RAF personnel in an UK airforce base have been ordered not to wear their uniforms in public....

[Braznor]

Text

Uniform ban in public for RAF

From correspondents in London

March 07, 2008 07:46pm
Article from: AAP

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ROYAL Air Force (RAF) personnel at an air base in England have been ordered not to wear their uniforms in public following a spate of threats and abuse from civilians.

The move comes amid a push by the Government to persuade more soldiers, sailors and airmen to wear their uniforms in public to try to improve ties between the defence forces and the public.

But RAF commanders at a base near Peterborough have banned personnel wearing their distinctive dark blue uniforms in public after servicemen and women were targeted over their involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan as they walked through the Cambridgeshire town.

The ban was reportedly imposed after a seven-month review of incidents involving personnel who lived in the city and had been abused in the streets while wearing their uniforms when they were off-duty.

Defence Secretary Des Browne said he hoped the ban would soon be lifted.

?We must defend our forces' right to wear their uniforms in public,? he said.

?It is a great shame that some individuals in this community don't respect our forces, who are daily doing a great deal for this nation. This is not a situation we should tolerate.?

Peterborough's local mayor Marion Todd, whose great-nephew is serving in Afghanistan, branded the abuse ?despicable?.

?It's a sad day for the city and for the country when the RAF can't wear their uniforms ... A small minority of people shouldn't be able to dictate to us,? she told The Times.

====================================================
I wonder who those people who abused the armed forces personnel are? Lets take a big guess.

And what's the matter with the Brits? They seem to be in a hurry to gift away their own nation?!?!?

:disgust:

 

[ultra laser]

That's pretty crazy.

 

[Noobtastic]

not shocking.

UK is succumbing to the unrelenting surge of radicalism...the result of a combination of poor media, immigrants staunchly against the war, and a stupid population.


yeah, so it's like every place else with west in the title.


but the fact that the uk is barring servicemen from wearing uniforms to avoid offending citizens..?? absurd. not only is this stupid on so many levels it's just going to make things worse. now that you've given in, they are just going to demand more.

 

[Braznor]

If the Brits are smart, they will have the civilian police descend upon the town like a ton of bricks and arrest the offenders.


But of course, the retards won't. They are too busy profiling white grandmas in order to appease PC liberals.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Noobtastic
not shocking.

UK is succumbing to the unrelenting surge of radicalism...the result of a combination of poor media, immigrants staunchly against the war, and a stupid population.


yeah, so it's like every place else with west in the title.


but the fact that the uk is barring servicemen from wearing uniforms to avoid offending citizens..?? absurd. not only is this stupid on so many levels it's just going to make things worse. now that you've given in, they are just going to demand more.

It isn't right that servicemen have to worry about "offending" the public, but as far as Iraq goes it isn't immigrants alone who have been against it, but the vast majority of citizens. They were more or less told they were going to fight Bush's War whether they liked it or not.

 

[StageLeft]

UK continues to put in place various idiotic rules and guidelines in efforts to restrict the freedom of their populous. They are a present-day 1984 in progress. A few years late, was Orwell, but they'll get there with a little more patience.

 

[palehorse]

Sounds like San Francisco... :|

 

[sandorski]

Hmm, I'm gonna wager that the implied "guess" we are to make is not the reality the OP wants it to be. I'm gonna guess that the Brits have a situation similar to the Vietnam War and situation in the US. That being the members of the general Public with no direct links Culturally, Religiously, or even Racially/Genetically with Iraq/Afghanistan are involved or at least the majority have no direct links. It is unfortunate that Military Personnel get targeted for the Publics disdain for certain Military actions mandated by the Elected Civilian Government, but it is not unheard of.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

Man did you guys take this exactly where you wanted it to go without any sort of direction at all. There are some threats made against RAF personnel and suddenly it's all the liberals hate the military, blah, blah, blah. Your ability to take an event and generalize it into some sort of evil conspiracy that just happens to fit your political views is just really impressive. Don't get me wrong, it does not speak well of your attachment to the real world, but it must make things oh so much easier.

