The article may be outdated but the content is still valid in 2009.
Princess Mary of Denmark
Perhaps you Americans are not aware of it, but Australia has produced or raised several Royal Princesses, of which Princess Michael of Kent (UK) is one, and more recently, an Australian named Mary Elizabeth Donaldson of Hobart Tasmania, Now Princess Mary of Denmark.
Princess Mary's homeland (sorry! I mean home state), Tasmania, is that little triangle of land to the very south of Eastern Australia. It's not a place that most Australians think much about, except as the target of ribald jokes. Now of course, Tasmania is not only on the tip of the Royal tongue, but might perhaps become Denmark's new colony or state. Most Australians wouldn't notice if it did!
Now with regard to Her Royal Highness, Princess Mary of Denmark, I was reading an article today, entitled: "Princess Mary and The Magic of Monarchy", by Professor David Flint, posted on the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy Website.
He was answering a series of questions about our own home grown royal princess, and quite naturally, the discussion progressed to a discussion about Republicanism vs. Monarchism, and the professor made some interesting points. He pointed out that:
Apart from the ceremonial position of honour it [the monarchy] occupies, it is an important check and balance against the abuse of power, being important not so much for the power it disposes, but the power it denies others.
He also went on to point out that in reference to the UN's 'Human Development Index', that 'At the very top of the list, constitutional monarchies dominate. In the last survey the top five, and most of the top ten, were constitutional monarchies. This is no co-incidence' he said.
He further went on to state that "The attitude of many journalists in Britain is that all restraints, legal and ethical, disappear whenever they are reporting about members of the Royal Family".
From his discussions, one can draw two distinct conclusions. One is, that the (politico/cultural) traditions of our country have served us well, and will continue to do so if left alone; and that there are forces at work in the world (such as the British press), who presume to take it upon themselves to 'overturn' the traditions of the nation.
The founding of the American Republic occurred centuries ago, as a necessity given the circumstances of the day, and unto those to whom the responsibility fell, was given the task to design a constitution and a workable national system of governance, which pointed America in a direction, that ultimately led the nation not only to prosperity and stability, but along the way, allowed it to develop its' own peculiar cultural heritage.
Like the members of the British Press, there are at work in society today, people who care nothing for traditional values, nor traditional culture. While claiming to be wise, they blindly go where angels fear to tread, hellbent on 'freeing the general population' of its' current immature or oppressive values.
Like the people of my home state Queensland, who spent years screaming for the 'RIGHT' to gamble, but who now find themselves sinking in a social problem, these social experimenters will arrive at a point one day, where all around them, society is falling apart specifically because of these demands for freedom from tradition and culture. And, just like the people of Queensland, they will start screaming for the government, to 'fix the problem!'.
The social experimenters, those anti government and at the same time self loathing unappreciative 'citizens', who denigrate their own society, it's traditions and values, always pass themselves off as people who are concerned for the 'rights' of the individual. But one should not allow oneself to be fooled. These people are nothing more than self centered power mongers looking for opportunities to rule the masses under the cover of caring about 'YOUR' rights.
As an Aussie, I give such people a miss. As for me, I'll stick with traditional values and a traditional way of life! As for the Rebublic vs Monarchy debate: "Long live Queen Mary of Denmark!" Sorry! I mean, "Queen Elizabeth II of England".
R.P.BenDedek
Post Script on Princess Michael of Kent.
Just for those who have written me letters of complaint.
If you read the article again you will see that I did not in fact say that Princess Michael was born in Australia
-and-
Before insisting that she is Austrian - go check her own website. You might learn something.
All forms of abuse are serious, but the least recognised is Emotional Abuse. In the Article entitled: Emotional Abuse and Female Emotional Abusers this issue is examined. It touches upon Religious abuse, Political Activist abuse, Feminist Abuse, Child abuse, and Men who are abused by women.
R.P.BenDedek is from Brisbane Australia and is the author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' at http://www.kingscalendar.com His academic articles set forth Apologetics for and results of his discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Bible, Josephus, the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
He writes photographic 'Stories from China' and social editorial commentaries, both at KingsCalendar, and as a contributing newspaper columnist. He currently teaches Conversational English in China and in addition to his English Lessons at KingsCalendar, he has created specific sites for Students of English.
Immediately this article was published at Magic City, a lady emailed me and informed me that I had mislead my readers, and that in fact Princess Michael of Kent was not born in Australia, but in Austria.
HOWEVER, I never said that Princess Michael was born in Australia. I merely said that 'Australia has produced OR raised several Royal Princesses'.
So yes I am aware that Princess Michael of Kent was not born in Australia, and that she did not need to marry into Royalty to be of royal birth.
I didn't have the heart however to tell this lady where the Princess was actually born. If you check Her Royal Highness' website, you will find that she was not born in Austria.
But as a better indication of how carelessly people read, or more importantly, how a person's prejudice can blind them while they read, take this for example.
I came across a 'forum' in which a page had been devoted to me and my article.
They wondered where exactly in Canada, Millnocket, Maine USA actually is.?.
They wondered why I was hiding out there (It clearly states that I live in China)
They rubbished me for getting my facts on HRH Princess Michael wrong - But they clearly don't know where she was born
And they described me as a unibomber type - Come again???
And called Magic City news a right wing paper, which is a laugh when you consider the political and racial mix of its' writers.
As a former friend once said of someone: 'She never lets the truth stand in the way of a good story!'
