Benjamin Zephaniah on the monarchy and turning down an OBE

[sysmoute]

Benjamin is a crap poet. he is where he is due to patronising left wing idiots.

Thank god he turned down an OBE. Labour devalued the Honour enough without

a six form "street poet" getting one. A lot of people turn down the OBE, real principled

people keep quiet, publicity seekers never stop going on about it

I would say to him TAKE THAT FKN GREAT BIG CHIP OFF YOUR SHOULDER. go to another country and see how popular your shit infantile poems are.

[TheMambavenom]

YOUR A MAN THAT IS PRINCIPLED-RESPECT!

[nassermashadi]

Good on you Brother Benjamin.

[majorMcpharter]

Workers of all lands unite.

[NuNegus]

This guy is a personal hero of mine for so many reasons. God bless him for turning down the OBE. I wrote briefly to him once, thanking him for doing it. Apparently, he got a lot of praise from the good people of Ireland :)

Peace and love from Seattle!

[naganokumas]

But do it properly.

The referendum of about fifteen years ago shows most Australians want to do such, rather than just accept crap put before them as the model they should adopt as an alternative to monarchism.

The vote back then, which 'voted against becoming a republic', was not anti-republican, but anti the model that was forced upon them as a replacement.

Australians are in no hurry in this front.

But becoming a republic after England does would compromise the banter of the Ashes, etc.

[naganokumas]

Who will become a republic first, Australia (constitutional monarchy) or England (monarchy)?

They're both talking about it. But wouldn't it be ironic if England did it first?

FARK! would be the immediate sentiment in Australia if England did it first.

So, for Fark's sake Australia, do it before England.

There's no embarrassment involved when you realise common sense late. But there is eternal embarrassment involved if you don't do it before those you should have done it before.

[animalnt]

Republic TV lol, yeah goodluck

[Torchmark]

Is there the FULL interview anywhere without any parts cut. I really enjoyed listening to such a different yet interesting perspective.

[robbieofdoom]

He makes some very good points. However, the fact that the monarchy has next to no true power these days means it becomes a sort of memorial to the great and the disgusting acts of our country throughout history. A memory of what our country has done that is good in the world that we can be proud of, but also a sobering reminder of how easy it is for humans to slip into opressing other people. I don't see the monarchy as anything other than a museum, but I want it to stay for just that reason.

[janisakironmaiden]

@robbieofdoom a museum of imperealism should be shut down. the royal family represents the millions of dead the british empire has slaughterd.

[robbieofdoom]

@janisakironmaiden Don't get me wrong, I can empathize with that view completely- but I'd say it should be kept going for exactly that reason, as a marker of progress. The monarchy exist now in part to make apologies for the monarchs of the past.

In a different vein, Governments aren't dissolved because of oppressive terms of office, and the pyramids still stand despite being testament to how humans can use other humans in horrendous slave labour. Is monarchy not the same? Just a heritage?

[janisakironmaiden]

@robbieofdoom i agree with that in general, but the british empire isent as far back as the pyramids, (the pyramids were actualy built by paid worker but i get your point) queen elizabeth ruled the british empire. she was the head of a regime that faught gandhi, she was the head of the regime that bombed dresden. if william was king, i could agree. but as long as elizabeth is queen i don't

[Fancymanofthedeep]

@robbieofdoom People should just read a history book if they want to know about it. Its a disgrace to the millions slaughtered by the UK's imperialism.

[ThePurelogic]

do you English know how a republic was established in the americas?

A pamphlet called "common sense" written by Thomas Paine was distributed for free to the British citizens of new England.

it would be interesting if the same was tried in England today, maybe not the same pamphlet, but a revised version because the way common sense was written may seam enigmatic to some

[codownni]

@ThePurelogic

We would put it in our blue bins.

[MrRamblings]

Great interview. Many thanks for uploading.

I hope to see more views!