 

[boredhokie]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

Ditto. We have no need to directly look towards immigrants for hatred against our western nations and their servicemen. All we have to do is look within and we'll find plenty of that hatred originating from ourselves.

The real story here is the British surrender in the face of such hatred. Tolerance of the intolerance in the name of tolerance, eh? Such grand ideals we hold these days. Grand enough for pigs in sloth I say.

 

[BoomerD]

To me, this is, and always has been unacceptable.

When I was a kid in Massachucetts, my dad was ordered not to wear his USAF uniform in public. The local shopkeepers didn't approve...:roll:

When I came home from Vietnam, we weren't exactly welcomed with yellow ribbons and open arms like our troops returning from Iraq are...I'm DAMMED glad we as a country, have gotten over that. Even the hippies who oppose the war don't take it out on our troops.

A nation should be PROUD of it's military men & women, and there should be definite laws prohibiting the harrassment of troops in uniform with very harsh penalties.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: boredhokie
You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

No, I mean San Francisco the other 358 days of the year, asshole. :|

And before you look in to your crystal ball again, clean it off.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

Finally! Over 16,000 posts later, Pab, you have your very first thought!

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: boredhokie
You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

No, I mean San Francisco the other 358 days of the year, asshole. :|

And before you look in to your crystal ball again, clean it off.

What exactly are you basing your San Francisco bashing on?

 

[Appledrop]

good.
"improve ties between the defence forces and the public" = get the public more accepting of the coming martial law
same kind of things happening in US, with armed forces showing at schools etc

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: boredhokie

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

I've been to SF several times... decent scenery, and decent food. Beyond that, in terms of politics, the place makes me absolutely sick.

When the city announced the end of ROTC in San Fran, I lost all respect for their leadership. And that's just the tip of the iceburg concerning their blatant hatred of all things U.S. military. I could tell you a story, or two, about how they've treated some soldiers there in the past...

I'm convinced that it's only a matter of time before they cancel Fleet Week as well. Then again, maybe too many of them really enjoy the sailors walking around in their uniforms...? :Q

In other words, it's the US equivalent of the UK town described in the article.

 

[boredhokie]

Originally posted by: palehorse74

Originally posted by: boredhokie

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

I've been to SF several times... decent scenery, and decent food. Beyond that, in terms of politics, the place makes me absolutely sick.

When the city announced the end of ROTC in San Fran, I lost all respect for their leadership. And that's just the tip of the iceburg concerning their blatant hatred of all things U.S. military. I could tell you a story, or two, about how they've treated some soldiers there in the past...

I'm convinced that it's only a matter of time before they cancel Fleet Week as well. Then again, maybe too many of them really enjoy the sailors walking around in their uniforms...? :Q

In other words, it's the US equivalent of the UK town described in the article.

Oh, I see, you hate gay people.

If you're going to base your opinion on solely anecdotal evidence and your "visits" (to Castro?) to SF, I can lend a few of my own.

I lived in SF and consider myself pretty conservative and never got the feeling that is the modern Sodom and Gammora that you flyover stater's decry it as. I had an enjoyable time in my place in Pacific Heights, watching the Blue Angels do an airshow over the bay during fleet week.

Now, a person like you will find an article of some assemblyman trying to ban the Blue Angels because it scared homeless veterans as the proof that SF is one of your evil lubral utopias. I on the other hand know that most screeching hippies like that are largely ignored by most people in SF and the show went on as normal.

I always though emotional, kneejerk reactions were the domain of democrats, but it looks like the lines are starting to blur.

 

[boredhokie]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: boredhokie
You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

No, I mean San Francisco the other 358 days of the year, asshole. :|

And before you look in to your crystal ball again, clean it off.

