Working Class in The Firing Line
Posted by Aidan Kerr in Uncategorized, tags: austerity britain, military, unemployment, working classIn recent years the Army has been stepping up its recruitment drive mainly due to the fact they have been fighting in two bloody wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. However more shockingly the Army has been using slogans and setting up enlisting centres in socially deprived areas to specifically attract poorer, unemployed working class people. In addition to this we have seen public transport, mainly buses, become a centre of their advertising campaign. Why would they do this? Well buses are on the whole used by poorer people who are more likely to either be in a low paid job or not in employment. When people are on the dole, can’t find a job and depressed are promised a job, fun, travelling and prospects they are obviously attracted to army life and the apparent positivty it entails.
Jobs Jobs Jobs
What the glossy posters fail to mention is that you are going to be fighting another persons war in a strange foreign land and have a high probability of being torn to shreds by an I.E.D (Improvised Explosive Device). You may find employment and a living wage but is that wage really worth it when you will cease to live?
When you examine the motives behind these recruitment drives into working class areas it is sickening. They are quite literally exploiting young people to die for them based around tall tales of fun, sun and sand in Helmand. This Gary Tank Commander like portrayal of Army life is being fed over and over to each new recruit that walks through the recruitment office. Historically the working class for centuries have been the backbone or to put it bluntly the cannon fodder of the Army and it looks like the Army wish for it to remain the same in the 21st Century.
It’s a depressing scenario now being played out throughout housing schemes in the country. ‘Nae job nae money fuck it I’ll join the army.’ What can be done to try and stop people becoming tomorrows statistic?
I would like to see the development of picketing of these recruitment centres to try and educate people on the truth of why they are being targeted and what’s in store for them when they touch down in Helmand. Hopefully this is something the SSY can instigate in the coming months. With the numbers unemployed set to soar it’s an issue which will get worse. We need to put the message out there that it is not worth your life to die for another persons war or for a war you don’t believe in. I have no doubt in my mind the Army will step up in the summer months their attempts to enlist young working class people.
It’s no coincidence that they will be seen on a high street near you this summer. With those in school enjoying their summer holidays they will be seeking out young people to fill their brains with tales of wonderful times being shot at, blown to bits and suffering from mental illnesses for the rest of their adult lives if they are lucky enough to survive.
Let’s put out a positive message to our fellow working class youths that they are worth more than being mere cannon fodder to generals of the army.
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I love the ‘ra
Well written article.
Not sure if you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to have to visit the job centre and explore the options on the computer screens. There might only be one job available on the screen, but underneath there’s a full database of generic army jobs.
It’s easy to see why people are conned into such a thing and I don’t really blame people for being conned into it.
Very well written article I must admit. But if it wasn’t for the army you would be speaking German my boy. I would advise anyway to join her majestys forces.
David Cooper: not sure if trolling, or just stupid….
@David Cooper
Von Glück reden können, wissen ist Macht!
This is exactly what led to Gordon Gentle’s death, a young comrade of ours from Pollok. They promised him a trade, a wage and adventure – set you up for life they said. Then sent him to fight in an illegal war without adequate protection or training.
He came home in a box at 19 years old.
Brilliant article. I’m reminded by mhairi mcalpine’s comment above of the end of an eric bogle song about being at the grave of a soldier who also died at 19, but in the trenches:
“Now young Willie McBride I can’t help but wonder why
Do all those who lie here know why they died
And did they believe when they answered the cause
Did they really believe that this war would end wars
Well the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain
The killing and dying was all done in vain
For young Willie McBride it all happened again
And again, and again, and again, and again.”
wow the army is recruiting mostly from working class sections of society……. like it has done since time begin cutting edge guys.
Superb article. It’s a sad reality that the army are continuing their longstanding tradition of hoodwinking working class kids into fighting and being blown to pieces in unjust wars on behalf of the establishments’ elite, an expansionist british state and companies that profit from manufacturing killing machines. Great choice of quote Meghan, Eric Bogle is an inspirational songwriter and his songs “No Mans Land” and “The band played waltzing Matilda” are exemplary pieces of anti-war writing. We need to combat the bullshit message; “They’re committing the crimes, we’re just the worlds police, for humanitarian reasons, we’re killing for peace” (from my friend Bobs’ song “killing for peace”) that multinational media conglomerates and national broadcasters alike spread (somewhat more subtly), and unfortunately quite a few folk buy into.
Chris: Aye, we KNOW that the army has been targeting working-class folk since time began. I think what Aidan’s made perfectly clear in this article is, that not only is it an ongoing concern, but in times of high unemployment young working-class people are even more vulnerable and susceptible to military-recruitment rhetoric than they might otherwise be.
Nice to see another person familiar with Eric Bogle.