Should National Service Be Re-introduced In Britain?

With the recent shocking riots perpertated by mainly Multi -ethnic youths across British Cities, should the British Government bite the bullet, and reintroduce "National Service"?

Compulsory service in the Army and Navy would knock the disrespect and arrogance out of these foul mouthed psuedo hood young men and women.

They would learn discipline, an dcould be made to work rebuilding Britains riot scarred cities.

They would learn how to channel their riotous energy for good ,not the destruction of their own neighbourhoods businesses and heritage buidings.

They would be physically punished for stepping out of line at boot camp and during their three year service.

It would take the aimless gutter thinking and acting youth of the streets,and add valuable numbers to Britains flagging armed forces.

Years ago they did it, so why not now?

This would transform riotous thieving yobs into purposeful self respecting youth.

I believe this would be a very popular decision.

reply to post by Dr Expired


Dear Dr Expired,

Should we require that all people spend a few years in slavery, I mean compulsory public service? My answer is no. Not all youths were responsible for what happened, only some. What if we went back to what did work, letting parents raise their children and rewarding good behaviour rather than bad behaviour?

I personally like the concept and would be inclined to agree with you if this was the world of 20 years ago that didn't involve so much senseless military action. I would be proud to send my son to serve his country if there were no risk of him being killed in some war that we as a nation (I'm American) have no business being a part of (Libya, ect.)

reply to post by TheThirdAdam

National service doesn't automatically mean serving overseas, it could be used as a home defense guard and ironically be used to keep civil order.
Once the youth realise that they can protect as well as destroy, they may like themselves better.

reply to post by Dr Expired


Then I am in total support! Is this something that your gov is seriously proposing? I think it's a wonderful idea, young people should get a sense of civil service to help them better appreciate the free world that they were lucky enough to be born into... good post

I believe every Western country should re-introduce National Service. Kids now days are dis-respectful and NS would starighten them out a little bit.

What needs to happen ,is to give back the power to the parents to discipline their children ,without threats of having social services or threats of children suing there parents.

More power to the parents is the answers..

The do Gooders are wrong ,they gave these kids to much power ,and they believe the world owes them a living.

When i was 8 years old ,i stole £5 from my mothers purse ,and my father turn up in the park were i was with my friends ,and search me ,found the £5 and gave me a slap in front of my friends and dragged me home ,i never ever touched my mothers purse ever again ,even to this day ,i won't even touch my wife's purse from the hard lesson i learn as a kid from the good hiding my dad gave me ,infact i never stole ever again.

i know most of these kids don't have fathers anymore ,but still the power need to be given back to the parents.

No

The country cannot afford it nor does the PROFFESSIONAL army want it.

Maybe a form of a bootcamp style prison for offenders would be more appropriate, similar to the ones in the US. They have good results and instill the same discapline as military service.

reply to post by Dr Expired


Explanation: S&F!

100% agree and I'd go even further and make them all do 3 yrs of Cadets [15yrs-18yrs] before they do their 3 yrs of national service [18yrs-21yrs]. I'd also raise the drinking/smoking age to 21yrs and the voting age also to 21yrs.

Only when they have served their country and earned their status as a citizen should they get a say in the system and enjoy the luxuries such a system provides for them.

Personal Disclosure: My statements should be taken as though they apply regardless of gender.

reply to post by TheMaverick


You make an excellent point about instilling fear into children when they cross the line, sometimes it can help the child examine his/her actions...a lot sharper than if they were not brought to face the ire of the authorities or parents.

Children need to understand there are consequences to every action.

reply to post by OmegaLogos


Yes excellent post there, I star thee for such enlightened insight.

reply to post by TheMaverick


You do bring up another exellent point, but I do not think that the problems are brought on by social services or the threat thereof, moreso my generation's failure to take their resposiblities as parents. Somewhere along the line we decided that it was acceptable to act as though training our children to be decent human beings was a secondary priority. Instead we started giving them labels like "ADHD" and medicating them.

When we were growing up, our parents version adderal was a good swift kick in the ass like the one that you just described... Nowadays, it's seems that parents have better things to put their efforts toward. I will tell you this, as a father of two, I will have social services take them away before I let that kind of hellian behavior go unchecked in my house. Other parents may not agree, but one thing is for damn sure, they won't ever see my son smashing up a store on the evening news!

