Bye, bye Gen Morrison

Outgoing army chief David Morrison says the focus on the white, Anglo-Saxon males of the Anzac legend has made it more difficult to recruit a diverse defence force. Lieutenant General Morrison said that the “iconic narrative” of the Anzac story did not reflect the reality of modern Australia, nor the needs of a modern defence force.

“Some of the stories we tell ourselves about Anzac — overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly male, overwhelmingly Anglo-Saxon — if those stories are given an undue emphasis then how do you attract in today’s ranks, men and women who aren’t male, who aren’t Anglo-Saxon, who aren’t rough-hewn country lads who never salute ­officers, particularly the Poms, and who fight best with a hangover?”

Maybe I’m being over sensitive here but I never fought with a hangover and always saluted officers where applicable. I think that’s a put down on today’s diggers The ANZACS were overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly male and overwhelmingly Anglo-Saxon and no amount of politically correct thinking or pushing gender equality and people of non-English speaking backgrounds is going to change that. I might add that today’s diggers are also overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly male and overwhelmingly Anglo-Saxon. The other people in our society overwhelmingly do not volunteer for military service. They are more into Friday’s mosque rantings and place religion above all else, particularly service to their new nation. They are yet to assimilate into our society and considering too many of them support the Islamic sub-humans in the Middle East slaughtering Christians and Moslems or anyone that stands in their way, then I’m not sure when, if ever, they will consider themselves Australian and look at service as part of their civil responsibility. From my perspective, I’m glad to see you go General Morrison. UPDATE: An article by Ross Eastgate here