This is the News!

[Funt Solo]

Oklahoma hospital shooting: Four dead after gunman targets doctor

The problem, though, is categorically not anything to do with mass gun ownership. Don't be silly! It follows that removing the mass availability of guns would to nothing at all to stop events like this occurring. You're being silly again!

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens

[JayzusB.Christ]

Privatize the Monarchy!

Absolutely - the perfect meld of anarchy and capitalism. If you do want to donate some of your earnings to supporting them, then do it - if you don't, don't. Problem solved.

Cue fireworks and champagne for that other rare event... I agree with the Shark 100%!  Seems like a decent enough sort, that Liz Windsor, but I'll never understand how people support the idea that someone is superior to them by nature of an accident of birth. 

Admittedly, we used to have monarchs over here too, but at least our ones could warp spasm.

[NapalmKev]

Admittedly, we used to have monarchs over here too, but at least our ones could warp spasm.

According to David Icke the Queen is actually a shape-shifting lizard so there's hope for us yet.

Cheers

[Tjm86]

disturbing to hear a little child on the news saying that the queen "has done a good job".

what is this "job" i keep hearing about?

I think it's keeping the idea that the monarchy is somehow vaguely relevant and useful in 21st Century Britain.  If you count the number of people who are liable to comment on the monarchy positively so long as she's the focus of the conversation ... (as opposed to the assorted narcissists, nonces and philanderers that inhabit the royal succession lists)

and macron has just called the queen "a source of great wisdom".

Now this one is truly baffling.  I mean, other than her annual Crimbo natter I've not seen or heard much from her and nothing of an awe-inspiring philosophical / scientific / thought-provoking bent.  Unless of course Macron was being 'humorous'?  Non?

[The Legendary Shark]

And poor old Prince Andrew won't be attending because he is widely despised "has Covid."

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

Well, at least the focus of this jubilee is a new Royal Charter to prevent child trafficking...

And poor old Prince Andrew won't be attending because he is widely despised "has Covid."

[JayzusB.Christ]

I'm very far from a monarchist, but if you HAVE to have one, I think you could probably do a lot worse than QE2, who seems, as I said, an OK sort, despite so many of her family being dreadful.  Wonder what will happen when Charles puts on the metal hat? I really can't see him having the chops to inspire a nation the way his old dear does.

[Barrington Boots]

I've just been into town and there's a big jubilee celebration on, but very little to tell it's for the jubilee itself - there's a bit of bunting up but mainly people seem to be using it as an excuse to drink beer and eat burgers. I'm not sure the appetite is there nowdays.

IMO the sooner we're rid of the monarchy the better, although I can't see that happening in my lifetime or any other forseeable one. HRH seems alright... apart from the £12million of taxpayer money she just spent getting her paedophile son off the hook. So she's not alright. Not in my book anyway.

[The Mind of Wolfie Smith]

lifelong republican here, as i simply cannot understand this servile worship of an accident of birth.
except ... i fear that this country would choose to have a president farage or suchlike.

[IndigoPrime]

I was having a chat with someone online about this. My personal position is I find the royals impossible to align with a democratic country, but also I don't actually care enough about them to shout about it. My hope is that reform happens from the other direction. As said other person agreed in the end, better a monarchy with PR (Sweden) than a republic with FPTP (Belarus or the USA). Ideally, of course, we'd have a modern democratic system, but we need to fight from the right end, where there is popular support ("fair votes") rather than expend a lot of energy on where there isn't, but where popular support will naturally wane over the coming years (monarchy).

[Richard]

I don't know what republicans expect to get from having an elected president, but given the public's track record of electing prime ministers during my lifetime, I would much prefer the system we currently have.

[The Legendary Shark]

So long as we place ourselves under the control others (popes, monarchs, presidents, prime ministers, generals, bankers, etc.), the system can never be fair or balanced.

If only we had some sort of thread dedicated to politics in which to discuss such topics... :-|

[sheridan]

If only we had some sort of thread dedicated to politics in which to discuss such topics... :-|

Please stop.

[The Legendary Shark]

Satire, man - just satire.

No criticisms, no complaints. I don't own this joint, I just hang here.