I don't care 'whether constitutional monarchy is the most appropriate form of government' - I was talking about the jubilee. It wasn't an assessment, it was two sentences. I don't hate the monarchy, as I said. Regarding what the role entails, last time I checked, she wasn't literally dodging bullets. :tongue: I think you've misunderstood me. I simply don't believe she is magical and does her job against all odds - it has some perks. My 'assessment' was simply a way to explain my position. She does do a job, yes - but it isn't the hardest job in the world. She doesn't run around like Rambo and fight wars single-handed. Considering the job they do, a soldier earns very little. She gets a castle. At night, she has a warm bed to sleep in. Simply, she has guaranteed comfort. I don't hate politicians and they do an important job, but they don't get huge parties. The police do a good job, but they don't live in a castle - they lose their jobs. That's her reward for doing the job. I understand the role of royalty, but they shouldn't be thought of as god-like. It's as ridiculous as the worship of Lady Gaga or anyone else.
When I hear a hard-working, single mother saying that someone with a crown is better than her own child - it makes me sad. That woman is brain-washed by all this jubilee nonsense. Yes, she does a job. So what? It's an excuse for a party - that's fine. That's all it should be. The Shakespeare Festival (and other events) didn't get as much publicity as this - it should have. It's when you put one person on a pedestal that harm is done. A supermodel is seen in every magazine, by every girl. That girl then feels ugly because she isn't pencil-thin. That mother felt the same about the jubilee. She said something along the lines of, "The royalty are better than us, you're just a working-class girl, sweetheart." Whatever you may think, I'm not against the monarchy. I'm against the glorification of people born with lots of money, horses and carriages. For that mother and daughter, the celebrations are little more than salt in the wound of their poor existence. When Windsor Castle is your weekend home, you're already living a fairytale existence and can live without Grace Jones and her hula-hoop.
That's all I'm saying. I'm not suggesting a revolution, I simply don't agree that they 'deserve' these huge celebrations when they work as hard as lots of people. As I've said, I don't hate the monarchy. But personally, I can't get excited about the celebrations when I have seen the negative impact of them, fail to see the reason for royal-worship and dislike parties. :smile: