I have no problem with media covering and even celebrating the new royal baby. Why shouldn’t people cheer for a young couple making a family.
Yeah, it’s a tabloid story, nothing more than celebrity gossip and a distraction to important things that are happening. But I’ve come to accept that certain manufactured celebrity pablum gets reported as real news, so why shouldn’t this story.
There are people who truly eat this stuff up, just as there people who follow other celebrities with passion. For those who don’t care, there’s even a Chrome plugin to block royal baby coverage. It’s entertainment pure and simple, as long as we treat it as such, no problem.
I do have a problem when entertainment becomes law, or remains law because of veneration for a tradition that has itself morphed into a new mass-media celebrity animal. Sadly, in Canada, that is the case.
New arrivals have to swear allegiance to Kate’s son’s great grandma if they want to become citizens. Fortunately, some potential Canadians are challenging this in court.
This has prompted the expected right wing backlash. Their argument breaks down to the idea that those who don’t want to follow “our” ways and pledge themselves to England (and one of the world)’s biggest land owner should go somewhere else.
Well, I’m already a Canadian citizen due to where I was born and I’ve never sworn my alliegance to the British monarchy. I don’t have to and don’t think others should to get the same privileges I enjoy.
I’d also be against having to swear an oath to a particular prime minister as well, because allegiance should be to a country not a leader. That doesn’t change the fact that the “leader” new Canadians have to devote themselves too currently is a particularly stupid choice.
The British crown has changed over the centuries from an actual government to feudal entertainment. Now don’t get me wrong, I love feudal entertainment, I just don’t think I should have to devote my life to it.
I love Game of Thrones, but you won’t catch me declaring my fealty to house Lannister to renew my passport. If anything, I’d go with house Stark or Targarian, the North will never forget that Danerys is damn hot.
All joking aside, an oath to a foreign monarch whose family went reality TV years ago as a citizenship requirement is just as dumb. Will, Kate and their baby already have enough willing devotees, why force anyone else to become their fans.
