Farewell To Kings and Queens?

[Steve Smith]

Hello all

 

I watch a lot of history programmes, watching a documentary about the French Revolution and how the emperor Napoleon and his army was defeated at Waterloo in 1815 by The Duke of Wellington (only because the Prussian forces came to our aid) . I find very this interesting and informative.

 

Neil got it spot on about how Kings were tyrants and evil demons who ruled by tyranny and violence and he celebrated the French revolution with the wonderful "Bastille Day", one of the bands greatest ever songs in my humble opinion.

 

We still have monarchy in many of the world countries including mine the UK.

 

I am slightly ambivalent now, I hate the premise and what monarchy represents but I have a lot of love for our Queen Elizabeth.

 

My girlfriend is Thai and the outpouring of national grief when their king died recently seems to smack of brainwashing by western standards. They have a Lesse Majeste law which makes it illegal to criticise the monarch in any way punishable by life imprisonment. It seems rather akin to the regime in North Korea to me where that fat inbred megalomaniac seems to rule by decree (No I don't mean The Donald, I am talking about Kim Jon thingy or whatever he is called)

 

Do you think that monarchy has any place in a modern democratic world or should they all be consigned to the dustbin as a legacy of tyranny and inequality?

 

Steve Smith :-)

[Inthend]

Hey Steve. Welcome to TRF. Good topic for SOCN. Only a few more post and our monarch will give you access.

[goose]

Hey Steve. Welcome to TRF. Good topic for SOCN. Only a few more post and our monarch will give you access.

 

SOCN (Sense O'Clock News) is the place for politics. Give it a try, Stevie!

[JohnRogers]

Hey Steve. Welcome to TRF. Good topic for SOCN. Only a few more post and our monarch will give you access.

 

SOCN (Sense O'Clock News) is the place for politics. Give it a try, Stevie!

He is a benevolent ruler. I know because he hasn't had me drawn and quartered yet.

[Steve Smith]

Sorry if anyone is offended by my thread, I apologise if so.

 

Just for the record I am not trying to make any political point, just want to discuss Rush stuff.

 

The fact is that Neil made his opinions very clear with Farewell to Kings and Bastille Day. I pretty much agree with him so I don't see that I am doing anything wrong by bringing the subject up? Or is that censorship? Perhaps those who know better and have superior intellect than me should put a little sticker over my posts like the Permanent Waves cover?

 

Don't worry, I am one of the lucky ones who got the album on its first day before the Chicago Tribune's lawyers kicked off.

[JohnRogers]

Sorry if anyone is offended by my thread, I apologise if so.

 

Just for the record I am not trying to make any political point, just want to discuss Rush stuff.

 

The fact is that Neil made his opinions very clear with Farewell to Kings and Bastille Day. I pretty much agree with him so I don't see that I am doing anything wrong by bringing the subject up? Or is that censorship? Perhaps those who know better and have superior intellect than me should put a little sticker over my posts like the Permanent Waves cover?

 

Don't worry, I am one of the lucky ones who got the album on its first day before the Chicago Tribune's lawyers kicked off.

You all good. It's the mention of DJT that starts down the road we're not supposed to travel here. Actually your original post wouldn't be enough for the thread to close, it is the possible reactions to the Trump mention.

[goose]

Sorry if anyone is offended by my thread, I apologise if so.

 

Just for the record I am not trying to make any political point, just want to discuss Rush stuff.

 

The fact is that Neil made his opinions very clear with Farewell to Kings and Bastille Day. I pretty much agree with him so I don't see that I am doing anything wrong by bringing the subject up? Or is that censorship? Perhaps those who know better and have superior intellect than me should put a little sticker over my posts like the Permanent Waves cover?

 

Don't worry, I am one of the lucky ones who got the album on its first day before the Chicago Tribune's lawyers kicked off.

 

It's just that political discussions can get heated, so the Admins have created a dedicated sub-forum for those discussions. If you want anyone to share ideas beyond "I like monarchies" or "I don't like monarchies", SOCN is the place to go. :cheers:

[JohnRogers]

Sorry if anyone is offended by my thread, I apologise if so.

 

Just for the record I am not trying to make any political point, just want to discuss Rush stuff.

