[National Service] "I don't know what I've been told..."

good post hal. ()

1. one or the other? you cant just..meet friends, have a drink, do exercise, have a small job, go to school..?

2. what if you were stuck with the 'wrong people' for your time in barracks?

3. 'Some' would see it was duty (you sound like you may do) i certainly wouldnt. actually if i were conscripted id worry about hampering my buddies, id be terrible in battle.

also, it isnt 1939. its 2007, we have a good army. it isnt really fair to use that comparison, as its so different now. we arent under threat of an imminent invasion from across the channel.




the rest of your post was a nice read


im not trying to 'stir' here. im just raising these questions as my main quibbles with your post

 

1. one or the other? you cant just..meet friends, have a drink, do exercise, have a small job, go to school..?

2. what if you were stuck with the 'wrong people' for your time in barracks?

3. 'Some' would see it was duty (you sound like you may do) i certainly wouldnt. actually if i were conscripted id worry about hampering my buddies, id be terrible in battle.

also, it isnt 1939. its 2007, we have a good army. it isnt really fair to use that comparison, as its so different now. we arent under threat of an imminent invasion from across the channel.



1. OK, I exaggerate obviously. There is a huge middle ground in between the extremes I listed.

2. That is a point. And I can't think of much beyond, "stick it out and be a man" or "complain to your superiors" if it gets bad.

3. You're right that it's 2007. And I wouldn't advocate national service if it meant our 18 year olds were all shipped off to serve in Iraq to get killed needlessly. I would in fact say that national service would be more beneficial in peace time than it ever would in wartime. Also, I would propose that national service need not be purely military service. Think of community service that some criminals are given as punishments. There are those who'd say, "Community Service? No? That's a punishment for dope dealers and car thieves etc.", but think of it on the other hand. You'd be serving your community, your country, and not a gun in sight.

im not trying to 'stir' here. im just raising these questions as my main quibbles with your post

Don't worry. I'm enjoying the discussion as a matter of fact

 

"While the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and to those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country isn't there?"

 

Off to bed now, but just to expand on my last post, those examples of the last 2 weeks are only those that made the main BBC news page. If you also look at all the regional BBC news pages, you will find a LOT more examples of similar incidents.

 

Uhm...due to the italics I'm assuming this is a quote from somewhere. Could you expand on this?

 

It is a quote from a speech givin in V for Vendetta, when the Anarchist V addresses the nation about the problems of society, I felt it made a good point in this topic.

Here is a link to the whole thing if you wish to see:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8TLD3Z6sJWA

 

Ah, V for Vendetta. I was actually kinda disappointed in that movie, but as I understand it, werent its social allusions more along the lines of anarchism versus fascism? Obviously that brings up issues of the streets turning into anarchy with youth gun crime, and fascism being the ever-harsher police responses to it...



...but, wouldn't that then mean that national service is a viable middle ground to stop society descending into one or the other as the kids finally get taught some discipline and become more responsible members of society?

 

How about anyone who doesn't go to college must go into the Army?

Anyone who goes to college but doesn't go to University, can go into the Navy or the Airforce maybe instead...

Basically, if you don't go to University, your country may send you out to die?

 

Ok. Did anyone read the article? I saw the interview too and to me it made sense. All this talk of a year in the Army, going off to war etc has nothing to do with what was said by Cameron.

David Cameron is proposing a voluntary "citizen service" programme for 16-year-olds, which he sees as a 21st Century version of National Service. #

It was likened to national service, but isn't the same and is Voluntary.

The course would include one week's residential course, four weeks of community service and a week's physical challenge - like Army training or mountain climbing.

It could include work with the elderly or travelling to developing countries.


Again the course doesn't involve turning britains kids into Jarhead cadets or fodder for Iraq. Its more along the lines of the DoE award and is intended to bring back some of the values that kids who can't afford some of these scemes lack because they never got the chance to do them.

 

yes i did.


underestimated again elbertino

 

All news from today

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6982930.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/6982617.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6980318.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/6981759.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/6982477.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/6983277.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/6981535.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/6982919.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/6982256.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/6983267.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6982309.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6981765.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/6981658.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/6982250.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6983136.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/6982089.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6983250.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6981962.stm


There are a lot more, but so far haven't been linked to any particular age group. And this also doesn't include violent crimes from people in their late 20s and older.