Ah, and i think you'll find that our government is a constituitional monarchy, which means the queen has no actual power, only a ceremonial role, she cannot veto laws or decree's or stop parliament

She's a figurehead. Ok?
And nobody is forced to accept her.

Fitting topic as the US is about to celebrate Memorial Day...

How much does it cost to maintain all of those palaces that house the "politically useless" royalty? Why not use that money for things such as your fire services who could really use the money? Or maybe reperations to all of the countries Britain has colonized over the centuries while stealing rescources from the indiginous peoples? Hmm sounds familiar huh?

Reality check. It's how civilization has always worked. The Huns, the Romans the British, French the list goes on. The richer countries will always try to get richer sometimes at the expense of the less well off. I don't exactly agree with it but it is the reality that we all face.

[Edited on 23-5-2003 by Fry2]

Indeed.
Not only americans have died you know, russia lost twice what you lost.

Originally posted by Fry2
You didn't answer my question about your so called "royalty".

The Queen is nothing more than a human version of the US flag.


She represents our traditional views about our country. It doesn't matter who she is as a person or what she does in her life.
It's the position that she holds as an institution that is important.

"Or maybe reperations to all of the countries Britain has colonized over the centuries while stealing rescources from the indiginous peoples? Hmm sounds familiar huh?"

Oil Oil Oil...Why am i suddenly thinking about oil?

you are forced to accept her because you PAY for her to live a better life than anyone else in your country. WHY?

The palaces are government property (some) and the rest are private residences, those private residences are paid for by the crown and the public palaces retain heritage status, the cost that people pay to visit is used to support them.
Many of the palaces are incredibly beautiful housing some of the best art collections on the planet.
Its not worth losing them for a sum of a couple million a year, the us government spends more on paper clips.

Originally posted by Fry2
you are forced to accept her because you PAY for her to live a better life than anyone else in your country. WHY?

We get back far more financially than we put into our monarchy.
We also get back the feeling of being British. The Queen is one of the only institutions that we have which affirms our national identity.

Like I said, don't look at the person. Look at what she stands for.

Amen

Russia lost twice as many as you did- They shot their own people, does that count twice or once?

Our queen is our nation identity! Nothing like a country using an aging, butt-ugly women as the national symbol! (Wait a minute, we have Oprah, oh god...........)

And I apologize for my simple english mistake, but then I never have much use for the English anyways = ZING

God bless the US and all the men who fought and died to control the national oil supply and raise the ire of the Europeans /sarcasm

Have a great weekend all, as for me I will be out on the lake, drunk as hell, chasing American women (the best in the world), and running the ol' jet-ski!

You all have fun now ya here!

I DO question the Government. Why else would I be on this site? And then there is this as well.
<<<<---------------------------

Originally posted by Shining Wizard
Our queen is our nation identity! Nothing like a country using an aging, butt-ugly women as the national symbol!

If that isn't meant to be humorous and self deprecating it shows total ignorance.

I could say that I don't find the a piece of material daubed in Stripes with a couple of Stars splashed on it, a particularly potent symbol on which to place my allegiance to my country.
Not my government. MY COUNTRY.

The concept is exactly the same though. It doesn't matter who sits on the throne. It could be a one legged lesbian with a glass eye. The importance is not who is sitting on the throne. The importance is that there is a throne to sit on.

Oh the NRA...where should i even begin?

I don't see anything wrong with the royalty thing there, it's sort of neat. My grandma (from the UK) has some misc. union jacks in her house, antiques with Queens on them, stuff like that.

I guess I would say Americans, who don't have the 'class' history Europe does, sees the royalty thing as very 'tabloid' - up there with Hollywood - and fun to 'watch', especially in misery.

And, what's wrong wrong with the NRA?



[Edited on 23-5-2003 by Bob88]

I just had the funniest vision from this one quote:

The Queen is nothing more than a human version of the US flag.

If you hung her from a pole it would be a LOT cheaper!

Sorry, didn't mean to be cruel but it was kinda funny

"Whats wrong with the NRA?"
It exists.

Royalty isnt something tabloid either, most americans have no idea of the history of it all, dates back for 1000+ years.

Its who we are.

I mean, we have Oprah, c'mon you are getting a much, much better woman, that is no lie!

Plus you have Liz Hurley, the most beautiful, easy woman in the world!

[Edited on 23-5-2003 by Shining Wizard]

personally, id rather live in china. i LOVE china, its such a cool country. *has been watching too many kung fu movies*
no really. i do love china.... i cant pinpoint why.

ive never really wanted to go to america, it just doesnt appeal to me. and the food... JESUS CHRIST, how can you eat that?! living in england, we aswell, get sh1te food.... but at least its not 95% lard.

My favourite plant is bamboo! It reminds me of China.
Anyone here been to China/Hong Kong?

Who here can tell me where the NRA originated?