I’ve been reading comments at Margo’s Webdiary and am besides myself with amazement.
Tony Kevin posts an article where he finds sinister conspiracies involved with the overflight of two choppers in Canberra.
He ponders;
.…..was it designed to create public climates of fear and to frame innocent people in such a climate of fear?
……was it was a terror threat display, government-mounted to impress the visiting premiers?
……or…… if the loaded missiles were armed and what would happen if one of these helicopters were accidentally to crash over populated central Canberra.
He then imagines he is being photographed by the evil ADF
As I wandered thoughtfully down a Red Hill walking track, the helicopters kept circling overhead. I looked up at them – I guess my face could have been photographed then. If I had been carrying my camera, I could have taken photos of the helicopters and their missiles launchers too. But it’s probably a good thing I didn’t. Taking photos of legitimate counter-terrorist government activity might soon be illegal.
One commenter, the irrepressible
Bryan Law, thanks one writer for discussing the corporate influences in Australia’s growing militarisation and suggests;
the common task is to transform the Australian military into a first-class non-violent rescue and counter-disaster force, using this fabulous communications capacity, and all the wonderful training, to save lives around the nation and the planet.
Others, with a similar lack of understanding of anything, actually agree and symapthise with Tony as he gets more and more excited about the choppers.
Phil Uebergang from Townsville complains about the presence of the military as they train in public view.
I don’t know anyone in the army in Townsville, and most of the people I do know think the noise is annoying and unnecessary.
I can’t understand why the armed forces allow these breaches in discipline.
I bet he doesn’t know anyone in the Army in Townsville – they wouldn’t cop him for a moment. Maybe the guys should push the Blackhawkes up the hills to High Range before starting up to save Phil’s senstive feelings.
And can’t you just see most of the people he knows sitting around complaining and believing in some strange way that they are better people than the soldiers.
…..we weren’t disputing their need to train, but showing a complete lack of respect for the privacy of a city of 150,000 civilians has nothing to do with training.
Sometimes, the most difficult thing about being a servicemen is knowing these ingrates exist and still get up next morning and train to protect them.
I’m sure the pilots in Canberra, back from a standard training mission with ADFA or RMC, would be highly amused to know what fear their overflight had struck in the minds of fools.
I recall in the SASR a woman phoned complaining about the noise of the choppers we were deploying on exercise over the sea at Swanbourne
The Duty Officer listened politely and just as politely replied
“What you are hearing, Madam, is the sound of freedom.”
He then hung up and got on with his job of training in the very dangerous environment of Blackhawke night-flights.
Tony Kevin should hang up as well.
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I think these clowns are definitely in the minority in places like Townsville and Amberley, not only because of the financial impact of these bases on the surrounding area, but also because many people retire to these areas and there’s lots of second generation military families around the place. They have deep roots in those communities. F111s flying around the Ipswich suburbs don’t bother too many people — they simply inspire lots of young lads to think about joining up.
Canberra though, and perhaps Holsworthy and Richmond, are a different story. I think there’s a real chance that the public might get sick of these bases.
I blame local and state planning authorities, and the Federal government/Defence for not paying attention to these issues. Only a few years ago in Adelaide, the locals allowed a new suburb to spring up right up to the fence line at Edinburgh — perhaps 400 m from the runway — and the noise complaints started almost immediately. Funnily enough, it’s also right next to the area where the State government would like to put this new mech battalion, so we can probably add a few Blackhawk and Chinook movements to the mix as well now. Short of bulldozing this new suburb, the aggro is never going to go away. We just have to get smarter than this because the Margoyles aren’t going away either.
We shouldn’t back away from doing legitimate training and we shouldn’t get too sensitive to complaints, but I do think there are some things we could do better.
What’s the betting ol’ Phil lectures at James Cook, alongside such luminaries of reason and understanding as Henry Reynolds?
You should hear some of them at the public displayse. Nothing like feeding their paranoia either. ‘Yes madam, NVG’s can see through walls’ and ‘Yes, we get paid thousands to sit on our tax-payer funded arse’.
Not so tough when they try it on face to face though.
The news isn’t all bad, Kev. Check out this report:
A new study has found that more Australians trust the country’s Defence Force than its churches.
The study by researchers at the Queensland University of Technology looked at social attitudes towards a range of organisations including police, banks, politicians and the public service.
It found more than two-thirds of Australians had little or no confidence in the courts and legal system, and that 60 per cent do not trust Federal Parliament.
Professor Clive Bean says only 35 per cent of people asked had confidence in churches and other religious institutions, while 82 per cent trusted the Defence Force.
I’m one of the civilians who trusts the ADF. I wouldn’t mind seeing a few more helicopters and tanks either — they’re good fun to watch.
EP,
Damn right. If you don’t enjoy the vista of choppers, jets, tanks and AALRVs in motion then you should be watching netball.
Kev, I never served, but I’m very aware of what I owe to those who do/have . There are always wallies like these “writers” around, who’d be the first to scream like stuck pigs if ‘the army’ didn’t come to their rescue at the drop of a hat, should their safety be compromised. Warmest regards, and much respect, to all who defend our nation. Good on ya fellas!
Gravelrash,
It’s my experience that the vast majority of Aussies are appreciative like yourself leaving us with only the few fools I highlighted in the post. Of course, they seem to be more verbose about these issues and rail against us with boring frequency but, hey…we serve for all – even those who hate us.