Until last evening, I hadn’t seen The King’s Speech with Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth and company. Usually watch some shoot-‘em up over a red wine or three. Good movie. I enjoyed it. Whether the dialogue between the King and Lionel Logue is remotely close to the truth I doubt, but the substance of the plotline is right I surmise. Anyway, gave it 4½ out of 5.
I’m an out-and-out monarchist, when I’m being my English self. When I’m being my Australian self I can see the other side much more favourably. I would probably vote for a republic, certainly give it close consideration, if the model was OK and encompassed state governors as well as the governor general. Think it would be anomalous to have a president with state governors reporting to the King still in place.
Stan Grant I suspect would vote for a republic. Just a wild guess. I didn’t see the ABC coverage of the coronation, thankfully. Might have sent me over the edge by all accounts. I watched the BBC. Have to say, as tendentiously left-green-leaning as it has become, it still does these events superbly well. The lady hosts dress beautifully and modestly and speak so well and the commentators know when to keep shtum; and not chatter continuously. It’s always a pleasure to hear Standard English. My home town of Liverpool in England and my current home of Sydney, both in their own unique way mangle the pronunciation of the King’s English. I can only assume My Fair Lady has not been widely seen and appreciated in either place.
A problem always is the company you keep. If I were to vote on the republican side I would know that Stan Grant, Craig Foster, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Fitzsimons, Phillip Adams, perhaps Lidia Thorpe, and many others with views distinctly different from mine, abhorrent views in fact, were on my side of the fence. And, horrifyingly, I would be on theirs. I would probably need to be counselled to quell the onset of cognitive dissonance.
I would be rather in the position of those mediocre male sportsmen who want to be women but who clearly hate women. Evidenced by them subsequently beating the pants off women at women’s sports events. Gloating, as they stand tall and muscled on the centre podium while, if they’re lucky and have faced only one female wannabe, some smaller built women accept the crumbs; and have to smile, lest they be shunned. Maybe it’s not quite a close parallel, but I couldn’t resist it.
A thought. Is there anyone who is pro the monarchy on the pro green, left or Voice side of things? I dare say that some (genuine) conservatives are in favour of Australia becoming a republic. As I’ve said, I’m this way and that way. But I tend to doubt whether any on the dark side of the political divide (as I put it) are monarchists. These people live and breathe their credo, every waking and probably sleeping hour. Tearing western values down, and patriotism to boot, is the name of their game. Upholding any western tradition or institution is anathema to them. Of course, the global utopia which is their plan, if they have any plan at all, would turn into a dystopian nightmare. On reflection, I think I’ll vote for the monarchy if it comes up again, just to spite them.
Leave a Reply