What’s sauce for the goose…..
It has always been the case that soldiers are expected to be apolitical and I have always agreed with that ruling.
Until now.
Here’s why.
…on a parade that supports a certain ideology.
And I, for one, think that’s political.
I would think that most Aussies would see no problem with Hastie emphasising his service giving rise to an expectation that he is well trained in leadership roles. Conversely I would think most would be simply embarrassed by their nations military parading at the Gay Mardi Gras.
I am. I am tired of gender politics being forced on us. I don’t care what your sexual proclivities are, just that you do your job.
What’s sauce for the goose…
MP for Canning Andrew Hastie has been booted out of the Army Reserves after he defied a Defence request to remove photos of him in military garb from election campaign material. Australian Defence Force members, including reservists, are banned from taking part in political activities while in uniform. The ADF says its policy is designed to ensure the armed forces remain apolitical.
More than 100 Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, together with 50 Defence civilians, families, friends and allies of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community marched in the 2015 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. The contingent was led by the most senior enlisted members of the ADF: Warrant Officer for the Navy, Martin Holzberger; Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army, Dave Ashley; and Warrant Officer for the Air Force, Mark Pentreath who volunteered to lead their members, alongside Parade Commander, Air Commodore Tracy Smart.They marched in uniform.
…on a parade that supports a certain ideology.
And I, for one, think that’s political.
I would think that most Aussies would see no problem with Hastie emphasising his service giving rise to an expectation that he is well trained in leadership roles. Conversely I would think most would be simply embarrassed by their nations military parading at the Gay Mardi Gras.
I am. I am tired of gender politics being forced on us. I don’t care what your sexual proclivities are, just that you do your job.
What’s sauce for the goose…
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“I don’t care what your sexual proclivities are, just that you do your job.”
Exactly; and Hastie, whilst he remained in the Reserve and posted posters of himself in uniform, wasn’t doing his.
I don’t remember Graeme Edwards posting pictures of himself in uniform to get elected.
Marching in the Mardi Gras is hardly political. I’d assume that most participating would see it as a good night out. When I was in Holsworthy barracks in 1969, many thought getting pissed and having a stoush up the Cross was a good night out.
It takes all kinds.
Last I heard, identifying as homosexual or transgendered was not political activity. Standing for parliament as a representative of a party is. Conflating the two is a lame attempt at point scoring.
Would it be OK if a bunch of Army guys from Oakey Aviation base marched in the Toowoomba Garden of Flowers procession? They’re both community events.
“I am tired of gender politics being forced on us”.
Marching in the Mardi Gras is neither political or compulsory. Neither is watching it.
I wonder how they managed to force 500,000 to watch it in 2016 – must have been one hell of an operation……..
Was Graeme a serving member at any time during his political career Bobby. If not why do you believe there is a comparison here?
The comparison with Graeme Edwards is valid because he did not make his service the centrepiece of his various election campaigns over the years in the WA Legislature, and the Federal government. Hastie did, and continues to do so.
Your comment is a distraction concentrating on secondary issues. The issue is, the ADF are being inconsistent with the ruling. Whether you see it or not, the Gay Mardi Gras is full of anti-conservative politics and I can only imagine you don’t see it because you believe in all the filth directed at conservative politics and politicians. The pictures I see have The Greens prominent and comments on Abbott that border on physciatric hatred.
Identifying as a homosexual is not political and I didn’t say it was. It is the politics of the movement overall
You can’t say Hastie isn’t doing his job simply because he has a pic of himself in uniform on a bill board and Graham Edwards didn’t have the military background to use it as a selling point, nor did he need it.
Marxist Roz Ward and the Vic Premier are forcing gender politics on the people of Victoria and other states – are you denying that?
Kev
“Marxist Roz Ward and the Vic Premier are forcing gender politics on the people of Victoria and other states”
I am denying it, because it’s not true.
I do understand what the verb “forced” means, and the people of Victoria (and other states) are not having gender politics forced on them. This would be the case if the safe Schools programme was compulsory. It’s not. Public school students in Victoria (and other states) would only be using this material if it was requested by the school. Likewise for subsidised schools*, many of which have taken it up.
It appears that the mere existence of the programme, and the advocacy for it, is what is getting up the Conservative nose.
The ADF has been completely consistent – http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2016/federal-election-2016-pat-oneill-army-uniform-billboard-not-controversial-20160522-gp19m0.htm
If ADF personnel were prohibited from attending any gathering that had any whiff of political involvement, they’d be leading very quiet and boring lives. As for people being embarrassed by the Mardi Gras, one can only assume that they were those staying home, whilst the 500000 who attended weren’t.
*I refuse to use the term “private” schools, given that over half their funding comes from the taxpayer – http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/private-schools-reap-government-funding-at-expense-of-public-schools-20140127-31jj0.html
Great article in the paper today by Miranda Devine, tells it like it is.