Tuesday, 18 August 2009

NEETional Service

We need to introduce universal and compulsory – non-military, but uniformed, ranked and barracked – National Service between secondary education and tertiary education or training.
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9 comments:

  1. JohnJGMooney18 August 2009 at 15:33

    Oh that has to be one of the silliest proposals ever.
    For a start it would not be universally accepted as so many people within the "United Kingdom" actually have a fealty elsewhere. Likewise I cannot see the average thug in Moss Side, the Gorbals, Eton College or Islington actually rallying to the cause.
    To do what exactly?
    Go shopping for the elderly?
    Play table tennis in youth clubs? Bob a job week?

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  2. David Lindsay18 August 2009 at 16:01

    "For a start it would not be universally accepted as so many people within the "United Kingdom" actually have a fealty elsewhere"

    Needn't matter. They'd only be doing good works.

    "Likewise I cannot see the average thug in Moss Side, the Gorbals, Eton College or Islington actually rallying to the cause"

    It would be the law. And would rapidly come to be accepted as, even if resented (not by many people, I expect), nevertheless the way things were.

    "To do what exactly?"

    Mix a bot, move around a bit, learn discipline and self-discipline, pick up skills, and, at least in the case of those going on to university, live just enough that they won't fall for the dafter theories in and around academia.

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  3. JohnJGMooney18 August 2009 at 18:32

    They would be doing these "good works" in the name of a State they didnt much care for. It could not of course legally apply in "Northern Ireland" as we already live in a place where it is accepted that two different nationalities exist.
    Ah the "Law" so they would do it.
    Yes but the Law would be unworkable. Rather like when they discovered WW2 conscription would be unworkable in "norn Iron" cos it would take more troops to enforce it than they could spare.
    Many Unionists .....with one eye on the Somme......decided that they would be much better off in reserved occupations which were invented for them...........notwithstanding the fact Belfast was not bombed after DeValera pointed out that an attack on Belfast was an attack on Ireland.
    So fire watching was a bit redundant.

    Enforcing a law to "do good deeds" on ordinary decent kids in Moss Side, Gorbals, Eton College and Islington is a horrible imposition.....many of these kids ALREADY do good works.
    Indeed when my own sons were in Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland and I was briefly involved.......such decency is the norm. But no way would they have ever worn a "British" uniform.

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  4. David Lindsay18 August 2009 at 18:46

    So they wouldn't claim benefits, either? Or accept student funding?

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  5. JohnJGMooney18 August 2009 at 20:57

    Who?
    I certainly accept benefits and on a previous occasion accepted a Student Grant. On the most recent degree I did not accept one. Probably over limit thru pension/wifes income. And way too much hassle.
    I am of course grateful for the State Pension which I will receive (as I am for the Civil Service pension) but as I paid for it thru yax/national insurance I kinda look on it as an entitlement, not in any way dependent on my nationality.
    Likewise my first sons degree in 2007 and my second sons (next year).
    The British taxpayer can rely on my gratitude but not over-much

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  6. David Lindsay19 August 2009 at 16:30

    On the uniform thing, Catholics now wear the PSNI uniform, and always wore, say, the Fire Brigade, or the council direct labour, uniform. Councils exist pursuant to Acts of Parliament. As do state schools, and thus their uniforms. NHS nurses are in the same position. And so on.

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  7. JohnJGMooney19 August 2009 at 19:11

    Actually I am still considering a place on the local Policing Board. I firmly believe the PSNI should be supported to the extent that I even tried to persuade #1 son (Law degree) to join.
    So much better nowadays from the old RUC (93% Protestant and 100% unionist).
    Youre wrong about Fire Brigade alas. Pre 1970 it was notoriously relunctant to employ Catholics...a good (older) friend becoming the first ever Catholic "officer" in the old Belfast Service.
    The position is now much better around 50% Catholic (over-represented technically)in Norn Iron but of course this also shows the overwhelming majority in Tyrone, Derry, Fermanagh.
    The position with nursing is even better for catholics/nationalists as around 70% of nurses are catholic......this also reflecting that many are from the South.
    You know of course that until "Common market" there was a restriction on "southerners" working in Norn Iron. there was no freedom of movement south to north.

    The stats for catholics employed in nursing pre 1970 is also scary. almost impossible to get a place in Belfast teaching hospitals which meant many (including two cousins) trained in manchester.

    Still its all different now. As I have mentioned before most migration from Norn Iron is Protestant, including those uni students in Stirling.

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  8. David Lindsay19 August 2009 at 19:22

    "Pre 1970 it was notoriously relunctant to employ Catholics...a good (older) friend becoming the first ever Catholic "officer" in the old Belfast Service."

    My point was simply that they were, and are, willing in principle to wear the uniform. Same with the nurses. Same with the PSNI, these days. Or the dustmen, or whoever.

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  9. JohnJGMooney19 August 2009 at 19:42

    Well indeed I wore a Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland uniform myself. I have absolutely no problem with uniforms.
    In fact I daresay I looked rather dashing.
    But a long way from a nurses uniform a (British) National Service compulsory uniform......

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