British military still using real Canadian bear fur in funny hats

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British military still using real Canadian bear fur in funny hats

 

Over the past 30 years, Britain's Ministry of Defense has gradually replaced

animal furs in ceremonial uniforms -- e.g., leopard-skin hats for military

drummers -- with synthetics. But so far nothing has beaten real Canadian bear

pelts for those goofy tall hats worn by Britain's red-coated Royal Foot Guards.

" Bear fur is technologically very challenging, " says Col. Silas Suchanek, who

procures clothing at the ministry, because it's actually three kinds of hair,

each contributing to the hat's spiffy appearance and durable performance. PETA

has been hounding the military to go cold turkey on bearskin -- even supplying

it with two faux-fur samples. The ministry fashioned them into hats and

goose-stepped them out for trial runs, but says they've proved unacceptable.

Suchanek counsels patience, saying, " You can't just go equip 4,000 soldiers with

plastic bear fur. " But PETA remains irate. " The Ministry of Defense has nuclear

submarines and satellite-guided missiles, " says a member. " It's within their

capabilities to find a synthetic bear fur. "

 

 

straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Michaels, 18 Oct 2005

(access ain't free)

 

The propagandist's purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain

other

sets of people are human: Aldous Huxley