That's fine, it just sounds like you base your opinions on whatever former immigrant day laborer turned news actor Sean Hannity thinks about the city.

Why would a city that is so rabidly anti-military allow fleet week to happen in the first place? You do know San Francisco was a large military center of operations during WW2, don't you?

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: boredhokie

Originally posted by: palehorse74

Originally posted by: boredhokie

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

I've been to SF several times... decent scenery, and decent food. Beyond that, in terms of politics, the place makes me absolutely sick.

When the city announced the end of ROTC in San Fran, I lost all respect for their leadership. And that's just the tip of the iceburg concerning their blatant hatred of all things U.S. military. I could tell you a story, or two, about how they've treated some soldiers there in the past...

I'm convinced that it's only a matter of time before they cancel Fleet Week as well. Then again, maybe too many of them really enjoy the sailors walking around in their uniforms...? :Q

In other words, it's the US equivalent of the UK town described in the article.

Oh, I see, you hate gay people.

actually no, I don't. don't put words in my mouth.

If you're going to base your opinion on solely anecdotal evidence and your "visits" (to Castro?) to SF, I can lend a few of my own.

I lived in SF and consider myself pretty conservative and never got the feeling that is the modern Sodom and Gammora that you flyover stater's decry it as. I had an enjoyable time in my place in Pacific Heights, watching the Blue Angels do an airshow over the bay during fleet week.

Now, a person like you will find an article of some assemblyman trying to ban the Blue Angels because it scared homeless veterans as the proof that SF is one of your evil lubral utopias. I on the other hand know that most screeching hippies like that are largely ignored by most people in SF and the show went on as normal.

I always though emotional, kneejerk reactions were the domain of democrats, but it looks like the lines are starting to blur.

anecdote vs. anecdote... who wins that battle? nobody.

I can point to several political - legislative and legal - decisions that form the basis of my opinion of SanFran. Like I said, the ROTC example is just the tip of the iceburg...

Originally posted by: boredhokie
Why would a city that is so rabidly anti-military allow fleet week to happen in the first place? You do know San Francisco was a large military center of operations during WW2, don't you?

It's only a matter of time before they cancel Fleet Week in SanFran. A lot has changed since WWII...

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: palehorse74

Originally posted by: boredhokie

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

I've been to SF several times... decent scenery, and decent food. Beyond that, in terms of politics, the place makes me absolutely sick.

When the city announced the end of ROTC in San Fran, I lost all respect for their leadership. And that's just the tip of the iceburg concerning their blatant hatred of all things U.S. military. I could tell you a story, or two, about how they've treated some soldiers there in the past...

I'm convinced that it's only a matter of time before they cancel Fleet Week as well. Then again, maybe too many of them really enjoy the sailors walking around in their uniforms...? :Q

In other words, it's the US equivalent of the UK town described in the article.

Let's say your characterization of how "they" feel about the US military is right (and for the record, I think you're just seeing exactly what you want to see)...so what? You hate San Francisco because you think the people in that city don't fawn over the military the way much of the rest of the country does...that seems pretty shallow to me. This is a free country, and while I don't think that harassing people in uniform is OK, it's unbelievable that you would place having a ROTC program on the same level. If the people in San Francisco don't want to have a ROTC program, who the heck are you to DEMAND that they do so, and then get your panties in a bunch when they don't? Not having a ROTC program hardly seems like "hatred of all things US military" to me, that just sounds better than you getting all pissy because they didn't slap enough "support the troops" bumper stickers on their cars.

 

[Noobtastic]

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider

Originally posted by: Noobtastic
not shocking.

UK is succumbing to the unrelenting surge of radicalism...the result of a combination of poor media, immigrants staunchly against the war, and a stupid population.


yeah, so it's like every place else with west in the title.


but the fact that the uk is barring servicemen from wearing uniforms to avoid offending citizens..?? absurd. not only is this stupid on so many levels it's just going to make things worse. now that you've given in, they are just going to demand more.

