Juan Carlos

**alhoon** · April 24, 2012, 07:29 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17730857

I didn't see any thread about it here, so I decided to start one.

More or less: Juan Carlos took expensive vacations, went to Botswana, killed an elephant and broke a hip. The press was all over it for days.

The problems I see with that:
- Too much press interest over an old man that shoots elephants

- According to another article (and Tomas Gomez), Juan Carlos has responsibilities instead of just bringing tourists and prestige to Spain and give nice speeches in celebrations and national days. I don't know if that's true, but if it is... it's very irresponsible for the head of state to go on vacation when Argentina kicks Spain's genitals amidst a deepening financial crisis. Of course, I don't know if he has to be there to sign things or not. Someone better versed, please enlighten us.

- We all know royalty is rich and that Juan Carlos can afford safaries in Africa. However, when the Spanish family is struggling with (IIRC, no sources out of my memory) 12% of families having both parents unemployed, that is 1/8 families BTW, it's provocative. Is it his fault that the Media grabbed the story and made it big so that the average unemployed Spanish family would be aware? Not sure, but he should have avoided it just in case.

- He's 74 years old. Safaries in Southern Africa are too much for him. Evidently... he broke a hip. And of course, trusting the old king's surgery in Botswana's hospital is kinda risky. He should get it in his mind that he's not a young man anymore.

- Elephants. Well, they're endangered, aren't they? Not too terrible in my book though. The picture though looks vile. I felt sad for the elephant.

Besides that, I was thinking.
I used to like the Spanish king and respect him since he said that "STFU" in that meeting in South America. However, I'm thinking that perhaps he starts going senile. And him being a king, that's not a good thing, since he can't be voted out. Hunting elephants in Bostwana in the midst of a financial crisis when he's 74? Something's wrong with his common sense.

**Claudius Gothicus** · April 24, 2012, 07:31 AM

This guy continues to troll reality, morals and customs. Great King.

**molonthegreat** · April 24, 2012, 07:33 AM

I doubt the Spanish people care to much seeing how Juan Carlos is a modern day cincinnatus, also there is nothing wrong with hunting elephants for his own money.

**alhoon** · April 24, 2012, 07:45 AM

Cincinnatus? How so? He didn't save his country from conquest and then went back to his farm like Cincinatus did.

Also, another thing: His grandson was wounded in a hunting accident last week

Somebody should tell the royal family that hunting isn't good for them any more.

**molonthegreat** · April 24, 2012, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by alhoon

Cincinnatus? How so? He didn't save his country from conquest and then went back to his farm like Cincinatus did.

Also, another thing: His grandson was wounded in a hunting accident last week

Somebody should tell the royal family that hunting isn't good for them any more.

He turned Spain back into a democracy and refused to become a dictator, it certainly looks like the Spanish royal family don't have any luck hunting.

**alhoon** · April 24, 2012, 07:54 AM

Yeah, my father told me so. He said that even after democratizing Spain (against the wishes of the army and many conservatives), a general named "Cavalo" (sp?) asked him to take part in a Coup and he denied and turned them in.

Well, certainly doesn't look the type to go hunting in the midst of a crisis, so I think he's getting senile.

EDIT: He also legalized communists in the midsts of the cold war.

**molonthegreat** · April 24, 2012, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by alhoon

Yeah, my father told me so. He said that even after democratizing Spain (against the wishes of the army and many conservatives), a general named "Cavalo" (sp?) asked him to take part in a Coup and he denied and turned them in.

Well, certainly doesn't look the type to go hunting in the midst of a crisis, so I think he's getting senile.

EDIT: He also legalized communists in the midsts of the cold war.

Yep, the guy even made communists into monarchists as well and is the only current monarch that truly deserves the title.

As for hunting how long have this crisis been going on and why should he drop all his hobbies because of it? Also he probably does just as expensive things home in Spain so I don't really see the big problem.

**Ishoss** · April 30, 2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by molonthegreat

Yep, the guy even made communists into monarchists as well and is the only current monarch that truly deserves the title.