 

The fact is that Neil made his opinions very clear with Farewell to Kings and Bastille Day. I pretty much agree with him so I don't see that I am doing anything wrong by bringing the subject up? Or is that censorship? Perhaps those who know better and have superior intellect than me should put a little sticker over my posts like the Permanent Waves cover?

 

Don't worry, I am one of the lucky ones who got the album on its first day before the Chicago Tribune's lawyers kicked off.

 

It's just that political discussions can get heated, so the Admins have created a dedicated sub-forum for those discussions. If you want anyone to share ideas beyond "I like monarchies" or "I don't like monarchies", SOCN is the place to go. :cheers:

I think we can bad mouth Kim Jung Un all day long here. Until a :rush: fan from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea joins the forum. Is North Korea On Line still running? "We've read your mail"...

[Steve Smith]

OK all please accept my apologies. My reference to Trump was a crude attempt at an (unfunny) joke. I have no political allegiance, I hate them all!! ha ha

 

However I would say that as a golfer Donald's architect has done a brilliant job of redesigning the Turnberry course in Scotland and I look forward to playing the new layout soon.

 

Please understand I am relatively new to this forum stuff so if I make an un PC statement then I apologise.

 

At the end of the day, I am a guitar player and Rush fan of 40 years. Alex was my first guitar hero and still remains the best XXX

 

steve

[Lucas]

When I was a kid and first heard Bastille Day, I didn't understand what the lyrics meant, but I knew they meant something ...

 

Flaunt the fruits of noble birth, wash the salt into the earth

 

The song is great, and those are great lyrics

 

One of Rush's best

[treeduck]

Beanie is the queen!

[Steve Smith]

"There's no bread, let them eat cake" was a reference to the French queen Marie-Antoinette who was so detached from the poverty of her people that when her courtiers told her about the peasants were starving and had no bread to feed their families she laughed and said "well let them eat cake"

[Steve Smith]

The King will kneel and let his kingdom rise!!!!

[New World Kid]

OK all please accept my apologies. My reference to Trump was a crude attempt at an (unfunny) joke. I have no political allegiance, I hate them all!! ha ha

 

However I would say that as a golfer Donald's architect has done a brilliant job of redesigning the Turnberry course in Scotland and I look forward to playing the new layout soon.

 

Please understand I am relatively new to this forum stuff so if I make an un PC statement then I apologise.

 

At the end of the day, I am a guitar player and Rush fan of 40 years. Alex was my first guitar hero and still remains the best XXX

 

steve

 

You're too polite. Harden your exoskeleton before entering SOCN. Only the bastards, such as myself, can post there.

[grasbo]

Hello Steve ,i am an Aussie i have no problem with our Monarchy,it fills up magazines.Bastille Day is a great political song.It happened a long time ago but is still relevant and historical.The trouble with a lot of modern political songs is that age quickly because the event passes or just seem a bit tacky.History fascinates me,i just finished watching a doco on old Winston Churchill,now that would be a difficult subject.

[vaportrailer]

When I was a kid and first heard Bastille Day, I didn't understand what the lyrics meant, but I knew they meant something ...

 

Flaunt the fruits of noble birth, wash the salt into the earth

 

The song is great, and those are great lyrics

 

One of Rush's best

 

I always hear "flaunt the fruits of noble barf".

But clearly I am an idiot. :D

[vaportrailer]

Re: Thai King,

 

Bhumibol Adulyadej had been king since 1946 (70 years!) and made great efforts to get out of the palace and see his "people". He appeared to be quite open-minded, which is a rarity, not only for kings!

He was also a musician, interested in science and technology, and wrote a book about his favourite dog (Biography of a Pet Dog). That's pretty awesome, at least to me. The dog book is very sweet, and includes pictures of the king in regular clothes, contentedly hanging around with his pooch.

 

Here's a good quote from the man himself:

 

"Actually, I must also be criticized. I am not afraid if the criticism concerns what I do wrong, because then I know.

Because if you say the king cannot be criticized, it means that the king is not human.

If the king can do no wrong, it is akin to looking down upon him because the king is not being treated as a human being. But the king can do wrong."

 

I think the new king is going to have a rough go of things. He seems more interested in himself than others, but time will tell I guess.

 

Criticism must be able to be taken as freely as it's given. That goes both ways.

 

[Steve Smith]

I do not criticise the human being, I criticise the position

 

The King was complacent in the human rights abuses that the Thai military government have carried out, how could he do anything else? Just a puppet of the regime.

