nowtelse2do Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 I found this on a Army forum, What are your thoughts. Armed police patrolling Heathrow Airport have been banned from wearing tiny Union Jack badges in support of British Troops. Top brass claim the tie pin badges which cost £1 with proceeds going to The Help For Heroes Charity was offensive. But one officer asked "How can the Union Jack be offensive?" The ruling is even more absurd coming just on the weekend of the 65th anniversary of the D_Day landings. "We must be the only country to be ashamed to display our National Flag" he said. About 100 officers in the Metropolitan Forces SO18 Aviation Branch which patrols Heathrow, bought the 1" square Badges 70% of them served in the forces and some have children fighting in Afghanistan. Another officer said "We are wearing the badges with pride and most importantly to show support for our soldiers at war. Nobody as put out orders to remove Rainbow symbols that Gay and Lesbian officers wear, why discriminate against us." A statement from the Met said, "The dress code states only approved corporate badging may be used." .................................................. My daughter asked my opinion about starting a new life in Canada (she is a qualified nurse and as been offered a placement in two of the Provinces) I told her to take her husband and our only grandchild and get out of here because i believe our country as gone to the dogs and i have no faith in any of it's leaders or parties. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I can understand a rule that says "No unofficial badges" are to be worn by police officers, as they are supposed to appear to the public to be 'neutral' and not supporting any particular cause. The fact that they can't wear a badge does not stop them supporting a cause. I'm very surprised, if it's true, that gay and lesbian officers wear 'rainbow' symbols. If officers were to be allowed to wear unofficial badges, where would it stop, who would decide which are allowed and which are not ? Seems to me the easiest solution all round is 'no unofficial badges of any kind'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 This tale apparently originated in The Sun last Monday. Google brings up very few references to it and none which confirm it. Even a request on a police oriented forum Here has failed (so far) to obtain any confirmation. If there is any truth in the fact that some badges are allowed whilst the ones in question aren't then it is wrong. At the moment, however, it looks like it is the usual rubbish which is peddled by organs which in the past were newspapers. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 malc d - 2009-06-14 7:54 AM Seems to me the easiest solution all round is 'no unofficial badges of any kind'. Agreed - uniform is uniform, end of. BUT why not MAKE the Union Flag "official," since it's NOT the badge of any faction, but of the nation? It could easily be ruled that ALL uniformed organisations in the UK should provide an official place for it to be worn, by those who wish to do so. That might help reclaim it from the far right thugs! Nowadays, you'd never see a picture of an American President NOT wearing a little Stars & Stripes on his lapel, and no-one associates it with anything other than patriotism! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Tony Jones - 2009-06-14 1:58 PM malc d - 2009-06-14 7:54 AM Seems to me the easiest solution all round is 'no unofficial badges of any kind'. Agreed - uniform is uniform, end of. BUT why not MAKE the Union Flag "official," since it's NOT the badge of any faction, but of the nation? It could easily be ruled that ALL uniformed organisations in the UK should provide an official place for it to be worn, by those who wish to do so. That might help reclaim it from the far right thugs! Nowadays, you'd never see a picture of an American President NOT wearing a little Stars & Stripes on his lapel, and no-one associates it with anything other than patriotism! I'd prefer to see the national flags, England,Scotland,Wales on police uniforms ( if any at all). (I think all our close European neighbours have national flags on police uniforms ?) But PLEASE don't do anything American, they've already given us chewing gum and 'trick or treat'. That's quite enough ! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I'd have no problem with "individual" national flags, as another option. After all, we allow either - or an EU symbol - on the sacred space of rigidly defined car numberplates! And don't worry, I'm not up for us becoming the 51st state either, just pointing out that a NATIONAL flag is exactly that, not a party symbol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Slightly off topic, can anyone confirm for me?... that is is the "Union Flag", and only the "Union Jack" when hoisted at sea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveH Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Hi "mom" As I understand it - back in the 1600's & 1700's the flag that was flown on the bow of a ship was always called the "Jack". So when the Union Flag was flown from a ship it became known as the Union Jack. As our Navy used to "rule the waves" the term Union Jack became more prominent than the term Union Flag. The term Jack applied to many navy items - Jolly Jack tar was a term for a sailer and "Jack Speak" is still a specific "slanguage" used in the navy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 just ensure its the right way up when flown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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