[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by MellySingsDoom

SuchFriends - Members of the Commonwealth are NOT British! They all have independence from us, by and large.

EDIT - For example, Australia is not a Republic, so it still technically "British". Having said that, try telling that to your average Australian, and see what answer you get back.

 

Kenya

 

Uganda


yeah, explain to me how that is NOT British?

Originally Posted by Glice

Not a hard-and-fast rule, but I've noticed that the closer you are to London, London-Satellites (Brighton, Oxford and the like) or fake London (I'm looking at you, Melly - Saarf Lahndaahn my eye) the more likely you are to be a royalist; conversely, if you're in Manchester, Liverpool, further North or Scotland you're increasingly less likely to support the Royalty. You could say that the likelehood of support for the Monarchy is proportional to the distance from the centre of London.

Again, this is a slightly convulted equation - there's still families in Sheffield whose families' lives were made very difficult by William of Orange, and your average British Catholic is still bitter about the James II affair (and, obviously, that's to say nothing of the feelings of the Scottish, Irish, Welsh or Cornish).

Personally, the reason I'd support a referendum on the Monarchy is because I think the history of Britain is vicously entangled in not just the narrative of the Monarchy (I'd say Henry VIII or Victoria are as much part of the British folk-myth as Avalon, Gawain or Arthur are) but the narrative of the law of the land, proceeding from Roman occupation (or further back) through to parliamentary inteventions (your Georges, Victorias...). I know the Queen's position is, legally, pretty much a sinecure, but I believe that the alleged obselescence of a custom is not enough to dismiss it outright (we still say 'bless you' when we sneeze, we still have knives to the right...).

Just to make absolutely clear - I'm not a monarchist, I'm a benign observer who happens to be British. And besides which, they simply don't make celebrities like Prince Philip. He's a bumbling posh buffoon with iffy views, but I'd definitely watch him if he had a chat show.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Glice again.

[MellySingsDoom]

Originally Posted by Glice

Not a hard-and-fast rule, but I've noticed that the closer you are to London, London-Satellites (Brighton, Oxford and the like) or fake London (I'm looking at you, Melly - Saarf Lahndaahn my eye)

I burst into tears when I read this. You do realise that I'm as real as Dick van Dyke and Danny Dyer when it comes to real London?

Good lawd, if it's not Such Friends telling me off, it's you. Can I take this dunce cap off now, and stop standing in the corner?

[jon boy]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

evidence for your point is easy to find, just get some financial data, where as the inference I have made is not so overt.

I don't have so much evidence to support something so obvious. The monarchy is a potent symbol of British identity, if not at home for the pissed of youth, definitely abroad for the members of the Commonwealth. This is particular in places like Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and also Jamaica, Trinidad and St Lucia, all places where I know people who testify accordingly.\

Again, as I said before, in the US there are no apolitical symbolic figureheads, it is just politricksters, and this creates an environment of division. At least the common experience of the monarchy adds a paternalistic (well in this instance maternalistic) flavor which adds common ground.

the monarch to me means no such thing and has not done in england for quite sometime. you are talking out of your bottom hole as usual.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by jon boy

the monarch to me means no such thing and has not done in england for quite sometime. you are talking out of your bottom hole as usual.

The Constitution is a load of shit as well, but for millions of Americans it is a potent symbol of their American identity. I am very very sure that for many Brits, the monarchy is equally that symbol, but I doubt there will be much sympathy amongst this board. However, with an open mind, you will see what I am talking about is rather correct. I am not making a morality call about it, I personally think that Queen as as full of shit as anybody, but regardless of that fact, I do believe that for many people she is factor of common experience and mutual identity.

[This Is Not Here]

Ha ha, remember this one, good debatin' times.