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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU, the miltery awards on ITV

252 replies

RoseRedder · 16/12/2013 21:01

AIBU?

I think this is wrong

The 'wars' these men/women have been in are all made up wars by the UK and USA government

And now there is a tv programme giving them celebrity status

I don't doubt the people of will be nominated will have gone out their way to aid their colleagues

But turning war into a tv programme is beyond sick

OP posts:
TheNightIsDark · 16/12/2013 23:41

Still don't get it Blush

I'm tired but far too emotionally invested in some threads tonight to sleep.

monicalewinski · 16/12/2013 23:42

Rose, seriously, nobody likes war - nobody.

The armed forces are there for many reasons (some of which I listed earlier). If you look at the later posts people have actually tried to explain stuff to you - read and learn, absorb new info and then ask yourself why do we have the armed forces.

Also, the fact that people willingly sign up means that all British citizens aren't forced into conscription.

There's so much more to it than war.

Cityofgold · 16/12/2013 23:44

Well Rose I agree with your sentiment, though perhaps not the way you expressed it. I dont know why military personnel should be singled out for such a programme more than, for example, nurses or doctors who also act as 'heroes' in carrying out their everyday jobs. It may be that some individuals go 'above and beyond the call of duty', but the military has their own medal process for such cases and those persons get recognition from people within their own organisation - which is actually what they want and what means something to them. So why have this programme? It was probably no coincidence that the televised awards were started at about the same time as public opinion started to turn against our troops being in Afghanistan, what better was to placate the masses than with a bit of candy flossed sentimentality. It is no accident that the Sun is Britain's most popular, and also most powerful newspaper.

Original poster
RoseRedder · 16/12/2013 23:46

I do not agree with war

OP posts:
everydayaschoolday · 16/12/2013 23:47

Sorry, t'was a crp joke. My NN is Everyday and first line of MrsCakes post was to advise the OP to 'read a quality newspaper Everyday'. You could read that as advice for Everyday*. Yes, was really rubbish Xmas Blush I spare the troops from my 'jokes' at work - honest.

TheNightIsDark · 16/12/2013 23:47

We've kind of figured that out.

everydayaschoolday · 16/12/2013 23:47

Night everyone Wine Xmas Smile

TheNightIsDark · 16/12/2013 23:48

Ah I get it now Grin

everydayaschoolday · 16/12/2013 23:50
Grin
SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 16/12/2013 23:56

An old school friend of mine was nominated for a MILLIE this year.

He's walking the entire coastline of Britain to raise money for Help Foe Heroes (and sleeping rough to raise awareness of the many homeless ex-servicemen).

It's taking 2 years out of his life & is a life-changing thing.

I am proud of him. Regardless of anything else Grin.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 16/12/2013 23:57

Jesus Christ - Help FOR Heroes obviously!

Bogeyface · 17/12/2013 00:02

I do think that it is a good way to make the recent conflicts acceptable by focussing on the men and women that fought in them. They are heroes ergo the conflict was heroic. I have a major issue with that.

YEs, they are heroes but it doesnt mean that the cause they fought for was also heroic.

Joysmum · 17/12/2013 00:07

Yes the armed forces are wonderful, but they (including members of my own family) chose to do it as a career. Feel sorry that they've been pushed into so my conflicts and wars in my name when I'd not have wanted that. Think they do excellent work following natural disasters around the world.

JohnnyBarthes · 17/12/2013 06:43

chuddies having done the maths, the people I knew who were involved in the clear up were barely out of school. I know at least one was struggling years later. Brave kids, they were.

OP is just strange though and not worth feeding.

SMorgauseBordOfChristmasTat · 17/12/2013 07:06

I can understand where the OP is coming from. I'm also anti war, although I do believe there can be "just wars" - like WW2. However, I'm not anti ordinary military personnel. I do have a massive problem with those higher up the chain, though, but this isn't the thread for it.

I don't think that the military are any more heroic than others who also risk their lives on a daily basis. Their bravery awards aren't televised.

