The Political Thread

[Frank]

The YES campaign are standing on a platform of chocolate ice cream for everyone if the referendum goes their way (currently unfunded), but the No campaign are indulging in the politics of fear by assuring everyone that independence will mean earlier bedtimes and more homework.

[Professor Bear]

I think 18 is fine? Gawd help us, but 16-year olds are being encouraged to vote in our (oor) Independence Referendum, and campaigners will say that this makes sense because - amongst other things - you can get married at 16, and drive at 17.

Once you turn 16, you're fair game to go abroad and kill "our" enemies and then come home and become a mentally-traumatised junkie living under a bridge and being pissed on by drunks - it's only fair you have a say in any political entity that would do this to you.  I know consistency is a bit of an ask of the political classes much like fairness, a backbone and self-awareness is, but either you are old enough to assume your rights as a citizen or you aren't, and being legally allowed to murder someone for reasons of economics must surely be the last thing you're allowed to do rather than the first?

[Fungus]

I think 18 is fine? Gawd help us, but 16-year olds are being encouraged to vote in our (oor) Independence Referendum, and campaigners will say that this makes sense because - amongst other things - you can get married at 16, and drive at 17.

Once you turn 16, you're fair game to go abroad and kill "our" enemies and then come home and become a mentally-traumatised junkie living under a bridge and being pissed on by drunks - it's only fair you have a say in any political entity that would do this to you.  I know consistency is a bit of an ask of the political classes much like fairness, a backbone and self-awareness is, but either you are old enough to assume your rights as a citizen or you aren't.

16 is too young to fight in wars. You're a wean.

(Edit for clarity: Agreed, and soldiering should therefore not be an option. Funny that this point is one you don't seem to hear).

[Professor Bear]

I am of a similar opinion that 17 is too young to own or drive a car, but the economic impact of denying such a "right" outweighs the concerns of the five people who die every day on the UK's roads.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Just to point out a fact, 18 is the age upon which a member of the British Armed Forces is allowed to fight on the front line, unless you know something different!

[Fungus]

Fair enough, that wasn't a distinction made when I looked this up.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Not having a go at you Fungus, rather the previous post!

[Professor Bear]

Leave Fungus alone, you.

Enlistment for the UK armed forces is from age 16 - though I take your point how if you want to legally kill anyone in the army before you're 18 you have to bully them into doing the deed themselves.

[Hawkmumbler]

Just to point out a fact, 18 is the age upon which a member of the British Armed Forces is allowed to fight on the front line, unless you know something different!

I still consider 18 to fragile and age to be sending young boys into life changing circumstances. But I haven't done a days marching in my life so i'm in no position to be in opposition.

[The Legendary Shark]

Let's raise the minimum recruitment age to 25 - see how many people we can get to go off and kill other people then. On the plus side, recruits would be really keen by that age and also have (maybe) enough life experience under their belts to be more discerning killers. On the downside I suppose they'd be harder to train and physically unfit.
.
Or we could stop declaring war on countries and try declaring peace instead.
.
Or we could build bigger bombs.
.
Or I could shut up.

[ZenArcade]

All national armies should do what the Romans in the early-mid republic did. That is have a levy of the enfranchised population and select on the basis of who had the most property (that is a vested interest in defending the state). I doubt the monied classes nowadays would share the Romans sense of societal cohesion in sending brave and idealistic young men and women off to war; or if they did they'd be a bit more circumspect in where and when. Z

[TordelBack]

Both 5th C BC Athens and Sparta barred military service until age 20 (although Spartans started training at 7), which when you think about the average Classical life expectancy (at age 15) being around 50 gives you some idea of how odd it is that today we send 18 year-olds out to die professionally, when life expectancy at birth is around 80.  Hell of a lot to lose on the basis of choices made in your mid-teens.

[The Legendary Shark]

If wars were only fought by old men, the world would be a peaceful place and Pat Mills would have to write about the Arthritic, Befuddled, Choleric Warriors...
.

[Trout]

Let's raise the minimum fighting age to never.

[Frank]

Let's raise the minimum fighting age to never

Canadian.