Of all the many exciting, terrifying, celebratory, confusing, and frustrating images to come out of the recent demonstrations and marches, the pictures of non-military men carrying weapons and wearing camouflage are perhaps the most upsetting.
I can’t stop thinking about how their pants and shirts have been coopted to send negative messages. In particular, some of the trappings of the military have been misused to become indicative of something less noble, and less reliable, and less respectable than legitimate uniforms.
When I think of camouflage I think first of hunters. In Canada, where I live, there are many people who hunt for sport and for food. Their hunting is restricted by national and local laws, the number of creatures killed is limited, and the duration of the hunting season is quite specific. Those who hunt in the rural countryside and the forests often wear camouflage. That makes sense. The various shades of green allow them to blend in with their surroundings so that they can hide from their prey.
When soldiers wear camouflage they wear shades of green in forests and shades of beige in deserts. Like hunters, they want to disguise their presence. They haven’t yet come up with a suitable camouflage for urban warfare, so we often see them wearing green camo in situations where a t-shirt and jeans would probably provide better cover.
When I see people out and about wearing military-style clothing, I wonder why. Perhaps they are veterans, and perhaps they are simply supportive of the military, but often I think they are just misfits. They want to be as brave, as disciplined, as well-respected as the military, and the clothing is an expression not only of respect but also of envy. No one is going to thank them for their service, but they can be held in awe if they put up a bold front.
Those people wearing khaki t-shirts and camo pants are not normally a problem. They have chosen a clothing style that suits them, and that’s OK. It becomes troubling, though, when they add weaponry and combat vests to their wardrobe. These men (and occasionally women) who we see strutting around the fringes of the recent demonstrations scare me more than even the vandals and looters.
When interviewed, they claim to be protecting the demonstrators and/or property. I’m sure they believe that. The trouble is, they are terrifying. I don’t know if they realize that most of us don’t find their presence reassuring at all.
These guys with guns and military gear come across as just more angry guys with no organizational structure and no discipline. The last thing we need tagging on to a social revolution is an uncontrolled army of guys with guns.
The military-style clothing that they wear has been misappropriated. It does not serve to conceal them but rather to make them stand out. Similarly, their purpose is not for sport, or sustenance, or defense, or any acceptable military goal. Instead, they are there to exert power and control over people who don’t have weapons. That’s it.
Without their guns, what do we have? Just a few men with self-esteem issues wearing environmentally inappropriate clothing.
*****
Edit to add:
Here is an interesting article about the use of camouflage and the lack of identification of various forces currently being utilized in the United States. Federal Agents Don’t Need Army Fatigues.
Snowbird of Paradise 
It has been many years since I lived anywhere close to where people went hunting for animals. However I do recall that hunters were told to wear something bright on their clothing so they would not be mistaken for an animal by other hunters. I believe this may have been in days before camouflage was a ‘thing’! And now it has become a fashion statement for some. Words fail me.
You inspired me to check it out and you are quite right. Deer hunters are expected to wear bright orange in the US. Deer can’t distinguish colours, but people can! There are no clothing colour requirements in Alberta.
I, too, am a bit baffled by the use of camouflage as a fashion statement. I suspect it has a lot to do with the respect shown to soldiers returning from overseas service.
This begs the question that if bright orange must be worn by deer hunters in the US in order to prevent accidental shootings and that is not required in Alberta, which country has smarter hunters? Maybe US hunters just shoot at anything that moves without really observing prior to shooting?
Wearing camouflage clothing as a sign of respect or envy? I have heard comments about how cool it is to wear it but that is from teens buying for the fashion.
Now I’m wondering how many accidental shootings there are in Alberta. I don’t think we can claim any more wisdom!
Where does that teenage fashion trend come from, I wonder? Has it been promoted by clothing designers? I have so many questions.
Heh heh! Have I opened a can of worms? Oh, we could go fishing! Yes, many questions indeed pop up!
I’m fairly certain that those guys with guns don’t feel any kinship with these camo-wearing folks:
https://fashionista.com/2019/02/nyfw-fall-2019-trend-camo-print
Oh My! I would think the models would be embarrassed to be dressed like that. How do they know how to wear those multiple layers? What do I put on first anyhow? LOL Indeed no kinship! I must be aging fast as I find nothing attractive about those outfits at all. But then the ‘high’ fashion displays often leave me cold.
Yes, I have a hunch we are not the target audience.
It just dawned on me that the popularity of camouflage might be as a consequence of people watching exciting war movies. There have been many of them in the last few decades (since the Vietnam War) that involved a lot of images of men in camo.
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls000942316/
sorry, I think I accidentally unfollowed you while clicking on something – hence, I re-followed you (in case you are wondering why that is)
Thank you for re-following! I appreciate that.
I would not miss your connection and posts!
🙂 Thank you!
It speaks to the effectiveness of the opposition that while I’ve seen the photograph of the three armed protesters a dozen times all ready, this is the first time I have seen it without the guns being swapped for dildos. I have no doubt, too, that the swapped version will probably follow them throughout their lives.
Haha. That is funny, Tref. And sad, too.
Sad … hmmm, no. They went out dressed for combat. They knew what they were doing. They wanted to intimidate. To bully. But it didn’t work out they way they thought. And that is the consequence of a doing such a foolish thing. Their kids and their kids kids will all know the dildo photo.
Let’s hope they learn from their comeuppance.