Is our military…

[Eccles Blue]

Barm cakes, cream teas, parkin and chocolate oranges are desperately underrated.

Just slightly corrected for you. I realise your auto-correct didn’t catch that error! ;-) :-)

 

[Pedestrian]

Not arguing with you on your main point, however a couple of years back I was visiting a mate in Spain (Brit) who’s moved down there permanently. We were sat at one of the bars where only Brit’s drink at and having beers with some Lubbly jubbly English transplants, none of whom could utter a word of Spanish. They thought they were Royalty and spend their days laughing at the locals because obviously they’re all lazy daygo’s blah blah. One of the blokes asked me at one point if I was enjoying myself and then proceeded to tell me that I could never have such a laugh living in America as we don’t drink much, have no sense of humor and all the usual Little England bollocks. I refrained from giving him a good slap but had to laugh at his and their self perception of Englishnesessess

What’s that got to do with what I posted?

 

[Pedestrian]

I have to agree with him

I’m chuffed for you. The whole flag crap and voting based on family history thing isn’t my cup of tea.

 

[Plays By Sense Of Smell]

…the only substantial thing this country still has to be legitimately proud of?

It's moments like this that make me want to toss my cock into the ring...

 

[idahoblues]

What’s that got to do with what I posted?

Mainly that you asserted only Americans are guilty of feeling superior to others when in fact (having lived for long periods of time in England and the US) I would say Brits are more so

 

[idahoblues]

I’m chuffed for you. The whole flag crap and voting based on family history thing isn’t my cup of tea.

I vote for individuals, never a party. I do disagree with him on that

 

[Pedestrian]

Mainly that you asserted only Americans are guilty of feeling superior to others when in fact (having lived for long periods of time in England and the US) I would say Brits are more so

I think the UK has a huge problem with folk thinking we’re still the jewel in the crown. The flag shagging happens here as well. Brexit was an example of that. This thread is also an example of someone clinging onto distance victories and forgetting the British army failure in Iraq and more recently Afghan. Using ex-pats in Spain eating a full English and drinking John smiths in the red lion in Benidorm isn’t the same as me meeting a lad in Denver.

 

[Bill Walker]

We treat everyone as equal (health and wealth) - I think the only advanced economy that does and is actually envied by others.

England’s poorest people get worse NHS care than its wealthiest citizens, including longer waiting for A&E treatment and worse experience of GP services, a study shows.

Those from the most deprived areas have fewer hip replacements and are admitted to hospital with bed sores more often than people from the least deprived areas.

England's poorest 'get worse NHS care' than wealthiest citizens

Study found stark differences in A&E waiting times and experience of GP services

www.theguardian.com

"We have an accessible and fair legal system".

New research shows both the public – and legal professionals themselves – believe only wealthy people have access to the justice system.
Those at the centre of the legal system see it as even less accessible than members of the general public do.
Barely one in five people in the UK believe the justice system to be ‘fair and transparent’, new research has found.

People believe the UK justice system is ‘unfair, confusing and inaccessible’

New research shows both the public – and legal professionals themselves – believe only wealthy people have access to the justice system.

www.allaboutlaw.co.uk

 

[NPBlue]

Historically the British have never really thought of the armed forces as central to our sense of national identity, the navy perhaps, when we had the largest in the world, but unlike other European countries we have a detached relationship with our military. You have to go back to Cromwell if you're looking for military rule, so we don't hold that against them, As for the two world wars they were fought mostly by conscript forces and if you think of the songs they produced they weren't about glorious victories more "when this bloody war is over, no more soldiering for me"....

Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer dreamt up Armed Forces Day, but it's never caught on. Unlike on the continent you don't see men and women on the street in uniform, our military discourages it.

Unless you live in a garrison town, or have family in the services, most folk never think of the armed forces at all.

I remember as a kid back in the 60's and 70's you would see people around in their military uniforms. I think that all changed after a young kid aged 16 in the cadets was gunned down at Stafford train station by some IRA hitmen in the 70's, and the wearing of uniforms outside barracks was banned after that.

I used to work in an office back in the late 80's/early 90's and one of my colleagues was in the Territorial Army, and she said they couldn't wear their uniforms outside for the public to see.

It's the way it is, but I have no doubt the young lads and lasses now serving in our military today are just as committed as those from the past.

Before I retired, I worked at Manchester airport, and flights from Afghanistan regularly touched down in the early hours. We would take them back to Catterick, Chester, wherever, and they always struck me as being solid, polite, and fit individuals you would be proud of if they were members of your family.

We may not think about them on a day to day basis, but they are there, doing a magnificent job. If you read the comments from sericemen and women from other countries that have worked alongside them, our military from all the services is universally praised and held in the highest regard.

 

[A_Bluemoon_Rising]

I've had quite a lot of unfiltered access of the army recently and I'd suggest you don't have to be a sexist, racist, generally offensive, right wing c*nt to get on, but it sure does help.

So, unfortunately it's a no from me.