It isn't right that servicemen have to worry about "offending" the public, but as far as Iraq goes it isn't immigrants alone who have been against it, but the vast majority of citizens. They were more or less told they were going to fight Bush's War whether they liked it or not.

who cares? they should be respecting their military regardless of what war they are fighting. soldiers follow orders. they dont get to moan or complain or protest when theyre called to duty.

if people can be friggin adults then maybe they should go to iraq to get some perspective.

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: Noobtastic

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider

Originally posted by: Noobtastic
not shocking.

UK is succumbing to the unrelenting surge of radicalism...the result of a combination of poor media, immigrants staunchly against the war, and a stupid population.


yeah, so it's like every place else with west in the title.


but the fact that the uk is barring servicemen from wearing uniforms to avoid offending citizens..?? absurd. not only is this stupid on so many levels it's just going to make things worse. now that you've given in, they are just going to demand more.

It isn't right that servicemen have to worry about "offending" the public, but as far as Iraq goes it isn't immigrants alone who have been against it, but the vast majority of citizens. They were more or less told they were going to fight Bush's War whether they liked it or not.

who cares? they should be respecting their military regardless of what war they are fighting. soldiers follow orders. they dont get to moan or complain or protest when theyre called to duty.

if people can be friggin adults then maybe they should go to iraq to get some perspective.

No, they shouldn't. They shouldn't disrespect the individual soldiers either (disrespecting the military as a whole is a different matter), but you can't honestly think demanding respect is OK. I personally respect what soldiers do, but I don't think I have the right to demand that everyone else feel the same way. Harassing people just for wearing a uniform is over the line, but if they don't like the military, that's their business.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: palehorse74

Originally posted by: boredhokie

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: palehorse74
Sounds like San Francisco... :|

My first thought exactly.

You mean, San Francisco during Fleet Week when there are thousands of Navy men walking around in uniform?

Sad to base your evil librul masturbation fantasies against a place you've never been to.

I've been to SF several times... decent scenery, and decent food. Beyond that, in terms of politics, the place makes me absolutely sick.

When the city announced the end of ROTC in San Fran, I lost all respect for their leadership. And that's just the tip of the iceburg concerning their blatant hatred of all things U.S. military. I could tell you a story, or two, about how they've treated some soldiers there in the past...

I'm convinced that it's only a matter of time before they cancel Fleet Week as well. Then again, maybe too many of them really enjoy the sailors walking around in their uniforms...? :Q

In other words, it's the US equivalent of the UK town described in the article.

Let's say your characterization of how "they" feel about the US military is right (and for the record, I think you're just seeing exactly what you want to see)...so what? You hate San Francisco because you think the people in that city don't fawn over the military the way much of the rest of the country does...that seems pretty shallow to me. This is a free country, and while I don't think that harassing people in uniform is OK, it's unbelievable that you would place having a ROTC program on the same level. If the people in San Francisco don't want to have a ROTC program, who the heck are you to DEMAND that they do so, and then get your panties in a bunch when they don't? Not having a ROTC program hardly seems like "hatred of all things US military" to me, that just sounds better than you getting all pissy because they didn't slap enough "support the troops" bumper stickers on their cars.

SF is pretty anti-military.

I remember when they rejected the docking of the USS Iowa as a Museum ship on the basis of gay rights issues and as a protest against the Iraq war. This is something that would have brought hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of paid visitors per year. It also embarrassed the crap out of their congresspeople who fought to get it and didn't count on the city's pettiness.

Interestingly thought the city doesn't have a problem with Fleet Week probably because its a known quantity ($) and an established event.

Some people claim the Bay area is anti-military because the military abandoned it. Unfortunately they have it the other way around. The military left because the area didn't want to keep it. Every round of base closures have been fought by the cities that have them and wish to keep them, sometimes successfully. There's no reason for them to fight to stay somewhere people don't want them.