Heads of State
As a bulldog, it never creases to amaze me when commentators & the public at large expect heads of state to be any good; and if not good, at least display a modicum of competence. Have you no sense of history? I however count myself lucky. In our current monarch, we have a leader of both Nation & Commonwealth who sets the standard by which all others should be judged.
Since her coronation, Queen Elizabeth has served this country well, which is more than can be said for the rest of her family, I’m afraid (so much material – so little bandwidth). I accept that, with no executive responsibilities, short of the corgis relieving themselves on a visiting potentate, there not a whole lot to go wrong…..but it might & it hasn’t.
It is also true that our country has been better served by its Queens that its Kings (at least half of whom were in fact queens – making the whole matter of succession ‘interesting’ to say the least). Queen Elizabeth I & her ‘protestant wind’ saw off the Spanish; Queen Victoria oversaw the building of Empire. In comparison, what have the men done? William of Orange & Oliver Cromwell laid the foundations to the Irish Problem, King John got beaten up by a load blokes in tights & Ewarff the Incontinent thought he was a Brussels sprout.
But what has made our Queens so competent? The answer is more simple than you think. Without exception, each one of them had a sense of their place in history and behaved as such. Here I sit typing, bathed in the warm glow of World Cup victory & a few gentlemens portions of malt, I cast my critical eye across the Channel at Europe. Utter shambles!
There’s a certain French president that to get elected a second time to avoid investigation for corruption. The head of the European Union in under investigation in his own country for corruption. The last German prime minister was corrupt. Prince Rainier of Monaco has more family problems than the Kennedy’s. There a prince in Norway married to a former heroin addict – perhaps Prince Rainier should get her cell phone number – she might be able to help. Oh yes, while we are still on the subject of German probity, never forget that the German people elected Adolf Hitler – the TV ads must have been really really slick.
(An aside - something that does interest me is the ability of the American people to decouple the holder of office from the office. I suppose its an essential skill when you vote in a peanut farmer. I know that the 70s is the decade that taste forgot, but what were you guys thinking? Did the loon pants obscure the ballot slips?)
Now where I’m going with this is that whilst some might not like Bush the man, they still respect the office of President. Whats this got to do with me? The President of the United States is the de facto leader of the free & democratic world. As a member of that disparate community, I too am delighted because the holder of that office behaves with at least a degree of decorum. If he wants to wear a flying suit to fly an aeroplane, at least he has got his trousers on.
Maybe because our monarchs used to literally leads us into battle & still hold ceremonial rank, we have no problem with it. Anyway, do remember the photos of Mrs Thatcher wearing a combat jacket, sitting in the commanders cupola of a Chieftain tank - we had her today, Osama’s sphincter really would be twitching.
So the next time the tree huggers drone on about the way the leader of the free world dresses, let them know that least he at least he knows how to behave ………………. If they bleat on Dr. Free Market prescribes a treatment of 7.62mm persuaders – 2 or 3 rounds is usually sufficient – but feel free to repeat the dosage if the problem persists.
Comments
Just discovered your site via "Ranting Profs" http://rantingprofs.typepad.com/rantingprofs/
Hallelujah! How refreshing to hear something positive about the States. Every time I've ever been to your fair isle, I've received nothing but a warm reception and a kind word for the U.S., but our liberal media lately has gone into overdrive trying to convince us that Great Britain hates us, too. The much-ballyhooed protests sent them into a paroxysm of joy...
but I have been having a hard time believing y'all had turned on us so ferociously. You have no idea how happy I am to read your blog. God bless you, sir!
Posted by: DC Xena | November 23, 2003 7:57 AM
Ah, shucks sir. Pshaw. You are right on the money about Carter. Even the people here in Georgia didn't really want him.
And the loony pants...would those be the hideous gouchos, extreme bell bottoms or *underwear?*
Georgia permits concealed carrying of handguns.
One needs a permit. However, since no one knows who is carrying, crime is not as much of an issue, since, according to the local constabulary, if one gets killed while breaking and entering, then the one who offed the offender is a hero for saving the state the expense of the investigation, trial and imprisonment.
Washington state, Arizona, and Utah also permit the carrying of a weapon. It has cut down on violent crimes. The law enforcement people are all for the citizens protecting themselves since government dial a prayer is so slow to respond and it helps law enforcement with people who are willing to get the drop on a perp and either disable him/her or kill them.
The sceptered isle was hospitable to me and mine, and I hope to go back again some day.
Posted by: Cricket | November 23, 2003 4:29 PM
You are one cool English dude. I didn't think folk like you existed! Great stuff.
Posted by: henerd | November 24, 2003 4:51 AM
Oklahoma allows concealed carry also. Our secretary was aghast when it was made law. She said she didn't know what she was going to do. I said, "Me neither. I'm afraid my shoulder holster will wrinkle my shirts."
Posted by: unixdude | November 24, 2003 5:17 AM
Just a reminder.... our Commander and Chief has worn a flight suit before. He was a F 105 Thunderchief pilot with the Air National Guard (kind of like your TA). So he at least still remembers how to get into it.
Posted by: Bodhran | November 24, 2003 8:39 AM
Actually he flew the F-106, an interceptor whose primary armament was the AIR-2A Genie air-air nuclear missile to shoot down bomber formations. That ought to gather the protesters nuts into a tight bunch.
Posted by: Edward | November 25, 2003 5:55 AM
Most of the queens were pretty good, but Mary Tudor was bloody awful. Martyred 300 protestants (including Thomas Cranmer), lost Calais to the French...
Elizabeth's "protestant wind" reminds me of a cartoon (by Gillray? Rowlandson? can't remember) of mad king George crapping bombs down upon the Napoleonic French.
Posted by: Simon Jester | November 27, 2003 3:34 PM