The Economist ~ Vindication

Day 1,158, 10:58 • Published in United Kingdom United Kingdom • by Spite313


vin·di·ca·tion (vnd-kshn)
n.
1. The act of vindicating or condition of being vindicated.
2. The defense, such as evidence or argument, that serves to justify a claim or deed.


Dear friends,

I am writing to you today merely to state some facts. Some months ago, a group of TUP ex-army members decided to make a militia. They called it Camelot, invoking the name of a similar initiative led by myself in my youth. The purpose of the organisation was to allow those citizens with less commitment to the whole “fighting culture” of the army continue to support the UK in battle. It differed in several ways from the army, both in organisation and supply. Instead of giving soldiers on IRC a standard kit for turning up, it worked as a food commune. Thus, you work, the food you produce is recorded and “banked” and you can withdraw the food in your account at any time.

At the time, it seemed to me to be an excellent idea. Firstly, older players would be able to participate without having to join the army (which many of them disliked for whatever reason). Secondly, less active players could join and wouldn’t lose out on their productivity simply because they didn’t come on IRC every day.

Others didn’t see that way. Camelot were accused of creating a TUP Army. They were asked and badgered about why they felt alienated by the army. Accusations of an intrinsic bias against TUP and in favour of right wing parties were laughed at by various figures and after over ten pages of angry thread the issue was left to die.

Today, a message was received by a new recruit to the army from Lt Col Simon Hind, a UKRP member. I could describe the message, but I’ll let you see it for yourselves.


right click, view image to enlarge

Oh dear, it looks like somebody did a boo boo. As you well know, the army is apolitical (on paper at least). It seems like this one PM has shown that the so-called irrelevant concerns of the Camelot people were entirely vindicated. How many such PMs were sent is thus far unknown, but the point is that the first thing new TUP/RFA/PCP/BDP members see when they sign up is a message telling them “90% of the army is in UKRP” and that joining that party is part of the recruitment procedure for the army.

This is unacceptable

The first action of any government would be to immediately demote Lt Col Simon Hind from the position of responsibility which they have abused. Apparently this has not happened- in fact absolutely nothing has happened.

Normally I wouldn’t publish an article like this, but since the government is unwilling or unable to act I have done so. I don’t accuse the army or our friends the UK Reform Party of being involved- thus far it is the act of an individual. But once the army starts protecting people who break the rules with such negative effects, it becomes an issue for national concern. If the current MoHA, Mr Woldy, were to send PMs in his position as MoHA telling citizens to join the forums, get involved on IRC and Join TUP as part of their first days in the game he would likely end up fired.

Double standards like this have haunted the army for months now. I hope that army command and our President take action to make sure that appropriate action is taken, or more and more people will see the army as being an intrinsically biased organisation.

Yours,

Angry of Tunbridge Wells.