Why Americans should boycott the royal wedding

[Count of Montesano]

Really interesting article on Slate.com outlining some pretty good reasons why Americans should boycott the royal wedding. Definitely worth a read:

Of all the annoying things about the royal wedding—the crass materialism, the outrageous invasion of a young couple's privacy, the bad TV—none is more troubling than the occasion this event gives for the non-English to transform themselves into besotted Anglophilic wusses. It is one thing for the English to care about the wedding. Paying attention to the royal family, even if only to read sensationalist tabloid articles about them, is one of the proper jobs of English people. But for an American to be excited about the royal wedding is undignified and lame. And, I would add, if you get up at 3 a.m. on Friday to watch the wedding on television, you are a traitor to your country.

Good Englishmen might mock the royals, but good Americans should not even consider them royal. (Just writing this column I risk paying the House of Windsor too much mind. I'm like Phyllis Schlafly, whose work outside the home was to convince women not to work outside the home.) Americans are supposed to loathe and reject monarchs. In the earliest years of English settlement, this land was a proud haven for king killers. In 1660, it was to the New World that Edward Whalley, John Dixwell, and William Goffe, all responsible for the beheading of Charles I, fled after the restoration of the monarchy imperiled their lives. A century later, descendants of the New Englanders who had hidden the regicides, now banding together as overtaxed colonists, fought a bloody war for the privilege to ignore the king of England.
Anti-monarchism was then written into our Constitution. The United States was born in sin—slavery, the murder of Indians—but one thing our founders got right was the banishment of titles as inimical to republicanism. To wit, Article 1, Section 9: "No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State." Not only were we not to bestow our own titles—we were not even supposed to accept them from foreigners.

http://www.slate.com/id/2292078

[Grouchio]

Slay the man who wrote this article!! I Love Britain as much as my country!! I'll tear that blaggard apart, I will!!

[Dubh the dark]

Oh dear, if people hate monarchy they should really just ignore the wedding rather than rant, rave and give further publicity to all this..stuff.

[chilon]

Any sane person should boycott any celebrity wedding. At least the Royal Wedding is more interesting than stereotypical Hollywood weddings.

[Jingo Eugene]

Oh dear, if people hate monarchy they should really just ignore the wedding rather than rant, rave and give further publicity to all this..stuff.

"The more you hate something or somebody, the more attention you give it/them. So stop hating them, and they will go unnoticed."

-Someone I do not know

[Thorn777]

@OP

True. And then we Germans got this special-report marathon on all big royal happenings everywhere, where some annoying posh journalist woman blocks the public channel all day long.

Away with them pseudo monarchs.

[Imperial]

DOWN WITH THE BRITISH!!!!

[Count of Montesano]

BTW, I didn't post this article to be anti-British. I spent about 8 months living in the UK while I was in the Army and quite enjoyed myself. The point of the article is that in most cases Americans have either an indifferent or actively hostile outlook on the royalty of other countries. For example, ask anyone of the World War 2 generation (or who were kids during the war) about how great and wonderful the Japanese imperial family is.

But somehow Americans still go crazy over the British royal family, despite the fact that we fought a very bloody war to get away from them.

[Imperial]

But somehow Americans still go crazy over the British royal family, despite the fact that we fought a very bloody war to get away from them.

Who's "we?" A good amount of Americans great-great grand parents were probably never around when the Revolution took place. Why should they hold a grudge over something their families were never apart of?

[Count of Montesano]

Who's "we?" A good amount of Americans great-great grand parents were probably never around when the Revolution took place.

I'm using the royal - I mean Constitutional - we.

[Sisko]

"King George commands and we obey, over the hills and far away!!"

[Tiberios]

If Americans want to watch the Royal Wedding, good for them. I if they don't, good for them.

I'm going to watch it. In part because I like splendid military parades and so on and the Brits are good at that.

[Jaketh]

Who's "we?" A good amount of Americans great-great grand parents were probably never around when the Revolution took place. Why should they hold a grudge over something their families were never apart of?

because regardless if you where their or not it is what this country was born from

[Azog 150]

Who's "we?" A good amount of Americans great-great grand parents were probably never around when the Revolution took place. Why should they hold a grudge over something their families were never apart of?

And even those who were around, only around 35% of the colonists were thought to be active Republicans. About 20% were active Loyalists and the remaining 55% of the colonists didn't care too much either way.

As a Brit I find Americas reaction slightly baffling. However, if they want to enjoy it good on them. Have a great day on Friday. I think its a nice sign of the generally good relationship between British and American people. If they don't care then don't watch it. Whatever.







Edit: Just read Poach's post. What he said.

[skh1]

Perhaps we're hoping for another Diana but with a happier ending.

[mrmouth]

As a Brit I find Americas reaction slightly baffling. However, if they want to enjoy it good on them. Have a great day on Friday. I think its a nice sign of the generally good relationship between British and American people. If they don't care then don't watch it. Whatever.

The group that cares is the daytime tv group. Oprah types. It's being oversold just like everything else.

Having said that, there is that arch on the US/Canada border thats reads "Children of a Common Mother."

I will always have a soft spot for anything British. We are intrinsically linked, like it or not.

[Dubh the dark]

But somehow Americans still go crazy over the British royal family, despite the fact that we fought a very bloody war to get away from them.

I think there is always a fascination with the 'historic enemy' in former colonies. The Monarchy in England reflect the closest link to that imperial past.
For instance in Ireland there was a huge commemoration on Easter Sunday, which celebrated 95 years since the Easter Rising, which helped to lead to the Irish Republic. That wasn't shown on the state broadcaster but the royal wedding will be. People are just fascinated. No big deal I suppose.

[Pious Agnost]

But somehow Americans still go crazy over the British royal family, despite the fact that we fought a very bloody war to get away from them.

And a fine job you did of getting away from them.

[xcorps]

I won't watch it, don't care about it, don't want to know about it...but if I'm forced to watch either the Royals or Lindesy Lohan/Paris Hilton...I'll take the Royals.

[Shneckie]

And, I would add, if you get up at 3 a.m. on Friday to watch the wedding on television, you are a traitor to your country.

I think somebody needs to step outside, breathe, relax, watch the leggy brunette jogging past in tight clothing, breathe and then return inside to the 21st Century.