Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) CNN critical of the King, not the Queen

CNN critical of the King, not the Queen
Peter Chimutsa-Opinion
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:21:00 +0000

EVEN established news agencies like CNN could not resist the temptation to turn political the reporting on the celebrations in Swaziland yesterday. King Mswati III, as if he knew what the world was writing, responded “I'm aware that many in the world might be wondering why we are so excited about the celebrations of our 40th anniversary. The answer is simple. We are celebrating our nationhood."

When England, France or any other Monarch in the West does so, no one dares question it. The deafening voices in the United Kingdom of the Republicans who are campaigning “for a democratic alternative to the monarchy” are ignored.

The aristocratic and hereditary system of the monarchy exists alongside democracy, in a Western sense. A system in which the 'crown' is sovereign and the Windsor family reign supreme is still very much alive. A democracy is people power, not Monarchical power (power of the Crown). The ‘genetic lottery’ of the Windsor family today rules the United Kingdom.

Government is called “Her Majesty’s Government”. Prisons are called “Her Majesty’s Prisons”. Institutions are prefixed “Royal”, e.g. Royal Institute of International Affairs, Royal Institute of Strategic Studies, etc; yet Africa cannot have such titles. In Africa, if these titles are conferred, its referred to as “dictatorship”. The picture of the Queen is all-pervasive in British society, even on money (notes and coins). The insignia of the royal family is seen almost everywhere in British society. The Queen owns all the whales in British and adjacent seas. She even has a message on the moon.

CNN could never bother about this; after all its preservation of British customs and traditions, yet others need to be “destroyed” or replaced.

So when Britain still retains a political culture centred on "Her Majesty's Government" - not the British people’s, but hers, the world should realize that this is a powerful reminder in days gone by of where the British people (and the subjects) are/were in the system.

Republicans in Britain today argue: “The idea of royal ‘ownership’ continues to pervade this culture and to reinforce the idea that the system is not our own.”

CNN went on: “Mswati made no reference to the unhappiness among his subjects in his 45-minute address.” Who does? George Bush?

Nations should be given the right to celebrate and exercise their customs and Mswati III summed it up succinctly “We are celebrating our nationhood.” For news agencies like CNN to be respectable they should scrutinize their host systems first before they make a fool of themselves by criticizing other people’s customs and cultures.

Labels: INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, SWAZILAND

posted by MrK @ 5:32 AM