Keith Jordan wrote:The Monarchy represents almost a thousand years of British history, heritage and culture. I feel it is important to have icons to remind and promote such history and our future. It is who we are. You may not like a small proportion of your tax money going to them but I am sure they bring more monoey into the country through tourism.
Anyway, the Queen performs many useful functions and represents our country when Tony is too busy blowing other countries up. She is a great ambassador and I am sure does many great deals behind closed doors for this country.
I think lack of respect for the queen is reflective of the breakdown of society, the commercialisation of our lives, the trivialisation of the family due to TV, video games and other crap.
Respect.
I agree with some of what you say. I get very saddened with this country's self-deprecating disillusionist attitude towards all things English which just serves to unravel our identity even further. I had an argument with a work colleague just the other day about how Tony Blair didn't have our national flag in shot when he was addressing the nation (just shortly before the war). He was appealing to our unity, to our cohesion and all the things the union jack was forged on and it wasn't even there! what was that about? and we don't celebrate St. George's day? why on earth not?
Having said that though, I don't think our monarchy is all that relevant in this day an age. I have a bee in my bonnet about talentless and careerless toffs and snobs born into a deeply privileged lifestyle especially when they're so subsidised buy our loot. The tourism argument is a good one but I'm sure people will still flock to this country to see a dead queen.