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Protest on Saturday against Armed Forces Day

anti-war | 23.06.2009 18:52 | Anti-militarism | Terror War | South Coast

A PROTEST against the nauseating celebration of "Armed Forces Day" has been called in Worthing, West Sussex, for Saturday June 27.

Meet at 11am at the east end of Warwick Street, next to Steyne Gardens, quite near Worthing pier, where the militarist event is to be held.
The following public statement has been issued by campaigners:

We are protesting against the staging of an event in Worthing which shamelessly glorifies war and all the suffering, death and destruction that it involves.
Commemorating conflicts in the past, such as the Second World War, when Britain really was at risk from invasion, is one thing.
However, today's armed services are plainly not being used to defend this country at all, but to illegally invade and occupy distant countries in the interests of American global strategy and to grab oil and gas supplies for Big Business.
We believe that the so-called "Armed Forces Day" is nothing but a propaganda exercise designed to whip up public support for a thoroughly discredited British foreign policy.
Waving the Union Jack to try and get people to march in step behind the Government is no way to run a democratic country in the 21st century - this sort of approach should have died a death with the end of the British Empire or with the last of Hitler's Nuremberg rallies!
Two million citizens protested in Britain against the invasion of Iraq, which is now widely seen as having been based on lie after lie. Many of us think Tony Blair and George W Bush should be facing war crime charges, while Gordon Brown's regime is still trying to hide the truth by holding its whitewash enquiry behind closed doors!
At a time when this country is sinking into huge debt, we simply cannot afford to spend £35 billion (MoD figures for 2009/10) on helping the USA to try to control the whole world - meanwhile lining the pockets of well-connected weapons manufacturers!
If only we could invest that sort of money in healthcare, education or in developing green technologies to help us build a healthy and sustainable future for these small islands!
While young men and women join the armed forces for various reasons, we should not be encouraging them to do so. There are so many more important, and less destructive, jobs to be done in this world.
Do we really think "our boys and girls" are doing a good deed by bombing wedding parties in Afghanistan, blowing up little children with cluster bombs or causing defects in babies for generations to come by using highly toxic depleted uranium in our weapons?
And if they are killed in action can we really claim that they are "heroes" who have died for something worthwhile, or are they in fact victims - victims of a system that regards them as cannon fodder for its own insatiable greed and megalomania?
No more taxpayers' money wasted on the military! No public subsidy for the arms industry! No more blood for oil!

anti-war
- Homepage: http://www.eco-action.org/porkbolter

Comments

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Main one is Chatham

23.06.2009 19:42

Armed Forces Day will commence with a Celebration Parade through Chatham town by the Navy, Army and RAF led by the band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines. Veterans of all ages will join the parade as it proceeds along Dock Road into The Historic Dockyard where a royal salute will take place prior to an open air Drumhead service.

In the air, there will be appearances by the world renowned Red Arrows, aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and further fast-jet and helicopter assets are expected to be confirmed as the big day approaches.
Throughout the day, displays and activities will take place on land, water and in the air as some of the very best assets of the Armed Forces are put on show. There will be plenty of excitement for aviation buffs at Anchor Wharf, a British Army Expo, a Kids’ Activity Zone, a Sea Cadet Corps Village, “Soldiers Through-the-Ages” tableaux.

The heart of The Historic Dockyard, Museum Square will become the “Veterans’ Rendezvous” with music, food and drink. Also back by popular demand to entertain the veterans will be Forces Sweetheart KAS, who will be joined by the ‘Swinging Sweethearts’ singing duo.

In the main Armed Forces areas, adventure and fun will be the order of the day as young and old alike are invited to try their hands at a whole host of activities, including driving a digger, mine-detecting, an inflatable assault course, a shooting range and a climbing wall. On Anchor Wharf two aircraft – a Typhoon and Chinook – will be on display, Royal Naval ships to be open to visitors at Thunderbolt Pier within The Historic Dockyard and at Basin No.2, Chatham Maritime.

The military displays will be joined by those of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Kent Fire and Rescue, BAE Systems, HM Coastguard, Bactec International, military vehicle preservation groups, and many more.

Historic Dockyard


Brainwashing

26.06.2009 21:27

The russians also celebrate their armed forces, a hangover from Soviet days. Hurrah for Comrade Brown ! Hurrah for victory in Iraq, Afghan, etc etc !
I thought that George Orwell's book might just have served as a warning but as usual I am wrong.

george s.
mail e-mail: george@stearne.freeserve.co.uk