Monday, April 05, 2010

If you're not familiar with it, in Britain the Victoria Cross

is equivalent to our Medal of Honor; being awarded it generally means you've done something of the sort that may cause someone to ask "Excuse me, can I get you a wheelbarrow to help carry your testicles?" Courageous, disciplined, 'get the job done no matter the cost'-type soldiers. So to piss off a VC holder enough to make him do this... well, that's gotta really sting.
Johnson Beharry, Britain's highest decorated serving soldier, refused to shake Gordon Brown's hand in a protest during a state ceremony.
...
He said that Mr Brown had not looked him or any other servicemen in the eye at a reception in Downing Street in November 2008.

Then in Westminster Abbey during the Remembrance Day service last November he said the Prime Minister was “fidgeting and moving” during the two minute silence.

“I've got head and back injuries that put me back in hospital in a lot of pain quite regularly, so if I could do it there's no reason he couldn't," he said. "It was very rude.

“I was absolutely furious with him. All that was going through my head was to knock him out.

“So on the official line-up that time, I decided I'd get his attention and let him know how I felt
.
Well, I think he knows now. As to whether he actually cares, that's a different matter, but he knows.


Found at Theo's

1 comment:

skidmark said...

"Downing Street last night said Mr Brown was "seriously concerned" about L/Cpl Beharry's comments and had immediately written to him.

His spokesman said: "The Prime Minister has the utmost respect and admiration for Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, who has shown great courage.

"Mr Brown has written a personal letter to Johnson Beharry this evening to reassure him of his personal admiration and the great respect in which he is held by the whole country."

So the dipstick still does not get it.

If the VC is indeed akin to the MoH then it is not something which one "earns" but rather something awarded in recognition of actions well above the call of duty. The two persons awarded the MoH that I have been privileged to speak with have stated that they consider it something more than a personal decoration.

Given that I know next to nothing about Mr. Brown's politics or behaviors towards the British military I will take L/Cpl Johnson Beharry's word. Thus, the snub was truely the act of a gentleman. May he prosper and live well.

stay safe.