I agree he is perhaps the greatest but I believe King Harald V of Norway is also worthy of his title. He demonstrated his usefulness as a national symbol last year. Norway's monarchs have always been great figures when the nation has been hit with catastrophies. King Olav V and Haakon VII proved their mettle during the war.

But I agree Carl Gustav has done a few things which suggests he should not be a monarch. He should abdicate. Victoria will be a good queen.

**Erwin Rommel** · April 24, 2012, 08:04 AM

Poor Felipe, grandson of Juan Carlos, that kid is still 13 years old.

Well at least he was lucky compared to the 14 year old brother of Juan Carlos, Alfonso, accidentally killed by Juan Carlos.

**alhoon** · April 24, 2012, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by Erwin Rommel

Well at least he was lucky compared to the 14 year old brother of Juan Carlos, Alfonso, accidentally killed by Juan Carlos.

I don't believe that, I believe the official version, that JC was away at the time.

Originally Posted by molonthegreat

is the only current monarch that truly deserves the title.

The queen of England is also nice.

**molonthegreat** · April 24, 2012, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by alhoon

The queen of England is also nice.

She has done nothing to deserve her title except being born out of the right vagina unlike Juan Carlos, my own King is also an idiot who doesn't deserve his title but he is better than having some idiotic politician as a President and at least he behaved like a King and slept around in his prime.

**Erwin Rommel** · April 24, 2012, 08:14 AM

I don't believe that, I believe the official version, that JC was away at the time.

The pistol was provided by Franco himself!

(Then again, I like royal conspiracies, especially seemingly isolated ones like the preceding King of Thailand, not the incumbent, was killed with a gunshot wound and its a mystery on whodunit)

**Tiberios** · April 24, 2012, 08:55 AM

Perhaps not the smartest thing to do during a financial crisis, but meh.

**Bobz** · April 24, 2012, 09:28 AM

Isn't he the honorary head of a Spanish conservation organisation? Which is why there was such a big deal over it, hunting elephants while he publicly supports protecting endangered species. Seems fairly obvious that there would of been outcry over Juan Carlos' actions.

**Erwin Rommel** · April 24, 2012, 09:44 AM

Spanish conversation organisation

Conversation? I wonder what they talk about. Must be deep intellectual spanish stuff.

**Bobz** · April 24, 2012, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Erwin Rommel

Conversation? I wonder what they talk about. Must be deep intellectual spanish stuff.

Of course, only the finest arguments about courting controversy

**BlueLion** · April 24, 2012, 09:55 AM

The guys a monster who deserves a slow and lingering death.

**Hakomar** · April 24, 2012, 10:13 AM

I like his approach to Chavez though.

**Sadreddine** · April 24, 2012, 10:52 AM

Heh, I guess the king of Spain is viewed in a good light mostly because what he said to Chavez. In the 23F (Tejero's) coup he most likely acted more worried about himself than about democracy. Tejero's coup was doomed to fail since the beginning due to its poor execution and lack of support and the king chose to align himself with the winners. Simple as that.

All in all, he is a senile, mediocre man that is well known in Spain for his excesses (women particularly). When he was at the hospital due to this incident, his wife the Queen visited him for a whole 30 minutes and then left. She despises him (for good reasons) and that's no secret either.

And don't tell me he was 'using his own money and that's ok' and be done with it. The royal family gets more than €8 million per year, paid by the spanish citizens/contributors, for him to do some 'work' as a 'representative' and 'chief of the army' (lol) which is dubious at best, and of course to enjoy an elite safari in Africa whilst the country is at the verge of collapse.

However, he himself has hinted that his time is over. Prince Felipe will probably be crowned soon.

A stupid, leeching institution if you ask me. And the King is most representative of this fact.

**iudas** · April 24, 2012, 11:48 AM

He's one of the least agreeable royal figures, in my view. The monarchy is meant to be a symbol, something the people would look up to. Evidently Juan Carlos has failed in this respect.

(He was present at the football European Cup final in 1986 which was held in Seville, and Barcelona played Steaua Bucharest. Barcelona was expected to win, but lost at penalty kicks, and the disappointed king left the venue before he could congratulate the winners. What an ass.