 

As far as his dog goes, well I am happy that the dog was well cared for and looked after. Many millions of Thai people live in abject poverty in the countryside and can not afford the basic things we in the West take for granted. I wish that I could take some of the arrogant benefit loafers in my country that complain if they cant get the new Sky TV subscription or they have to cut back to 20 ciggies a day and show them what the really poor have to suffer in this world.

 

Adolf Hitler was a committed vegetarian tea tottaller who adored animals and his German shepherd dogs. He put less worth on human life however.

 

I saw young children begging on the streets of Bangkok while my ex girlfriend drove us to the huge mall in her parents 4X4. I asked her to stop and let me out but she was more concerned about getting her new Louis Vutton handbag and Versace shoes. I left her in the mall and took a couple of sandwiches to the kids, they were no older than my GF's little boy. When she came out she was pissed with me for leaving her but I said how I felt. She told me that is how it is and I exploded and told her that it was disgusting how they can build a huge mall with shops selling luxury goods but they can not care for their children. She looked at me slightly glazed and could not understand. That was the moment our relationship ended.

 

So I really have no time at all when you mitigate Bhumibol. He could do nothing he was a pawn but do not build him up as some sort of humanitarian OK?

 

The Thai people have been brainwashed in the same way as North Korea, the only difference is that the king has no power, he is just in the hands of the military.

 

The whole outpouring of grief was disgusting. So much grief for someone who has lived a long and priviledged life who wanted for nothing???

 

What about the people and the children in Thailand who have nothing and live each day hand to mouth!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Your mitigation is disgusting and pathetic

 

Why don't you actually go to South East Asia and see what life is like there for the poor before you make stupid comments like that? I am sure that if I was a redundant monarch with no power or influence then I could find time to study poetry, philosophy and be very bloody pious.

 

The fact is that he was quite happy to turn a blind eye to the atrocities "his" military government have perpetrated.

 

Lesse Majeste is simply their version of what happens in North Korea end of.

 

Do not worry, I have asked admin to delete my account, I do no longer wish to be here

 

1 00 100 1 ???? what sort of name is that? What a prat!!

 

I grow tired now of the wannabies

[vaportrailer]

wow. didn't expect or mean for a little Wikipedia information to provoke that sort of response,

 

I'm pretty sure many Thai people would disagree with your brainwashing comment, btw. As you said:

"I hate the premise of what the monarchy represents, but I have a lot of love for our Queen Elizabeth."

Perhaps that's also what many Thais are feeling.

I'm not in love with the old Thai king by any means, but there are many, far worse examples of human behaviour in SEA.

 

Interestingly enough, I was just in Thailand, and am now in Cambodia. A very complicated place indeed.

 

Sorry if I caused offense Steve Smith. I sure like your drum videos though!

 

Too bad you had to say something foolish and negative about our admin (whose name comes from a Rush lyric btw) who is a very patient and tolerant person.

 

 

 

 

[JARG]

"There's no bread, let them eat cake" was a reference to the French queen Marie-Antoinette who was so detached from the poverty of her people that when her courtiers told her about the peasants were starving and had no bread to feed their families she laughed and said "well let them eat cake"

 

http://youtu.be/zYbrYHMIzXc

[Blue J]

Wowza.

[Tony R]

"There's no bread, let them eat cake" was a reference to the French queen Marie-Antoinette who was so detached from the poverty of her people that when her courtiers told her about the peasants were starving and had no bread to feed their families she laughed and said "well let them eat cake"

 

Except she never said that.

[Tony R]

I do not criticise the human being, I criticise the position

 

The King was complacent in the human rights abuses that the Thai military government have carried out, how could he do anything else? Just a puppet of the regime.

 

As far as his dog goes, well I am happy that the dog was well cared for and looked after. Many millions of Thai people live in abject poverty in the countryside and can not afford the basic things we in the West take for granted. I wish that I could take some of the arrogant benefit loafers in my country that complain if they cant get the new Sky TV subscription or they have to cut back to 20 ciggies a day and show them what the really poor have to suffer in this world.

 

Adolf Hitler was a committed vegetarian tea tottaller who adored animals and his German shepherd dogs. He put less worth on human life however.