Sorry to rant

Originally posted by EvanB
No

The country cannot afford it nor does the PROFFESSIONAL army want it.

Maybe a form of a bootcamp style prison for offenders would be more appropriate, similar to the ones in the US. They have good results and instill the same discapline as military service.

No not similar to the ones here... These kids need to have the fear of God put in them, not sit around and watch tv until meal time. I think you have a misconception of our prison system in America. The only thing they worry about here is getting raped in the showers, but now they give them a chem solution that prevents an erection, so no worries really... It's sort of an empty consequence that just breeds more criminal behavior because all they have to do inside is learn from each other better methods of crime

reply to post by TheThirdAdam


He was talking about the option in some prisons in America for younger offenders to endure a military style prison sentence with drill instructors and a strict program.

As for my opinions on national service, it could straigten out some youngsters but it shouldn't be compulsory, it should be decided on by the parents whether they want their children to take part (I'm willing to bet most would).

The thing that struck me upon watching the riots and the interviews with the youth was how thickheaded and insensititive the perpertrators sounded.
Its like its cool now for the youth nowadays to be as ignorant as possible and a s hard as hell.
No art, no inspiration, no nuthin,
Just smash the window get the xbox, get the Big TV , then skulk off into the abyss.
They truly need National Service.

Originally posted by lifeissacred
reply to post by TheThirdAdam

 

He was talking about the option in some prisons in America for younger offenders to endure a military style prison sentence with drill instructors and a strict program.

I was unaware that they did that anywhere other than on TV... I stand corrected

As for my opinions on national service, it could straigten out some youngsters but it shouldn't be compulsory, it should be decided on by the parents whether they want their children to take part (I'm willing to bet most would).

edit on 12-8-2011 by lifeissacred because: (no reason given)

I partially agree with you here, maybe some contingencies having to do with a juvenile record and/or federal benefits/assistance

sry, i know i've put out a ton of typos

reply to post by Dr Expired


While I do think that you have an excellent idea, I think that more than anything what needs to happen (on both sides of the pond) is a justice system that carries real consequences and is not primarily concerned with the money making aspect of it all...

Everyone get fines and/or probation that isn't taken seriously. The last thing they want to do it seems is actually give an offender any hard time because it cost to put someone through the correctional system, wheres the will make money if they give them probation. How do they expect to be taken seriously? Thats how it is here anyway

Originally posted by TheThirdAdam

Originally posted by EvanB
No

The country cannot afford it nor does the PROFFESSIONAL army want it.

Maybe a form of a bootcamp style prison for offenders would be more appropriate, similar to the ones in the US. They have good results and instill the same discapline as military service.

No not similar to the ones here... These kids need to have the fear of God put in them, not sit around and watch tv until meal time. I think you have a misconception of our prison system in America. The only thing they worry about here is getting raped in the showers, but now they give them a chem solution that prevents an erection, so no worries really... It's sort of an empty consequence that just breeds more criminal behavior because all they have to do inside is learn from each other better methods of crime

There are penal bootcamps in the US which have had great success in transforming delinquents lives.

They are prisons, but based on marine/army basic training on steroids! Obviously there is no weapons training, but fitness and total discapline is enforced in much the same lines as a british military prison, where you are up at 5am, on parade by 5.30am for inspection, then PT, group punishment for individual discapline infringements, having to ask permission even to go to the toilet, military drill etc.

They have to make the grade and "graduate" the program, and those who continue to be an asswipe end up doing the program again, getting kept back until they do.

This is what I think is needed with young offenders with a chip on their shoulder. They soon learn discapline and self control, and when they are not being beasted on a run or parade ground, they are having classes on how to conduct their lives, numeracy and literacy what they missed by being asses at school.

You dont graduate the program, you dont go home.. Then after care at home too.. If the parents are morons then they get to do the program too!

no i do not think it would be a good idea ,

just think about it , we take thugs off the street and train them to be a fighting machine and to work in teams.

national service would not change the mind set of these people it would just make them more dangerous
i don,t have the answer but i don,t think it is national service .