever look at me with a disapproving scowl? Yes, but like I cared what that infrequent fruit cake thought of me or my uniform.

highhopes on March 6, 2008 at 7:09 PM

We were spit upon in the 70s.

Have to find one on ebay before I go.

I knew there were plenty of uncontrolled drunks on the streets of London at night [personal experience, luckily neutralized with some simple judo], but not completely suicidal self-loathing nihilists.

Luckily all these restrictions disappeared once the military started getting more exposure thanks to our work in in Afghanistan, and public opinion started to swing in our favour. I can say from experience that incidents of verbal abuse have definitely gotten rarer here. I guess the Brits are having a much different experience.

So while I don’t agree with the position of the Brits on this I also can’t hold America up as role model. Look at SF today, and Berkeley. Last time my boy was on leave he went to L.A. to visit his sister. He wore his dress greens to dinner at a restaurant and nearly got in a fist fight over his ‘gay’ beret. It was he who stopped his sister from putting several punks in the hospital.

So while you are bashing Britian, bash ourselves as well.

My uncle repaired Halifax bombers in Yorkshire 65 years ago. Wearing his uniform, he seldom had to buy his own drinks at the local pub. How does one nation sink so far, so quickly?

DocKen on March 6, 2008 at 6:45 PM

My Uncle/Godfather was Ike’s G2 and talked of the same experience. I think I would wear my uniform anyway.

hoi polloi, my late brother graduated USAFA Class of 1970, may God rest his Soul. He proudly wore his uniform back then, especially in the face of the those hopped up hippies.