To be a Republican?

[TheRhubarb]

Sorry to be a miserable bitch but I really do hate all this Jubilee crap. I don't give a crap about the Royal family one way or the other. I'm very happy to let them exist the way they do so long as we don't have to treat them like some kind of minor gods. However that's just what everyone appears to be doing and I cannot turn on the TV, listen to the radio, buy a newspaper or even walk out of my front door without this Jubilee shite being shoved in my face.

Now even Mumsnet has bowed down to her Maj.

The country's gone to the dogs thanks to the Coalition, vulnerable people are more vulnerable than ever because of cuts, unemployment is high, kids can't afford to go to University, families are relying on food banks and yet we are supposed to forget the fact that our bank and bellies are empty to cheer on some millionairess who is so far removed from real life she might as well be a Martian.

I don't normally care that much to have an opinion about this but when people actually expect me to join in a rendition of God Save the Queen then the fine red mist descends.

It's turning me against the Royal family and making me wish we were Republicans. Anyone else or is it just me?

It's a myth that they bring in more revenue than they cost.
Apart from which, people don't just go to Spain for the weather, or Amsterdam for the drugs. Both of which have had Royals, and still do have Royals, just Royals with proper jobs. Same goes for most of Europe. People will still come to the UK and income will still be generated.

Cook, my comment was directed to OP who by her own admission in her opening post considers herself a miserable bitch on this particular subject. Granted that she is probably being a bit extreme in her posts for added shock value but she does sound a bit of a curmudgeon.

Last year there were riots, this year bunting and boats. If people are having fun and enjoying themselves, whatever the reason behind it, I'm happy for them given the usual dreary shit that's going on.

I think I might have been a Republican once but over time I've changed by views. Whatever you might think about the Royal Family, if they can get people out and about having a laugh, it aint a bad thing.

I'm at work in a different country, I'd love to be in London at a street party, joining in the shenanigans (nb would not wear any union jack clobber!).

I haven't lived in the UK for over 10 years but from the outside looking in, it's actually made me think that despite what's going on around the world, it's great that the Brits can do something like this. It's totally quintessentially British, don't think you need to be a Royalist to appreciate the feel good factor the celebrations seem to be bringing to most people.

And whether you're just hanging out with your family without any bunting that sounds lovely too, it's the snide comments I think are crap.

Cheese, I apologise. I thought you were having a go at OP.

I'm not British and live just outside London, and don't enjoy the pomp and display that has mostly the poor camping out along the route to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty.

"IMO most of the politicians are only in power for what they can get out of it they are not neutral which the Royals tend to be"

True about the politicians but are the Royals really neutral? Perhaps publicly which is of course, important but I'm sure given the choice, they would never ever support any other party but the Conservatives.

I too was shocked by the Queen's lack of grace and interest when Gary Barlow presented her with the video and song on telly last night. Of course, that could be an editing issue but she seemed rather tired and bored of it all imo. She's in her 80's after all.

But not to worry op, after this bank holiday, the Royals will go back to being as utterly irrelevant to the lives of most people once more. Apart from when they embarrass us by dressing up as Nazis or making comments about people's eye shape.

dont forget stomping round the country shooting wild-life Winky

YANBU Rhubarb. Fellow republican here.

Everyone who is on about a free society and democracy are technically wrong; we are SUBJECTS of the queen, which means we are all her PROPERTY. We are not citizens, we are her belongings, like slaves own to their masters. Okay, so we are allowed to do what we want, it's hardly 1800 Alabama, obviously, but the Queen owns us. So it is not a true and full democracy and, as property, we are not truly and fully free either. How ANYONEof sound mind can find that acceptable is utterly beyond me!

OP, I want to scream, weep and hang my head in shame that people are so keen to cheer on and celebrate their own disenfranchisement and subjugation. So many people just wittering about how nice it is. FFS, how mimsy and pathetic can people get?! I have never understood or been able to respect the desire for things to be superficially nice when the reality under the surface is so disgusting. All the cuts and poverty and problems in this country and we waste money on rich parasites and sport? It disgusts me.

PS Crazy88, you were not alone in thinking that. It's so fucking illogical, getting people in dire poverty to make a record for a millionaire who probably won't even listen to it or even appreciate it, as part of billions spent on her fucking Jubilee. Why not give some of the money wasted on all this arse-licking shit to those poor people featured?! Am sure a new well might be nicer than singing a song some foreign stranger got them to learn.

