Queen Elizabeth II has died at 96

[hal2kilo]

I cannot believe CNN's Jake Tapper suggested President Biden invite Donald Trump to the Queen's funeral. No wonder, the Brits do not want Biden to lead a delegation.

Maybe a little background from Trump visits might shed some light on why he wasn't invited.

Donald Trump: Queen Elizabeth's Yank stepson? He seems to think so | Salon.com

 

[zinfamous]

While CNN & MSNBC are showing the Queen’s procession, good ole Faux is showing a little box of it while continuing their usual Dem bashing.

I'd rather none of them show any of it. It's fucking absurd.

Did we show funeral processions for the deaths of other international tyrants?

 

[IronWing]

I'd rather none of them show any of it. It's fucking absurd.

Did we show funeral processions for the deaths of other international tyrants?

 

[pmv]

The same government that complains about "cancel culture" and which passed a law making it possible for Holocaust-deniers to sue universities that refused them a platform, also passed the laws that are now being used to allow peaceful anti-monarchist protestors to be arrested.

Civil liberties groups criticise police over arrests of anti-monarchy protesters

Series of incidents in Edinburgh, London and Oxford include woman being charged after protest outside St Giles’ Cathedral

www.theguardian.com

Plus there's this

Jokes about the Queen’s death cut from UK version of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Sky edited gags that were previously shown in the US

www.theguardian.com

People who bang on about 'freedom of speech' are almost always hypocrites (cf Elon Musk). It always means 'free speech for me, not for thee'.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I'd rather none of them show any of it. It's fucking absurd.

Did we show funeral processions for the deaths of other international tyrants?

I’m certainly no Royal watcher but come on man. They have wonderful traditions and are unquestionably our best most reliable ally
Plus wonderfully shitty beer & food

 

[IronWing]

I’m certainly no Royal watcher but come on man. They have wonderful traditions and are unquestionably our best most reliable ally

That would be France.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

That would be France.

No they’re the ones with good porn

 

[sactoking]

I noticed that world leaders have been told to leave travel arrangements to the UK and not use their private services.

Is Chuck planning a master stroke to simultaneously eliminate world leaders and rebuild the Empire in one fell swoop?

Tongue in cheek question, bee tee dubs.

 

[sdifox]

No they’re the ones with good porn

Your grasp of history is lacking.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Your grasp of history is lacking.

Talking right now guy. France is the oldest ally.

 

[pmv]

I noticed that world leaders have been told to leave travel arrangements to the UK and not use their private services.

Is Chuck planning a master stroke to simultaneously eliminate world leaders and rebuild the Empire in one fell swoop?

Tongue in cheek question, bee tee dubs.

Apparently Russia, Belarus, and Myanmar have not been invited, so the plan would seem to have some omissions (at least the last of those was once part of the Empire, no?)

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/queen-funeral-procession-coffin-countries-not-invited-133933550.html

(Though I'm wondering, does that mean that representatives of North Korea, Iran and Afghanistan are all on their way?)

 

[Pens1566]

That would be France.

Nope. Our closest allies (at least militarily and intel wise) are all members of the commonwealth.

France helped us out big time at one point, but we're not really that close now.

 

[IronWing]

Nope. Our closest allies (at least militarily and intel wise) are all members of the commonwealth.

France helped us out big time at one point, but we're not really that close now.

You mean like the time British intelligence lied to the CIA about Iran and the CIA overthrew the Iranian government and installed the Shah based on British lies? That was the best. All to protect British Petroleum’s profits.

 

[Pens1566]

You mean like the time British intelligence lied to the CIA about Iran and the CIA overthrew the Iranian government and installed the Shah based on British lies? That was the best. All to protect British Petroleum’s profits.

No, like how five eyes is entirely made up of us and commonwealth nations. Don't act like we aren't also in the business of using intel to our own benefit/ends as well.

<cough>yellow cake</cough>

Point being we only have that special relationship with those countries. Not France.

 

[HomerJS]

Trump not invited to funeral. Hoping they ask Obama at the last minute.

I would chuckle at the positive press coverage by Fox News suddenly changing.

 

[pmv]

People are losing their Goddam minds.

‘Out of respect’: the worst examples of public mourning for the Queen

The zeal of some people, businesses and organisations has attracted ire – or laughter

www.theguardian.com

Center Parcs tries to evict guests out of respect

The single greatest PR disaster of the mourning period surely belongs to Center Parcs. The company initially said guests in the middle of their holiday would have to spend the night of the funeral elsewhere or go home early as it was shutting down on that day. It was accused of ruining people’s holidays. One response that went viral on social media said: “Good luck removing guests from the parks. You’ve trained them in archery, shooting, swimming, canoeing and swinging through trees like apes. You’ve basically got five village-loads of ninjas to clear out.” The company eventually reversed the decision.

