It is not this case that I am being specific about. Yes it is wrong of the bar manager in this case to stop men and women in uniform entry.
However we unfortunately live in a
PR focused world. That
PR has to managed in a very clever way. At the moment the military are riding a wave of public support, and as much as I dislike the 'Red top' papers, a lot of this is thanks to them. There is also the sterling effort of Ross Kemp and others that have made the military mission part of the nations living room. The efforts and respect of the people of Wooton Basset have also put the sad result of war into the nations cohesive bowl of cereal in a way that no media hack could manage.
What worries me is that one day, the medja darlings will grow tired of the loyal support that they are showing. That one day we will see headlines saying 'So What' etc.
The media has a dreadful record of turning on those that it had 'big upped' only months before. Anyone who does not believe that the media control's the masses and also in many ways this country is a fool. The govt play up to popular opinion like puppies learning a new trick.
It is a sick and disgusting way for a country to be run, yet alone the United Kingdom. But it is something that the men and women in the forces have to deal with, as well as the rest of us, both ex forces and those that we protect /protected ( I am sure still would).
The Sun will report the debacle of members of an attached group to a Cdo unit pi$$ing on each other in Norway just as easily as it will report on a Cdo units heroic 60km advance to contact in Afghanistan (not properly reported nationaly, anyone who read that edition of the Globe and Laurel will know just how impressive that one op was, just like many that all UK land forces complete ever month).
The media is a double edged sword that I do not believe that can be tamed.
Reports of squaddies getting shunned by publicans may enrage us, but these reports need to be carefully monitored before the military story get's stale.