 

I saw young children begging on the streets of Bangkok while my ex girlfriend drove us to the huge mall in her parents 4X4. I asked her to stop and let me out but she was more concerned about getting her new Louis Vutton handbag and Versace shoes. I left her in the mall and took a couple of sandwiches to the kids, they were no older than my GF's little boy. When she came out she was pissed with me for leaving her but I said how I felt. She told me that is how it is and I exploded and told her that it was disgusting how they can build a huge mall with shops selling luxury goods but they can not care for their children. She looked at me slightly glazed and could not understand. That was the moment our relationship ended.

 

So I really have no time at all when you mitigate Bhumibol. He could do nothing he was a pawn but do not build him up as some sort of humanitarian OK?

 

The Thai people have been brainwashed in the same way as North Korea, the only difference is that the king has no power, he is just in the hands of the military.

 

The whole outpouring of grief was disgusting. So much grief for someone who has lived a long and priviledged life who wanted for nothing???

 

What about the people and the children in Thailand who have nothing and live each day hand to mouth!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Your mitigation is disgusting and pathetic

 

Why don't you actually go to South East Asia and see what life is like there for the poor before you make stupid comments like that? I am sure that if I was a redundant monarch with no power or influence then I could find time to study poetry, philosophy and be very bloody pious.

 

The fact is that he was quite happy to turn a blind eye to the atrocities "his" military government have perpetrated.

 

Lesse Majeste is simply their version of what happens in North Korea end of.

 

Do not worry, I have asked admin to delete my account, I do no longer wish to be here

 

1 00 100 1 ???? what sort of name is that? What a prat!!

 

I grow tired now of the wannabies

 

One zero zero one zero zero one....SOS!!!

 

Pillock alert!

 

[Rutlefan]

For context, Steve is the oddball very concerned with (imagined or confused) 39 year-old anti-Neil allegations that no one else has given any thought to in the last 38 years or so.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

I do not criticise the human being, I criticise the position

 

The King was complacent in the human rights abuses that the Thai military government have carried out, how could he do anything else? Just a puppet of the regime.

 

As far as his dog goes, well I am happy that the dog was well cared for and looked after. Many millions of Thai people live in abject poverty in the countryside and can not afford the basic things we in the West take for granted. I wish that I could take some of the arrogant benefit loafers in my country that complain if they cant get the new Sky TV subscription or they have to cut back to 20 ciggies a day and show them what the really poor have to suffer in this world.

 

Adolf Hitler was a committed vegetarian tea tottaller who adored animals and his German shepherd dogs. He put less worth on human life however.

 

I saw young children begging on the streets of Bangkok while my ex girlfriend drove us to the huge mall in her parents 4X4. I asked her to stop and let me out but she was more concerned about getting her new Louis Vutton handbag and Versace shoes. I left her in the mall and took a couple of sandwiches to the kids, they were no older than my GF's little boy. When she came out she was pissed with me for leaving her but I said how I felt. She told me that is how it is and I exploded and told her that it was disgusting how they can build a huge mall with shops selling luxury goods but they can not care for their children. She looked at me slightly glazed and could not understand. That was the moment our relationship ended.

 

So I really have no time at all when you mitigate Bhumibol. He could do nothing he was a pawn but do not build him up as some sort of humanitarian OK?

 

The Thai people have been brainwashed in the same way as North Korea, the only difference is that the king has no power, he is just in the hands of the military.

 

The whole outpouring of grief was disgusting. So much grief for someone who has lived a long and priviledged life who wanted for nothing???

 

What about the people and the children in Thailand who have nothing and live each day hand to mouth!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Your mitigation is disgusting and pathetic

 

Why don't you actually go to South East Asia and see what life is like there for the poor before you make stupid comments like that? I am sure that if I was a redundant monarch with no power or influence then I could find time to study poetry, philosophy and be very bloody pious.

 

The fact is that he was quite happy to turn a blind eye to the atrocities "his" military government have perpetrated.

 

Lesse Majeste is simply their version of what happens in North Korea end of.

 

Do not worry, I have asked admin to delete my account, I do no longer wish to be here

 

1 00 100 1 ???? what sort of name is that? What a prat!!

 

I grow tired now of the wannabies

 

"1 00 100 1 ???? what sort of name is that? What a prat!!"

 

It's a username made up of numbers and dashes, and is a very recognizable Rush reference. That makes me a prat (stupid; idiot)? Okay, then.

 

Sorry things didn't work out for you here, but truth be told your posts are all over the place.