An Example To Follow

[Coldicote]

When I hear of other countries ruled by dictatorships and rebels trying to overthrow regimes, it makes me think how fortunate we are having a widely respected constitutional monarch as Head of State and a government formed by general elections at 5-year intervals (possibly less). What do your think are the main values of our system?

[Zacs-Master]

Being able to post questions such as yours.

[Hopkirk]

The monarchy is just a soap opera surely.

They have absolutely no say in the way the country is run.

(Well I know technically they have, but if that power was exercised, the government would change the law quickly to remove it)

[rojash]

"What do your think are the main values of our system?"

The ability to persuade the populace that a little old German lady and her Danish/Greek husband have some kind of relevance to the way the country is run.

[factor-fiction]

Stability/continuity. An example of loyalty, dedication and service

[emmie]

that people can denigrate them without their heads being lopped off.
Personally i admire the Queen, she has been a shining example of dedication and selfless devotion to duty, and there are very people that can say that. As to the rudeness of some to slight her, well they are presumably anti monarchy, and perhaps wish we had a President to stand over us. God save the Queen.

[emmie]

I wish she had more powers, then perhaps we could see some undesirables shifted from these shores. Those who seem to hate it here, yet happily accept all that is on offer. If it had been Elizabeth the First then they would be minus their heads by now.

[VHG]

>>>>I wish she had more powers

Oh like Henry the 8th or Mary his daughter.

Burning people at the stake who are a different religion to you, chopping the head off anyone you dont like for almost no reason, choping the head off your wife when you get fed up with them.

Good job we have gone way past that.

[emmie]

VHG, don't be daft, we even did away with hanging, some on here want to bring it back, what would be your stance on that.

[barney4444]

Please let all this nonsense end soon. How can people who have done nothing to earn it live in absolute luxury in palaces and stately homes supported by people who struggle to make a living,and then expect us to wave flags at them as they sweep past looking down their noses at us.

[emmie]

barney, well millions were out watching at the Pageant, the concert and today on the Mall, so suggest not all think the way you do.

[barney4444]

No there were thousands. but there were millions who are not in the least bit interested,and that is the problem it is the minoritys view and opinions that get all the publicity so that they can keep the myth that we support this junk going.

[rojash]

"VHG, don't be daft, we even did away with hanging"

Exactly; we, the people did away with hanging - the queen wasn't involved, and nor could she be. As I said before, she is an irrelevance in a democratic society (and an expensive one, at that).

[Coldicote]

Factor 30 you have made a good point - stability and continuity, which many countries don't enjoy. Barney, perhaps you need the experience of living under a dictatorship. Given your way of thinking, has it ever occurred to you what would happen to all the palaces and stately homes and who would meet the cost?

[Anngel123]

Coldicote, I think you will find the stately homes have little to do with royals. They are businesses like anything else. Often run by the National Trust or National Heritage. I am not a monarchist by nature. However, I do admire the value the queen and co bring to the tourist trade. That said, I believe that spending the massive amount of money on a pageant when many are on their uppers was a little thoughtless.

[barney4444]

Lets move on from childrens fairy story land where the queen and all the hangers on live it up and we all struggle on. And it is ridiculous to suggest that either we put up with this or live in some african type dictatorship, there is a happy medium in between.

[pastafreak]

That 'massive amount spent on a pageant' came from private donors....not from tax payers money. So obviously enough saw fit to contribute to the celebration of a milestone.

[barney4444]

Should milestone be millstone!!

[Coldicote]

O come on Barney, stop being miserable! I'm not surprised by Monarchist and anti-Monarchist views, but my question was about the values of our system - in a broad sense. If we had an elected President there would still be opposition just as there is to our elected governments. I see nothing wrong in being represented by a constitutional Head of State respected throughout the world.