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[return to "Queen Elizabeth II has died"]
1. PaulDa+db[view] [source] 2022-09-08 18:12:41
>>xd+(OP)
I was born in the UK, in 1963. Because of my step-father's love of first-wave UK punk, the first thing I did on hearing this news was to play the Sex Pistol's "God Save the Queen".

It is remarkable how much the Queen's standing has improved during the time since that song (1977). My (UK) family are (as far as I know) staunch republicans, but the last couple of decades have seen all of us soften our disgust with the monarchy as Elizabeth represented it. We might still want the whole concept destroyed, but there is nothing close to the vehemence of Johnny Rotten (Lydon)'s lyrics from that song.

Nevertheless, that is how a bunch of people felt in 1977, and as our memories become even more gilded and rose goggled now that she has died, it may be worth remembering those feelings too:

God save the queen / The fascist regime / They made you a moron / A potential H bomb / God save the queen / She's not a human being / and There's no future / And England's dreaming

These days, I think even us staunch republicans/anti-monarchists would begrudgingly admit that "She could have been worse" and that she actually was a human being.

Maybe Charles will have the guts to end it all, but it doesn't seem likely.

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2. mymyth+hM[view] [source] 2022-09-08 20:44:24
>>PaulDa+db
Similar sentiments from me.

I think there is something to be said for, lack of a better word, the continuity of history. 70 years with the same monarch. A system of monarchy, for over a 1000 years.

It is a symbolic role, but symbols are powerful.

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3. scaram+Z51[view] [source] 2022-09-08 22:47:05
>>mymyth+hM
Not to mention wall-to-wall propaganda in any coverage that mentions them across the complete political spectrum of media.

Arsenic-laced baby-food would be tolerated, if not vaguely enjoyed, if it received that kind of positive coverage.

Mainstream UK press are regularly making North-Korea style calls for people who personally dislike the royals to be excluded from the media, eve when they are making even-handed reportage about them, just on the off-chance that their subconscious biases might seep through in to their work (or something? lol): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10267447/Amol-Rajan...

Edit: to indicate irony..

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