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Weekly Prize - Join Any Time - Tip Round 11
The Golden Ticket - MCG and Marvel Medallion Club tickets and Corporate Box tickets at the Gabba, MCG and Marvel.
Soldiers are parents too, Chief. You need to brush up on your intersectionalityYeah I was thinking "What about us parents trying to keep control of our two year olds? Who is thanking us? Nobody. That's who.
It was a joke based on the line about any sort of conversation about America's foreign policy always being turned back to "why don't you respect the troops?"Some posters are hateful pricks, but I don't think there's general disrespect for military vets. I'd say the level of respect military want from the public is about on par with what we get for the most part. Would be nice if people didn't believe everything negative they read in the media about military members, but that's an issue across every facet of society. Otherwise, ANZAC Day (done properly) and some cheap Hungry Jacks is a pretty good deal.
Why should the armed forces be deserving of any more respect that anyone else who does a difficult job?
LG has a long history of going bananas about this stuff. Hence the short lead.It was a joke based on the line about any sort of conversation about America's foreign policy always being turned back to "why don't you respect the troops?"
One of the few things littlegraham is consistent about is an anti-war politics and if I had to guess why he entered the thread guns blazing is that he's aware this sort of troop respecter politics is usually a trojan horse for criticism of anti-war activists.
His tone is a bit off for a reasonably well mannered thread but he raises some good points in that how do we differentiate the individual service of the men and women of Australia from the crimes of empire in our name? It's obvious that British servicemen weren't "defending" Britain from attack in Kenya, making the world safe for democracy, or even the more dubious anti-communist purges.
Australia's military has a split role that see's us do a lot of good in our region in natural disaster prevention and the defensive component of the ADF will become a lot more important over the next 50 years, but our military has also had an expeditionary component to it for the last two decades that has been controversial. Does everyone agree with our role in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria? Or even our indirect help with intelligence and positioning in Yemen?
Australian society is much better off if we can have robust criticism of the military and I agree that the current level is about right. The ADF is a good Australian institution that means something to most Australian's who have served or had family members serve but having a society with mental cues about respecting the troops everywhere is a bad path to go down.
Thank you, Mr. Chief.Yeah I was thinking "What about us parents trying to keep control of our two year olds? Who is thanking us? Nobody. That's who.
A friend of mine is a GP who also volunteers for the AMA's doctor's health service and the stories she's told me have been eye opening and give me a new appreciation of my GP every time I see them.Yeah I'm not a fan of this move by any stretch of the imagination but in my opinion the answer to your question can be summed up in two (related) points.
1. It may well be the only job where you pledge to keep doing it even if there is potential it means certain death or major injury; and you can't pull out if it gets too much for you.
2. Strategically, the country always needs to recruit the next generation of soldiers. Killing people, dying and getting PTSD is hardly going to draw them in, so we need to give positive reasons for choosing this career. It's in the national interest.
Bingo. The idea that we should be thankful of people doing a job they chose to do in a manner where we've often assisted in worsening the conditions of other nations is terrible. Then it's made worse by the argument that there should be no criticism of the military simply allows politicians/the army to continue in this manner without any reasonable critique.Australian society is much better off if we can have robust criticism of the military and I agree that the current level is about right. The ADF is a good Australian institution that means something to most Australian's who have served or had family members serve but having a society with mental cues about respecting the troops everywhere is a bad path to go down.
You can't have an expeditionary armed forces and reasonably expect there not to be criticism. In fact critique is a healthy, even essential part of the liberal democratic process.Bingo. The idea that we should be thankful of people doing a job they chose to do in a manner where we've often assisted in worsening the conditions of other nations is terrible. Then it's made worse by the argument that there should be no criticism of the military simply allows politicians/the army to continue in this manner without any reasonable critique.
A friend of mine is a GP who also volunteers for the AMA's doctor's health service and the stories she's told me have been eye opening and give me a new appreciation of my GP every time I see them.
I think the attitude during Vietnam was an aberration with the current attitude being a return to the norm rather than a reaction.How much of the modern day attitude toward soldiers is still in reaction to the poor attitude given to Vietnam vets?
Let me be the first to respect our robot troop overlordsI’ll support the troops unwaveringly when they’re all robots.
I think they meant “they keep the price of jet fuel low”A transparent marketing exercise that's gone down like the Hindenburg and consequently looks like being retracted: https://www.theage.com.au/business/...lutes-following-backlash-20181105-p50e5b.html
Boggles the mind a large corporation wouldn't consult with the relevant groups or the public first.
There's already ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day to acknowledge the contributions made by soldiers and in any case I don't think the US reverence for their armed forces is something Australia should emulate.
The argument offered by Virgin that veterans "keep the country safe" is total bullshit too- blindly following the US into every war they've barged into hasn't made us safer, if anything it's done the opposite.
As for "acknowledging their role in the community", what about teachers, doctors, paramedics, and all the underpaid migrants who keep the 7-11's open for that 3:30am packet of Winnie Blues?
**** you Virgin.
This goes back again to what I said in reply to Smoking jacket. The criticism of the military and, specifically, the outright hostility followed by complete disregard of the soldiers in Vietnam was misdirected anger. They did what the politicians who were elected by the people charged them with doing. And a notable portion of them were doing it by force as conscripts! The criticism of the public's treatment of soldiers in the early 70s is appropriate. Unfortunately, it still happens today, but in very small and ultimately insignificant circles where extremists can't differentiate between the soldier and the powers who sent them.I think the attitude during Vietnam was an aberration with the current attitude being a return to the norm rather than a reaction.
By default people approve of the military since it is the only real symbol and guarantee of sovereignty, but in Vietnam there was media coverage of very good arguments against what the troops were doing, resulting in disapproval of the military. In the absence of good reasons to criticize the actions of the military the public gradually returned to approving of the military as a concept. Current entanglements in the Middle East are different to Vietnam as I think to the average Joe Blow 9/11 and the WMDs in Iraq fiasco neutered criticism (see; Dixie Chicks).
Seems an odd exercise in virtue signalling that no one (Veterans included) actually wanted. We have a completely different culture to the US and it's reverence of the armed forces. I'm all for respect and recognising the service these people have given to their country - it's not their fault there's a war going on, whether we agree with it or not - but this isn't that.
As someone else said; offer a discount to Veterans if your going to do something meaningful, or take a $ or % from every fare and redirect it to a mental health service for Veterans.
Ladies and gentlemen, our flight to Brisbane is now ready for boarding. In accordance with our new policy can all virgins come to the gate for priority boarding.
What about the RSL? They lead the shunning of Vietnam veterans. Or is this another truth you can't face?This goes back again to what I said in reply to Smoking jacket. The criticism of the military and, specifically, the outright hostility followed by complete disregard of the soldiers in Vietnam was misdirected anger. They did what the politicians who were elected by the people charged them with doing. And a notable portion of them were doing it by force as conscripts! The criticism of the public's treatment of soldiers in the early 70s is appropriate. Unfortunately, it still happens today, but in very small and ultimately insignificant circles where extremists can't differentiate between the soldier and the powers who sent them.
Having said all that, I don't want to see society swing in the other direction, where a lack of reverence for soldiers and the military is considered a social faux pas. I'm comfortable stating that the vast majority of defence personnel would agree. Besides, what the **** would you long haired civvy pond scum know about honour and service anyway? Get outta here with your patronising "respect"