Cant you take this as an opportunity to celebrate the country? Speaking to most people, they 'like' the spectacle that is the royal family, but see the Jubilee celebrations as one big party celebrating Britain.

It's really not about Britain at all. It's about the queen.

It whatever you make it about. WE have union flags and are attending a party tomorrow with afternoon tea, yesterday we went to London and saw all the sights (missed the Queen sadly). Basically we're revelling in al things British. Ive the anniversary of the Queen's coronations gives us the opportunity to do all this then great.

The BBC may be celebrating her may, but most people are just celebrating

ps. I do not know which gremlin has taken over my keyboard but my spelling and grammar are appalling today !!

Thatisall, I'd prefer to celebrate people in dire straights getting more help, not a big party.

oxford so there should be no parties, no joy until everything is back in order?

Did you celebrate Christmas 2011??? Everything was pretty shit for a lot of people then, but that didn't stop the Christmas lights being strung in town centres or huge trees being erected in shops??

I think these celebrations, for those who throw themselves into them, could lift the spirits. I was made redundant and my dh has lost his business all thanks to the economy, but in al the uncertainty....the 'Britishness' remains and parties in the rain and tacky flags, just give me and others something to laugh and smile about.

Ha, thought you were writing in to say how you supported Romney in 2012

Royalism I think is a form of escapism. It gets stronger in times of hardship - people like looking at them and reading about them. It has always been like that.

that isnt the royal families fault TBF yanbu to be a republican though but look at the government and people living here for the state we are in not the queen

Oxfordbags, you are way over the top. It is not like that in reality and well you know it. If the Queen tried to do what she wanted to anyone because they "belonged to her" (even supposing she wanted to), the Monarchy wouldn't last five more minutes.

This weekend has really brought home how bitter and sour a lot of people are, if nothing else.

PMSL that the royals are neutral - well I would laugh if it wasn't so utterly ridiculous to even begin to claim that the royals are neutral .

And I want to bang my head repeatedly against a wall in frustration at the amount of times I see, "oh think of the alternative, president blair?".

The whole point is that an ELECTED head of state would be just that, ELECTED. I cannot begin to imagine we would get president blair, cameron or anyone else. And if we did that would be because a stupid majority had voted for them. The upside being of course is that we can then VOTE THEM OUT instead of having their idiot offspring taking over just because of an accident of birth.

Ariel, what bollocks that we're being bitter and sour - just because we're not sycophantic and fawning doesn't make us bitter and sour .

And it pisses me right off that mumsnet has become ma'amsnet for the weekend when there are clearly alot of republicans on here. Would they nail their colours so firmly to the mast in an election time?

Perhaps its because the "republicans" are in the minority.

Ariel, I never said that the Queen would or could do anything to us. I was describing the LEGAL reality, which is that, in law, we are her property, her belongings. It is what it means to be a subject. I did not say she was a slave mistress or anything. I have said nothing that is not factual, so how it can be OTT, I don't understand. Is it over the top to say that people who commit crime will get punished? Because that is also a legal truth about the UK, just as us being the property of the queen is a legal truth. I would suggest that if you want to find something shocking, you start with finding being someone's chattel shocking. I think that your reaction shows how uncomfortable you find confronting the nastiness of our legal reality as property.

Oh, and I'm sick of people saying that Republicans are sour, bitter, whatever. WE want the money to be spent on decent things that will benefit as many people as possible, like OAPs, disabled people, children, the NHS, etc. Yes, a celebration cheers people up, of course, but what sort of selfish, pathetic person thinks parties matter more than helping as many people as possible? Republicans are the ones who are truly thinking about making the nation happy. How can the spending of obscene amounts of taxpayers money on celebrations for a billionaire make a normal person happy?!

SoupDragon, so if the Tories are in minority come election time Mumsnet can proclaim support for the Labour Party?

It's a pretty bloody big 'minority' judging by a lot of these threads.

Totally agree Oxford re: spending the money on things that matter. But then it's all bread and circuses - the queen knows a little party for her subjects will keep them from noticing the bigger picture . Let them eat cake . . .

"How can the spending of obscene amounts of taxpayers money on celebrations for a billionaire make a normal person happy?!"

Why don't you ask them? A million of them turned up in London to celebrate so I'm sure you'll find one.

Find one what Soupdragon?

A million people out of a population of 60 million? What was that you said earlier about minorities?