Well, well, well. We never thought we’d see the day when a (latter day) Pope inspected the military. We’re gobsmacked.
What were they thinking?
glass central canberra
a renegade site for today’s thinking studio glass artist
I yeild to no-one in my contempt for WYD and the fawning coverage of it..
BUT…
He is a visiting head of state as well as the pope.
So technically he was inspecting his honour guard, not our military.
Small comfort in a bad week I know.
Yes, well I know all that , and I know that the Federation Guard is largely ceremonial. And I don’t have any WYD objections per se, other than the goopy smiles-on-steroids mentality (these guys are worse than the Hari Krishnas – can we charge them with annoying singing and bongo playing in the street?)
But there’s something inherently wrong with a church leader inspecting troops. Does he make a habit of it elsewhere (other than the Vatican – where he can presumably inspect the Swiss Guard to his heart’s desire.) n(Ed)
When it’s a State visit he would be.
Well, if you think about it, when would a visit of the Pope not be a State visit. I don’t imagine he’s ever just packed his budgie smugglers and slipped quietly into Oz for a holiday… n(Ed)
I’m on a mission now. I want pictures of him doing it elsewhere. The last time he (as in the Papal Father, not this particular one) was seen with so many uniforms was probably back in Germany circa late 1930′s…
n(Ed)
This particular one too.
A State visit has to be agreed by both sides. Heads of State often nip in without the hoopla, particularly for conferences.
Pictures, Johnboy! Pictures!
Let’s not argue the toss over the the status of the visit. You are right, of course, about the State blah.
But I want images of the Pope inspecting troops (can anyone out there oblige?) – whether elsewhere or here in Oz during previous visits. It sends shivers up me spine (and not of ecstasy.)
n(Ed)
Maybe the Pope just loves a man in uniform? – he has to get his jollies where he can – with all the media scrutiny on kiddy fiddling – he can probably only afford furtive sideways glances
As a firmly lapsed catholic I am very grateful that he’s gone back where he came from!
http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/nov/06pope3.htm
since the advent of internet, blogs such as this have caused our country incredible embarrassment, as its citizens demonstrate their ignorance to the world.
Ooh lovely, we got us a bite!
Thanks, Vince, for the link. But fair dinkum, where do you stand on the moral implications of the Pope inspecting a military guard? n(Ed)
[...] We have nowhere near the objection to this as we had to the other. [...]
Actually Vince, it doesn’t appear that John Paul is particularly enjoying the experience, and the article observes that he abandoned the inspection quite abruptly. Perhaps he was tired, perhaps he was ill, perhaps he was reluctant to involve himself in a military spectacle. We will never know what he muttered to Vajpayee and Sonia, but it could very well have been – “Madonna, get me out of here.”
Besides, I’m not sure that the ubiquitous airport welcome mat quite counts…
Any more snaps out there? n(Ed)