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The 50-year-old described the Duke of Edinburgh as a "mad old bigot who wishes it was still the war", and said the Prince of Wales was “a disillusioned ex-hippy".
He also referred to the Duke of York as "a bit of a yob" and suggested that the Earl of Wessex was homosexual, declaring that he “took it from behind".
As a Republican I have serious issues with the Monrachy as a principle but though I would like to see the whole institution scrapped ( and at the very least a referendum on the issue) I see no need for people like Ben Elton to stoop down to personal insults.
Elton is a comedian who has much talent, a lot of it sadly grossly undeveloped. He can be extremely funny as well as extremely offensive and puerile. There is an arrogance about him I find difficult to take.
I find it rather sad that the only argument he can come up against the Monarchy is one of personal attacks. It does Republicanism absolutely no favour whatsoever and I find it quite embarassing.
The Monarchy is an archaic , out-dated anachronistic institution but one which needs to be debated in an intelligent and rational matter not by insults .
As much as I would like the Queen to be replaced by an elected Head of State I still feel she has done an admirable "job" in many ways ( as far as the"job" description goes , albeit a job I believe should not exist in the first place).
I see no point in hurling personal insults at her. She is to me nothing more than an old Lady , no better and no worse than other old Ladies but though I have no respect for her position as such Elton is just being utterly childish and churlish in his rantings.
I must admit people like Andrew, Edward and Philip do lend themselves to satire though... there seems to be little to respect about them in any way shape or form. Elton might be broadly right about them though his language leaves a lot to be desired IMO.
A serious Political and social issue deserves better than Elton's bitter and un-funny out-pourings.
We need to be able to discuss this in a rational, intelligent and adult manner and the discourse must be a serious, logical and intellectual one not stoop to personal attacks.
Personally, I didn't find Ben Elton's comments to be particularly offensive, to be honest I had a abit of a chuckle and I think the comments have been taken way out of context. Though there wasn't really any need to make those sorts of comments about the Royal Family.
Last edited by Kangaroofarmer; 11-20-2009 at 06:06 AM..
It is my belief that the Royal Family, for all their faults, are one of the most British things left in this increasingly multicultural country. I am not saying that multiculturality is bad or anything, just that the Royals are an institution here.
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