American musings on the Jubilee

[Ponderingwindow]

I’ve been watching the threads on the Jubilee with a bit of mild interest. Mostly that some people are a annoyed at celebrating the monarchy and this royal family in particular. I do understand that perspective.

As an outsider, I don’t quite understand the fixation on the actual stated purpose of the celebration though. Perhaps it’s because I’m American and we turn everything into an excuse for a bit of patriotism. From the outside, it just seems like the Jubilee is really just a celebration of the UK and the whole Queen part is just the excuse for the party. Especially with Covid and Brexit and all the other badness, it seems like a bit of community building would be welcomed by everyone. Does it not work that way there? Do people maintain focus on the stated meaning and not the greater symbolism?

The hometown parade where the kids decorate their bicycles and the local city council candidates ride on the backs of convertibles don’t really feel connected to imperialism and xenophobia.

Not exactly the poster child for reasonable patriots there, are you? Name calling straight out of the gate.

I do know that growing up in South London the pubs covered in Union Flag bunting were full of NF, BNP and skinheads and my Black and Asian friends couldn't drink there. Also, see football hooliganism.

Im a Kiwi in the UK and I never lived here in the previous jubilees, and I have never experienced this type of patroism before in NZ (we are only patroric when it comes to sport).

I was bit when it was announced given everything else happening in the UK / world and thought it was a bit OTT and overly patrotic. HOWEVER there will be a decent street party near us, and DD1 is really looking forward to it as there will be good entertainment, and some of her friends are going. They are making it family orientated which I think is quite cool, we are struggling financially so its free / cheap entertainment for a weekend that the girls would otherwise not have.

The only street parties in NZ I ever went too were ones on NYE which were basically big piss ups.

I remember doing a street party 40 years ago. That makes me feel so old! People dressed up and it was really fun even though I was very young. Times are so different now though.

Most people I know are just happy for some time off work.

Compared to the 1977 Silver Jubilee, or even Charles and Diana’s wedding for that matter, the weight of the celebrations are far less. This is purposeful in my opinion because I think there is going to be a repositioning of the royal family in the national psyche during Charles’ tenure and a further one during Williams.

Republican here. No one on my circle is doing anything other than enjoying a long weekend with the exception of one friend with a new girlfriend whose family are having a themed party and he’s meeting them for the first time and not established enough to object on political grounds. He is not looking forward to it at all.

We are off to Italy this morning to escape the nonsense. Patriotism in general I find bizarre (it is just luck of the draw what country you are born in) but I have never seen any reason to feel proud to be British. In fact, most of the time I find it acutely embarrassing.

I also find American patriotism strange. Why do you salute the flag etc?

People in the UK have two flags as you are English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish as well as British. There are a significant proportion of Scots (at least 45%) who want independence, and in Wales a cultural desire to celebrate distinctly Welsh heritage. In Northern Ireland at least a third of people don't want to be part of the UK.

So patriotism and love of your country is different from the US, where there does not seem to be any strong movement if any for a part to be independent.

I would take anything said on Mumsnet with a pinch of salt .

It's full of lunatic lefties , trolls and woe is me's needing someone else to make their lives better because they're too incapable of doing oh themselves .

As for the Jubilee everyone in my area is fantastically excited , I live between two villages and each have made huge efforts , decorating, street parties , beacon lighting , children's events etc etc

There are a few vocal people who hate this country but in RL most are proud of the Queens reign and are celebrating with friends and family .

I also find American patriotism strange. Why do you salute the flag etc?

Because you live happily, comfortably and successfully with most of your needs met. And not in some dire dictatorship.

Sorry, had to reply to this one. 2nd June is Republic Day in Italy! Lots of parades, showing the flag, etc., rather ironic !
In response to the thread, my neighbourhood has a street party booked for Sunday, and has doe things like this in the past. I’ll be looking after my parents, so probably won’t attend. I’m no Royalist, but I respect anyone who has given 70 years of public service, no matter who they are.

Surely you can pin a Queeny Tea Towel on the wall? Brighten things up a bit.

I think they've missed an opportunity to market a 'Prince Andrew toilet brush' though.

I'm loving the vibe in London right now. Everyone is so cheerful. I love any reason to bring everyone together, as I think most do. Doesn't need too much thought really

People can do their thing if it makes them happy. No doubt everyone is very happy the Queen made it to the celebrations.
The powers that be will be glad of a chance for a party. They usually are it seems.
I can't be arsed with it all.

Everyone is so cheerful

I'm enjoying the jubilee celebrations for this very reason, we are quite short on national festivities these days and this feels like as good an excuse as any.

The way it works is that everyone grumbles about it and says it’ll be shit. Then the weekend comes, there’s a long bank holiday, everyone eats strawberries and drinks fizzy alcohol and goes outside and next week everyone will say “it was ok actually” and will be evident that everyone had a nice time.

I don't feel very on board with the jubilee. Flag waving has always made me feel a bit uncomfortable and I think more so since Brexit and Boris Johnson. The thing feels like an exercise in Boris distraction..four day holiday to keep the plebs happy. I'd rather they had kept the celebration to a particular day. It's a pain in the ass all weekend.

And neighbours getting drunk in the street for 12 Hours on Sunday with music blaring.

No, I like the idea in theory. In practice, it feels divisive. I want at least one normal quiet day to rest as I am unwell but every day has some forced fun going in and roads closed etc.

It feels like the pan bangers of 2020 and anyone not into it is 'noticed'. It's a bit Tory round here and while I like my neighbours, these sort of things make me feel very odd one out.

It must be hard being so miserable .

Worth pointing out that a four day bank holiday for the jubilee was decided waaaay before Boris decided to strawpedo Bollinger whilst everyone else pondered whether it was ok to speak to a neighbour over the garden wall. So whilst it’s convenient, even the most committed conspiracy theorists would struggle to link the Queen’s 70 year reign to the ever increasing heat on BJ and partygate.

This. I won’t be celebrating the jubilee but I will enjoy my time off!

It is hard being chronically ill which is making me miserable, yes and the last two years have been very hard on me too (and a lot of people of course). It's not unreasonable to want one day as normal/quieter in a four day weekend.

Personally as a Brit I'm bloody glad that I have never been expected to be 'patriotic'. All that saluting the flag and knowing the national anthem 🤮 I know the chorus

it just seems like the Jubilee is really just a celebration of the UK and the whole Queen part is just the excuse for the party. Especially with Covid and Brexit and all the other badness, it seems like a bit of community building would be welcomed by everyone

That just about sums it up for me. Its OK not to be an RF fan. It’s OK to be a republican, but some of the spiteful and downright nasty vitriol on this thread is awful.

It's an extra two days off.

I'm not very on board with the Jubilee tbh. The RF seem so "far away" iyswim. They live in a weird bubble. I understand the Queen's importance in our constitution but I don't pay her or her descendants a lot of attention.

I'm at work today (Thursday). Tomorrow we are having a barbecue, not in honour of the Queen but because we fancied it. We are not decorating the house. On Saturday DH has to work. If it's a nice day on Saturday I might take DD out shopping or do something different. And that's it.