Harry the Nazi

[J. J.]

In defense of HRH, I'm going to point out that he might have been parodying the Nazis, much in the style that Mel Brooks does.

I'd dress as a Nazi if it was intended to mock them, much like my previous parodying of Joe McCarthy to show how destructive he was.

[J. J.]

yay for welfare (Parliament gives them a stipend right?) for rich people.

Actually, the Queen turns over the use for her rents to the government in exhange for her stipend.  It called the Civil List.

If she kept the rents, it would be a lot more.

[J. J.]

oh. I know a lot of jews, including many who are related to holocaust survivors, and they don't have a problem with the word. IIRC, Melbourne has the world's highest percentage of holocaust survivors outside Israel, and the third largest jewish community outside Israel, too. (Many of whom are in my seat, held by a Jew, who used the words holocaust and auschwitz in his campaign)

If any jewish members of this forum are offended, I will edit both this post and the last.

It's not that... I just didn't want to mention it in the same post as that little sh**t

Would you oppose The Producers on the same grounds.

[J. J.]

oh. I know a lot of jews, including many who are related to holocaust survivors, and they don't have a problem with the word. IIRC, Melbourne has the world's highest percentage of holocaust survivors outside Israel, and the third largest jewish community outside Israel, too. (Many of whom are in my seat, held by a Jew, who used the words holocaust and auschwitz in his campaign)

If any jewish members of this forum are offended, I will edit both this post and the last.

It's not that... I just didn't want to mention it in the same post as that little sh**t

Would you oppose The Producers on the same grounds.

No

Good.  How do you know that HRH wasn't attempting to mock the Nazis (or his great uncle, for that matter)?

[J. J.]

If he was going to dress as a Nazi he did it in the stupidest way possible, if he had gone dressed in a full SS uniform with the arm band he would have looked like he was mocking Hitler, going as he did in basically normal clothes with a swastika armband was a lot more stupid publicity-wise, but either way it was still a really stupid and offensive thing to do.

The drink and the cigarette helped with the mocking nature, and he was wearing a uniform, not just an armband over normal clothes, according to the story (and from the photo).

[J. J.]

Good.  How do you know that HRH wasn't attempting to mock the Nazis (or his great uncle, for that matter)?

Because:

1. He makes yeast look intelligent.
2. The theme (or whatever they call it) of the piss up party was racist ("colonial and native")

He might have mocking the German "Volk" ideas or he might have saying, in effect, "See, this is what colonialism leads to."  He could have been mocking the political leanings of some of his relatives, for that matter.  We don't know the context.

We have to know the context.  I'm thinking of a case where Charles, after being voted as one of the worst dressed people in the UK, showed up at a white tie affair wearing a ratty tweed jacket instead of tails, over his white tie; he was the speaker.

[J. J.]

I know someone who showed up for their school CCF (guessing you guys don't have that there - just a military like thing schools do that trains lots of officers for the British army) in full Soviet uniform, I believe he got kicked out of CCF for it.

On what grounds?

Offended the guy running it or something. He took his hat off, threw it on the ground then like jumped on it before picking it up, smoothing it off and putting it back on his head, crazy guy, huh?

People get offended way to easily.  If some guy dressed up as a gay-hating KKK guy I'd probably kiss him as a joke.

The whole KKK thing has to be in contect.  In Blazing Sabbles it was used by Clevon Little's character for comic effect; that might have been the same type of effect HRH was going for with the uniform.  Likewise, he could have walked up to people and said, "Hello, I'm Edward VIII." 

We don't know the context and that could be important.

[J. J.]

While I have the highest respect for royalty,

Why?

I just do, I've always been fascinated by the English Monarchy for some reason. I wouldn't if the US had some sort of monarchy like that, just figureheads is what i mean. I think it gives u an extra sense of hertaige.

You don't confuse the political leader with the state either.  There is a lot be said for monarchy.

[J. J.]

I'm a huge fan of figurehead heads of state. I'd prefer an Australian, but the Queen works alright. I'm a bit worried about King Charlie though...

I do hope he behaves himself when he wears the crown.

[J. J.]

IT WAS A PARTY

It was at a "natives and colonial" themed party. A rough U.S equivilent would be a "slaves and masters" themed party.

A group of people dressing up in safari-khakis is hardly "slaves and masters". A "natives and colonial" party would be more equivalent to "Cowboys and Indians".

As somebody who is part Amerindian, I would not object to the theme of "Cowboys and Indians."

Good Heavens, he might have spoofing the Nazis or even his great uncle.  I dressed up like Caesar once; that didn't mean I wanted to re-establish the Roman Empire.

[J. J.]

What is especially perverse are the facts that (1) his grandmother learned how to use firearms in case of the gerry invasion (2) his great-grandad smoked himself to death over the frayed nerves he got trying to corral Churchilll and Montgomery.

It's interesting that William is a great deal more mature of the two, even though they were raised by the same (odious) couple. In his heart-of-hearts, William may even be a secret Tory like grandmama. But Harry, unless he finds God and responsibility, will be the family loser, much like Billy Carter, Hugh Rodham, Neill Bush, etc.

Their family home was bombed, too.  :-)

[J. J.]

While I have the highest respect for royalty,

Why?

I just do, I've always been fascinated by the English Monarchy for some reason. I wouldn't if the US had some sort of monarchy like that, just figureheads is what i mean. I think it gives u an extra sense of hertaige.

You don't confuse the political leader with the state either.  There is a lot be said for monarchy.

What do you mean by that.

Many times people tend to confuse what's good for the head of government with what's good for the county.  Historically, some element of Watergate was based what the participants thought was good for the county.  It was only good for Nixon.  Likewise, Iran Contra was seen by to some to be a patriotic act to further the US.   An non-US example is the removal of Mussolini by Victor Immanuel III.  There was also Hirohito's action as head of state to impose the surrender.

Separating the head of state (the Queen in the UK's case) from the head of government (the PM) can help prevent problems.  Opposing the policies of a President can very easily be seen as being anti-American.  Opposing a head of government is seen as disagreement with a politician.  This separation has it's uses.