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British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 10:29 pm
by Captain Seafort
Beeb
Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne has been dubbed a racist by a heckler in the BBC's Question Time audience.
It came during a debate on the BBC One programme over the defence treaties which have been signed by the UK and French governments.
He said British soldiers would not need to speak French, wear onions round their necks or striped T-shirts following the move.
An audience member shouted: "ooh racist" at the MP as he spoke.
The Liberal Democrat minister had said: "We're not merging our Army with France. Our soldiers won't be required to speak French or wear onions round their necks or stripey t-shirts, or ride bicycles.
"Don't believe every thing you read in the newspapers."
Unlike the Beeb, I'm not convinced that the heckler wasn't taking the piss.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:26 am
by Mikey
How could anyone assume he wasn't?
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 3:16 am
by Nutso
How could anyone not laugh? Except Jeremy Browne. I guess he wouldn't think it was funny.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 12:15 pm
by SolkaTruesilver
What's this thing with onions and the French military?
I've seen something like that in Monty Python, referencing onions and the French. Never understood what was so funny about it.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:31 pm
by Deepcrush
Wow, so you're a racist if you want to keep your military as your own??? Its nice to see the hippies picking their battles over worthy causes.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:33 pm
by Tyyr
I wasn't aware that, "French" was a race.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:42 pm
by SolkaTruesilver
Deepcrush wrote:Wow, so you're a racist if you want to keep your military as your own??? Its nice to see the hippies picking their battles over worthy causes.
I think the comment was more about the remark about having to wear stupid stripy shirts and wearing onions around the necks, than the fact that the countries keep separated militaries, which as pretty stupid stereotypes.
You know, just in case you missed it.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:49 pm
by Deepcrush
No I didn't miss it... that was part of the joke.
Punch line, clothing is now its own race...
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:52 pm
by SolkaTruesilver
Deepcrush wrote:No I didn't miss it... that was part of the joke.
Punch line, clothing is now its own race...
You do raise a good point. It's not "racism", but it's definetly a form of bigotry based on ethnicity/culture/nationality. (I mention "ethnicity" because of the difference of cultural heritage between UK and France, Saxon/Latin)
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 3:11 pm
by Nutso
SolkaTruesilver wrote:What's this thing with onions and the French military?
I've seen something like that in Monty Python, referencing onions and the French. Never understood what was so funny about it.
Onions have layers, the French have layers.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 5:15 pm
by SolkaTruesilver
Nutso wrote:SolkaTruesilver wrote:What's this thing with onions and the French military?
I've seen something like that in Monty Python, referencing onions and the French. Never understood what was so funny about it.
Onions have layers, the French have layers.
...?
I really don't get it apparently.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 5:21 pm
by Sonic Glitch
SolkaTruesilver wrote:Nutso wrote:SolkaTruesilver wrote:What's this thing with onions and the French military?
I've seen something like that in Monty Python, referencing onions and the French. Never understood what was so funny about it.
Onions have layers, the French have layers.
...?
I really don't get it apparently.
I believe it is a reference to Dreamwork's
Shrek movie
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 5:23 pm
by SolkaTruesilver
Sonic Glitch wrote:SolkaTruesilver wrote:
...?
I really don't get it apparently.
I believe it is a reference to Dreamwork's
Shrek movie
I see.
The whole "layer" joke is completely lost on me, apparently. I never understood what was the point of the joke. What's supposed to be so funny about layers?
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 6:10 pm
by Mark
Yeah, I don't get it either.
Re: British army not required to wear onions
Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 8:39 pm
by IanKennedy
SolkaTruesilver wrote:What's this thing with onions and the French military?
I've seen something like that in Monty Python, referencing onions and the French. Never understood what was so funny about it.