The police and the fire service are rewarded for outstanding acts of bravery but there's no TV programme for them. Even more heroic, to my mind, are those in the lifeboat service who do it all on a voluntary basis.

If we are going to reward bravery on national TV let's reward all the services, especially those who don't get paid for risking their lives.

I declare an interest here as my family has a long history of lifeboat service and I don't think the service has the recognition it deserves.

meditrina · 17/12/2013 07:13

Unfortunately, the Sun didn't batten on to RNLI as they did to H4H.

I prefer to support SSAFA, as it helps those from any conflict and their families, and runs all sorts of things like adoption services for military families and secure hostels for dependants leaving abusive set ups.

H4H assists only those from recent conflicts, and I do think that limitation is a turn off for many.

SMorgauseBordOfChristmasTat · 17/12/2013 07:18

Good point meditrina. I didn't realise H4H was involved. Not a charity I support. As my father (decorated WW2 veteran) said, "Not all soldiers are heroes."

I do support other charities that look after veterans, though, SSAFA included.

ithaka · 17/12/2013 07:29

Well Rose I agree with your sentiment, though perhaps not the way you expressed it. I dont know why military personnel should be singled out for such a programme more than, for example, nurses or doctors who also act as 'heroes' in carrying out their everyday jobs. It may be that some individuals go 'above and beyond the call of duty', but the military has their own medal process for such cases and those persons get recognition from people within their own organisation - which is actually what they want and what means something to them. So why have this programme? It was probably no coincidence that the televised awards were started at about the same time as public opinion started to turn against our troops being in Afghanistan, what better was to placate the masses than with a bit of candy flossed sentimentality. It is no accident that the Sun is Britain's most popular, and also most powerful newspaper.

I had to quote this in full as I completely agree with it. I have noticed that Mumsnet loves to pile on anyone that doesn't support 'our heroes' - which reflects a society in which a knee jerk genuflection to all things military is compulsory & views to the contrary not tolerated.

scaevola · 17/12/2013 07:34

There is, of course, a difference between 'not supporting' elements of rhetoric, and actually bashing those who do this job.

There is no need to invent "knee jerk genuflection" if you grasp that distinction.

ElleMcFearsome · 17/12/2013 07:37

Good grief OP - do you think anyone is really totally pro-war? I can't remember who it was (maybe Tom Lehrer?) who said it's easy to stand up in front of a crowd and say you're in favour of peace, because, who actually isn't?

Wars happen as a result of intensive discussion because it is felt there is NO other option. No diplomatic option, no other way of exerting pressure to make a regime change, to protect the lives of civilians.

War isn't usually a great option, but sometimes it's the least bad one.

And aren't you bloody lucky that you have a strong country, with a strong defence that enables you to live in a democracy where you are able to spout ungracious drivel about the very people who protect your interests.

JohnnyBarthes · 17/12/2013 07:40

ithaka I don't hold with blind support for 'heroes', nor do many contributors to these threads.

When I go to work tomorrow, nobody will have watched this crap (unless possibly a colleague was on it, in which case they'll have fodder to mercilessly take the piss).

This OP has form for starting bizarre, goading threads claiming, among other things, that the British invaded the hitherto unpopulated Falklands in the 1980s. Best ignored, basically (although I see the irony there!).

IamInvisible · 17/12/2013 07:49

The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards recognise members of the emergency services, the RNLI, nurses and doctors and the general public. They are also televised.

SMorgauseBordOfChristmasTat · 17/12/2013 08:00

Let's include the military in that, then, instead of giving the military a programme all of their own. That's what sits uneasily with me. They are no more heroic than the others.

IamInvisible · 17/12/2013 08:03

Take it with the Sun and the Daily Mirror then.

SMorgauseBordOfChristmasTat · 17/12/2013 08:05

I'd prefer to avoid The Sun. Their reasons for doing it are purely commercial, same with the Mirror, really.