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[Jan Deal]

Pfft, what Cameron should be banging on about is the combined horrors of asylum seekers and the euro. He'll be losing his core electorate at this rate.

[daveofficer]

joining the hitler youth was voluntary at first and had the same goals as this scheme. obviously i'm not suggesting david cameron is anything like hitler but it's a funny wording he's using about it being national citizen service and bringing back pride in their country

anyway, the guardian has edited the initial story into two seperate ones so here's a more relevant link to the national service bit:

Cameron unveils national service plan for 16-year-olds | Special Reports | Guardian Unlimited Politics

i can see what they're trying to do but i really think they've shot themselves in the foot before it's even begun by calling it national citizen service as it is a bit too close to national service. also there's no point banging on about it being voluntary dave and then talking about courts ordering people to do it. although i guess they voluntarily did they crime so that might amount to volunteering for national service right?

also if it's the same as duke of edinburgh then it's entirely pointless. if we've already got a perfectly good scheme in place for young people to get out and about and get new experiences then why do we need a new one? from what i can tell though it's not like duke of edinburgh which is more about hiking and outdoor pursuits rather than military training and helping old people.

although there are other options apart from the military ones do you really think that any kids are going to volunteer to give up their summer holidays to do old peoples shopping when they could be training with the army and playing with big guns? cameron did well to begin with but he's dangerously close to slipping into tory of old and being out of touch with the kids.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by daveofficer

i can see what they're trying to do but i really think they've shot themselves in the foot before it's even begun by calling it national citizen service as it is a bit too close to national service. also there's no point banging on about it being voluntary dave and then talking about courts ordering people to do it. although i guess they voluntarily did they crime so that might amount to volunteering for national service right?

I don't think they've announced that as one of the aims of the project. That's just me speculating on ways that it may be useful in terms of reducing delinquency and offering options to teenage criminals. It doesn't really matter what they call it either, they may as well be honest about what they're doing rather than try to spin it.

Originally Posted by daveofficer

also if it's the same as duke of edinburgh then it's entirely pointless. if we've already got a perfectly good scheme in place for young people to get out and about and get new experiences then why do we need a new one? from what i can tell though it's not like duke of edinburgh which is more about hiking and outdoor pursuits rather than military training and helping old people.

The Duke of Edinburgh scheme has many different facets, some of which are reflected in Cameron's plan. I think it would be unrealistic to expect the DOE organisers to deal with an extra 650,000 participants a year, they simply don't have the resources or manpower to do so.

Originally Posted by daveofficer

although there are other options apart from the military ones do you really think that any kids are going to volunteer to give up their summer holidays to do old peoples shopping when they could be training with the army and playing with big guns? cameron did well to begin with but he's dangerously close to slipping into tory of old and being out of touch with the kids.

From what I can tell from the advance reports of Cameron's official announcement this afternoon, the army will be involved in survival training, hill climbing and other outdoor pursuits. They're not going to put the participants through boot camp. It looks like the scheme will touch upon many different aspects of volunteerism and life experience, and I don't see why the Conservatives should be condemned for offering this opportunity to thousands of people who would otherwise never have imagined devoting some of their time to help others and to get involved in their community in a positive way.

As for Cameron being out of touch with "the kids", I'm pretty sure he can live with that. He's trying to become the Prime Minister of the whole country, not just pander to a single demographic. This policy is going to down very well in parts of society that have been seriously damaged by youth crime and the poor standard of education, training and community involvement children get these days. It's a bold move, and there's definitely votes in it.

[Hogisbald]

Cameron is clutching at straws.

[Frosty Jack]

Originally Posted by Dave

He's trying to become the Prime Minister of the whole country, not just pander to a single demographic.

Exactly, he's trying to pander to as many demographics as he can. This just sounds like another scheme that he thinks people want to hear. In this case he wants it sound like National Service to please the 'old guard', whilst softening it up for the more liberal members by saying it will actually help the elderly, the third world etc.

This policy is going to down very well in parts of society that have been seriously damaged by youth crime...

It'll go down well alright, but it will do absolutely no good whatsoever. If it's voluntary, then it will be similar to the Duke of Edinburgh award. And who does the DoE? The good kids. The Head Boys, the scout leaders, the Oxbridge prospectives etc. How many trainee drug runners in Torry are going to hold off on robbing their neighbours house so they can volunteer with the elderly? None. If Cameron wants to set up a scheme to do that, it's going to have to be compulsory. But he's too chicken to go that far.
It's bollocks.

[get lost]

I must be getting old, but there is no solution out there for any of our so called Youth Problems, however, castration seen like a good idea to me, Young People as in 12-25yrs just annoy me, sorry

[Shaki]

Originally Posted by get lost

I must be getting old, but there is no solution out there for any of our so called Youth Problems, however, castration seen like a good idea to me, Young People as in 12-25yrs just annoy me, sorry

I am 26 but I must admit I was a right annoying cunt until my last birthday, almost cut my own balls off, glad I didn't now.

Idiots are breeding more than any other group of people. That is the fundamental problem in this country. If you don't think you're an idiot - have kids for the sake of the nation.

[KimyReizeger]

Originally Posted by Shaki

I am 26 but I must admit I was a right annoying cunt until my last birthday, almost cut my own balls off, glad I didn't now.
.

Hehehe. I'm twenty and I've got a knife ready just now. How can I make it through the next five years?

[Alkaline]

Originally Posted by KimyReizeger

Hehehe. I'm twenty and I've got a knife ready just now. How can I make it through the next five years?

Don't. End it now.

[Jake Wifebeater]

Originally Posted by Alkaline

Don't. End it now.

Arf! And this being National Suicide Prevention Week.