According to the Sun reported on the 2nd local time, the fire department across the United Kingdom spent 17,000 pounds (about 135,000 yuan) to recolor the fire truck and paint it as a rainbow color symbolizing LGBTQ+ (sexual minorities, including gay, bisexual and transgender).
According to the report, since 2017, the fire and rescue departments in many parts of the United Kingdom have agreed to the proposal to paint fire trucks rainbow-colored in order to show "inclusiveness" in recruitment.
The Oxfordshire Fire Department spent £4,320 (about 34,300 yuan) to finish the colouring, the highest of any county in the UK; Dorset and Wiltshire spent £3,390 (about 26,900 yuan); Suffolk spent £2,284 (about 18,100 yuan).
The relevant person in charge of Oxfordshire said that painting an old car achieved the goal of "equality, diversity and inclusion"; Dorset and Wilt also believe that this approach was chosen to promote inclusion. In 2022/2023, the budget for the "discoloration" of fire trucks will continue to rise.
"Inclusion" is also reflected in other aspects, with more than £35,000 spent across the UK on promotional products related to LGBTQ+ groups, such as the Rainbow Flag.
Yesterday, the news caused a spit on overseas social media, and many netizens criticized that the government was wasting money by doing so, "What color is the fire truck that people who make distress calls will pay attention to?" "Obviously, you can use this money to hire an extra firefighter, but they use it to change the color of the car," some netizens angrily rebuked, "The fire department should apologize."
Tom Ryan, from a local think tank, complained, "[The government] has deceived taxpayers in pursuit of the so-called 'right,' and fire captains must realize that the expensive rainbow shape (fire truck) does nothing to save people." They should focus on fighting fires, not on cultural warfare. ”
According to the Daily Mail, the rainbow flag is a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, and at the beginning of this year, hospitals belonging to the Uk's National Health Service (NHS) were exposed to spend tens of thousands of pounds during the epidemic to paint the sidewalks in front of hospitals rainbow-colored, citing "inclusiveness". Some parliamentarians bluntly said that this money should have been spent more on patients.
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