British Cycling says don’t cycle

Also making a U-turn, which is quite difficult on two wheels, was British Cycling. The governing body for the sport initially issued advice that nobody should use their bicycles on the day of the Queen’s funeral out of respect. After howls of protest, it has softened its stance on whether people should use their bikes at all, but is still insisting that on Monday’s bank holiday people should refrain from “cycle sport events, club rides, coaching sessions and community programmes.”

Norwich city council says don’t park your bike

Cyclists were also mystified in Norwich when a sign went up saying “Advance warning. Royal period of mourning. This cycle rack will be closed from Friday 9 September until Wednesday 23 September” – with no other context. A spokesperson from the council later said it was because the rack was near the location where floral tributes were being left, and the sign was changed to specify that, still without really explaining why it would be disrespectful to park bikes near the flowers.

 

[Lezunto]

Maybe a little background from Trump visits might shed some light on why he wasn't invited.

Donald Trump: Queen Elizabeth's Yank stepson? He seems to think so | Salon.com

I am aware of how uncouth Trump was when he visited Britain. Which is why I made my off-hand remark. And I am also mindful of how the average Briton felt about Trump.

After Barack Obama carefully and skillfully rebuilt the standing and respect of the U.S. in the world after Bush II's Iraq invasion, it took Trump only months to wreck it again.

Here is U.K. writer Nate White's essay on Trump:

British Writer Pens The Best Description Of Trump I've Read

Someone on Quora asked "Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?" Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England wrote the following response: A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no...

www.redlakenationnews.com

 

[WelshBloke]

People are losing their Goddam minds.

‘Out of respect’: the worst examples of public mourning for the Queen

The zeal of some people, businesses and organisations has attracted ire – or laughter

www.theguardian.com

The word "respect" is joining the word "sovereignty" as a word used by mouth breathers that are confused by events around them and can't parse reality.

 

[pmv]

I so hope this article is correct. The longer this goes on the more I wonder if I'm living in a country of crazy people (crazier than Americans, even!).

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/14/british-royals-scrutiny-queens-death/


A 14 hour queue just to walk past the Queen's coffin.

Queue to see Queen paused for at least six hours after hitting capacity

The line for the Queen's lying in state is currently nearly five miles long, with Southwark Park listed as the nearest landmark.

news.sky.com

Apparently people want to be able to say "they were there". I'm hoping to be able to say "I wasn't there, I had more sense".

I can still remember the day I spent working hard at _not_ hearing anything about Charles and Di's wedding. It took some doing. The irony is I suspect Charles and Di ultimately came to wish they'd followed my example.

 

[eelw]

WTF paying their respects is now considered crazier than Americans? No wonder the US is such a shithole country. Burn it to the ground to help fix it.

 

[pmv]

WTF paying their respects is now considered crazier than Americans? No wonder the US is such a shithole country. Burn it to the ground to help fix it.

If "paying their respects" means queuing for 14 hours just to walk past the coffin of an immensely privileged woman who lived to 96 (while being the heart of an empire that caused misery and impoverishment for millions), and accepting without question a system of hierarchy and privilege wrapped up in a preposterous amount of flummery and weird rituals, then, yes, I think it's pretty crazy.

 

[eelw]

If "paying their respects" means queuing for 14 hours just to walk past the coffin of an immensely privileged woman who lived to 96 (while being the heart of an empire that caused misery and impoverishment for millions), and accepting without question a system of hierarchy and privilege wrapped up in a preposterous amount of flummery and weird rituals, then, yes, I think it's pretty crazy.

Again my point is crazier than Americans? Right now among nationalities, frankly Americans barely rank above pond scum

 

[pmv]

Again my point is crazier than Americans? Right now among nationalities, frankly Americans barely rank above pond scum

My point is that every country seems crazy these days. I _thought_ Brits were more sane than Americans, but it seems currently they have all come over a bit peculiar. In general I find myself thinking every system - the US, the UK, the EU, and (most definitely) Russia, needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. It's hard to say which system is the more flawed. That's why I remain a bit ambivalent about Brexit.

 

[eelw]

My point is that every country seems crazy these days. I _thought_ Brits were more sane than Americans, but it seems currently they have all come over a bit peculiar. In general I find myself thinking every system - the US, the UK, the EU, and (most definitely) Russia, needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. It's hard to say which system is the more flawed. That's why I remain a bit ambivalent about Brexit.

It will end up between 2-3 million people paying respects to a lady that served her country no matter how much one hates the monarchy. Or 75 million still siding with a selfish egomaniac that only thinks about himself, screw the country. UK has a long way to go to be considered anyway in the same league as the US

 

[FelixDeCat]

RIP ER.

God save the King.

It was a beautiful ceremony.