Sorry I can't resist responding.

Actually I don't personally have a strong point of view either way about the
Royal family, they bring in lots a tourist money or so I'm led to believe.
I think they can still exist, but I think we should get rid of all their
power and stop paying them any money.

I don't sing the national Anthem (of Britain), as I'm an agnostic and not a
great supporter of the crown, so "God save our gracious Queen", etc, would
be a bit hypocritical of me.

Maybe my question sounded sarcastic, but I actually wanted to know, I don't
really even know what the pledge of Allegiance is.  I assume it's some
patriotic speech about America and that would make me cringe even if Britain
had the same.  I personally see Patriotism/Nationalism as a very dangerous
thing, it's elitist, it's saying I'm proud, not because of myself, my
character or personal achievements, but because I was born one side of an
artificially defined border, separating one country from another ("nothing
but accident of birth as the dividing point.")

I was taught in school, that Britain gave up the US, or rather didn't want
to spend more money and effort trying to defeat the uprising when they
didn't assign much value, at the time, to America.  India with all their Tea
was deemed more valuable.  How times change.

Regards



Richard



-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Berkowitz [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 July 2002 16:47
To: 'Richard Barker'; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: OT: Pledge of Allegiance ? Was church and state


Richard Barker writes


Actually, seriously, why do you have a pledge of Allegiance

Insecurity :-)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Actually, seriously, why do you need divide people into two groups:
Commoners and royalty, with nothing but accident of birth as the dividing
point.  Add to it the toadying of the commoners to the royalty.  Why should
Tony Blair bow to Mrs. Windsor-Mountbatten, but not not the other way
around?  He worked himself up to his current position on the approval of the
majority (voters), has.  Can the same be said of the residents of Buckingham
Palace?

Mike Berkowitz
a republican with a small "r" on this Independence Day, the day we told
royalty to take a hike
Guess? Inc.

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