Armed forced + uniform
Mar. 8th, 2008 01:16 pmI can't see what the problem is:
1. If members of the armed forces want to wear their uniform in public then they ought to be free to do so (with due account given to 'what standard of behaviour do we (as a society) expect of people in uniform?' - a group of squaddies getting into a pub fight in uniform might well be viewed as worse than the same people doing so in civilian dress, because people in uniform are meant to behave in a way that is respectful of the institution they serve).
2. If wearing uniform in a particular place poses a danger to off-duty soliders/sailors/RAF people then wearing uniform in those places is unwise. I remember the late 1980s/early 1990s when two of my cousins were in the armed forces and they very definitely didn't wear uniform in public because of the IRA threat.
3. The UK isn't the US. We don't have the same culture and politicians 'encouraging' members of the armed forces to wear uniform in public isn't going to change our culture.
1. If members of the armed forces want to wear their uniform in public then they ought to be free to do so (with due account given to 'what standard of behaviour do we (as a society) expect of people in uniform?' - a group of squaddies getting into a pub fight in uniform might well be viewed as worse than the same people doing so in civilian dress, because people in uniform are meant to behave in a way that is respectful of the institution they serve).
2. If wearing uniform in a particular place poses a danger to off-duty soliders/sailors/RAF people then wearing uniform in those places is unwise. I remember the late 1980s/early 1990s when two of my cousins were in the armed forces and they very definitely didn't wear uniform in public because of the IRA threat.
3. The UK isn't the US. We don't have the same culture and politicians 'encouraging' members of the armed forces to wear uniform in public isn't going to change our culture.
