Quote:
Originally Posted by Smidgey
Many of those dictators arose in states with checks and balances. To presume that a monarchy will somehow prevent dictators from gaining power is rather naive.
The monarch does not represent me.
My relatives died in both of the World Wars. My grandfather was a Royal Engineer who was shot in the head in North Africa (luckily he survived to live out the rest of his war days in an Italian PoW camp). He was a republican all his life, does he not deserve the same accolades? I also find it quite absurd that the defenders of freedom are dying for a man in a funny hat. My relatives who died fought for freedom and nothing less!
I don't know why you mention patriotism either. Patriotism is not such a great thing if it is brought under the auspices of fascism (such as Hitler's Germany) or under communism (such as Stalinist Russia). Patriotism is a very dangerous double edged sword. I much prefer the old dictum of that great man of freedom, Benjamin Franklin:
"Wherever there is liberty, that is my country."
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Very nice quote there, I have heard it man many times expecially by my pompus American friend to expalin "THAT EVERYBODY IS AN AMERICAN WHO BELIEVES IN FREEDOM" which I see as a very dull approach to ones pride a service to country. I am glad your grandfather fought for mine and your freedom as did my gradfather. Its true you dont have to be a Monarchist to fight for your country in liberty we find the willingness to fight. However I was talking more about the Veterans we have today; do you really think they would have connected better with a corrupt, adultering, power-lusful money-grabbing politician or rather the 81 year old woman who has pusher and forcer her life and soul into the job which killed her father and which keeps Britain unique in the world of many many failed or failing Republics.....BRITAIN HAS NEVER FAILED FROM WITHIN ITSELF AND NEVER WILL (unless people like you take the populace), I will be willing to defend freedom and fight for a woman who has inspired me so much to put my duty first and my slef second; no matter how hard the task in hand. Did Bill Clinton among other world presidents do that NO, what do they do? they give up. When it all gets hard they resign and leave all the preasure of the public behind. Her Majesty the Queen has put up with pull and plunder from the public and still soldiers on; would you be still head of 16 states if you were 81 I DOUBT. "I have given this more thought than most people and I have reached my own conculdion:
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!"