The Republic UK group may be unknown to most in the United States. This country achieved this organization's aims over 200 years ago. Republic UK wants to end the British monarchy and replace it with a democratically elected head of state, no more lords and inherited titles, no more unearned privilege. This US did most of that already. Most, not all.
Most in the United States may be fascinated with the British monarchy, a long history which pales in comparison to this country's youthful 200 years (vs. the 10th century ancestor of the present queen, King Alfred) is bound to get respect.
Lately, Republic UK has aimed its rhetorical guns on Prince Charles, who fascinates me. Republic UK knows which way the wind blows and understands the relative popularity of Queen Elizabeth II; no gun will be aimed at her. At most, they suggest she be allowed to retire.
Charles Windsor, prince of Wales, heir to that ancient throne, duke of This and earl of That, has decided to be useful and use his leverage for Charities - arguably what the Rich do as opposed to advocating an overthrow of the very system that allowed the Rich - architecture, education reform, organic, sustainable farming, the environment, and modern medicine.
At every turn he has royally pissed the Experts and some in the Establishment. Admittedly I would be less fascinated with this man were he advocating white supremacy or the sort of national socialism [Nazism] that his great uncle, King Edward VIII, liked.
I introduce this very British activist group for what is shows lacking in our conventional democratic movements.
Prince Charles and the Queen very much aside, where do these naive groups school themselves by suggesting electing a head of state ends the sort of meddling they accuse of the prince? Interestingly, they admire the queen for keeping her mouth shut, performing her ritual duties, and staying out of politics.
In the United States, a minimum of 70% of those polled want a public health care option. But this is from the start outweighed by the mighty voice of the unelected, unvetted health care industry. Our own conventional democratic movements are mute to the hands behind the clock; those who may speak of this class warfare are themselves muted by our newspapers of record.
Why have our conventional democratic movements set their guns on phantoms, like government take-over of health care bogeymen, the prince of Wales ... and not, say, Blue Cross, that crime against Nature, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, or the duke of Westminster, the wealthiest man and biggest landowner in the UK?
They fundamentally believe in capitalism with all its manifold contradictions.
Our best high school textbooks do not detail an Establishment in the US. Myth would have it that class system ended in 1776, when some white landowners prefacing Howard Jarvis, threw regulations out and the king with them.
But there is an Establishment. There is a ruling class. Their enemy since the beginning is the threat - I do not use this word lightly - of the public overtaking them in sheer numbers. So, the masses must be kept in their place. One tactic to achieve this is, again to cross the pond, launch specious attacks on a very forward-thinking prince of Wales, who launches no illegal wars, directs no dropping of carpet bombs on innocent children, does not with "votes" shred civil liberties by rendering untried prisoners to their torture.
If we want a public, social democracy, we must know who our enemies are.
For more info: Prince Charles in the Guardian UK * Preface to Shaw's THE APPLE CART * "How the Ruling Class thwarts Democracy" (Commondreams.org)
Most in the United States may be fascinated with the British monarchy, a long history which pales in comparison to this country's youthful 200 years (vs. the 10th century ancestor of the present queen, King Alfred) is bound to get respect.
Lately, Republic UK has aimed its rhetorical guns on Prince Charles, who fascinates me. Republic UK knows which way the wind blows and understands the relative popularity of Queen Elizabeth II; no gun will be aimed at her. At most, they suggest she be allowed to retire.
Charles Windsor, prince of Wales, heir to that ancient throne, duke of This and earl of That, has decided to be useful and use his leverage for Charities - arguably what the Rich do as opposed to advocating an overthrow of the very system that allowed the Rich - architecture, education reform, organic, sustainable farming, the environment, and modern medicine.
At every turn he has royally pissed the Experts and some in the Establishment. Admittedly I would be less fascinated with this man were he advocating white supremacy or the sort of national socialism [Nazism] that his great uncle, King Edward VIII, liked.
I introduce this very British activist group for what is shows lacking in our conventional democratic movements.
Prince Charles and the Queen very much aside, where do these naive groups school themselves by suggesting electing a head of state ends the sort of meddling they accuse of the prince? Interestingly, they admire the queen for keeping her mouth shut, performing her ritual duties, and staying out of politics.
In the United States, a minimum of 70% of those polled want a public health care option. But this is from the start outweighed by the mighty voice of the unelected, unvetted health care industry. Our own conventional democratic movements are mute to the hands behind the clock; those who may speak of this class warfare are themselves muted by our newspapers of record.
Why have our conventional democratic movements set their guns on phantoms, like government take-over of health care bogeymen, the prince of Wales ... and not, say, Blue Cross, that crime against Nature, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, or the duke of Westminster, the wealthiest man and biggest landowner in the UK?
They fundamentally believe in capitalism with all its manifold contradictions.
Our best high school textbooks do not detail an Establishment in the US. Myth would have it that class system ended in 1776, when some white landowners prefacing Howard Jarvis, threw regulations out and the king with them.
But there is an Establishment. There is a ruling class. Their enemy since the beginning is the threat - I do not use this word lightly - of the public overtaking them in sheer numbers. So, the masses must be kept in their place. One tactic to achieve this is, again to cross the pond, launch specious attacks on a very forward-thinking prince of Wales, who launches no illegal wars, directs no dropping of carpet bombs on innocent children, does not with "votes" shred civil liberties by rendering untried prisoners to their torture.
If we want a public, social democracy, we must know who our enemies are.
For more info: Prince Charles in the Guardian UK * Preface to Shaw's THE APPLE CART * "How the Ruling Class thwarts Democracy" (Commondreams.org)
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