[John Jorsett]

Just let them carry their weapons as well.

[Clintonfatigued]

My, oh, my, how our British cousins have fallen. As recently as the Falkland Islands War, this was unthinkable.

[Roccus]

Never have so many owed so much to so few....and now this. (Sigh)

[valkyry1]

Come on, we all know it is so they wont be targets for the Jihads. London is becoming like Saigon, say from ‘71 thru ‘73

[thundrey]

During the troubles, British service personel were also banned from wearing uniforms in public, because it made them an obvious target for Irish Republican terrorists. All things considered, it probably wouldn’t be a sensible idea for them to do now when they face a threat from Islamic terrorists.....

[Steamburg]

Great Britain’s brains must have retired with Margaret Thatcher. These are not good times for a once proud nation. May God save the Queen and may she choose her successor well.

[PAR35]

station commander Group Captain Atherton after she took advice

I may have spotted the problem.

[Lexington Green]

Tommy
by Rudyard Kipling

I went into a public-’ouse to get a pint o’ beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-’alls,
But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, wait outside”;
But it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide,
The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,
O it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide.

Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.
Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, ‘ow’s yer soul?”
But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.

We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;
While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, fall be’ind”,
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind,
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind.

You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country” when the guns begin to shoot;
An’ it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;
An’ Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool — you bet that Tommy sees!

[rogue yam]

Time for some patriotic Brits to organize a campaign where folks publicly pledge to rush to the defense of any uniformed serviceman being harrassed. Get a slogan like “I’m Standing with Tommy” or something. Backing down and hiding is exactly the wrong approach and is terribly un-British.

[papertyger]

Why are they not warning the public about what verbally abusing uniformed RAF members will get them?