Very quiet this morning. By 8 am an empty airport bus slogged its way slowly past, a black woman, dressed West Indian style walked slowly up the road, a car or two hastened nowhere. With the major shops shut, a bank holiday declared, and many waiting in for the queens funeral procession on TV there is an air of silence about the town. Well, apart from that siren just now, trouble down at the bypass I reckon. Even the dogwalkers are silent, no barking, no gossip, very quiet even for here.
The constant TV pictures on YouTube, happily without the sycophantic commentary elsewhere, show us men in uniform taking position, crowds eagerly awaiting, some have been there in position for three days! What loo do they use is my first question? 10,000 Police march into position, all dressed in dark uniforms, the Royal Navy take their position also. In 1901 the horses pulling Queen Victoria failed for some reason so the RN standing guard were called in to pull the gun carriage on which she lay. This became the tradition and will be done today also. Tradition being very important on such occasions. Massed pipe bands, glowing in Highland dress, full of colours most Highlanders before the 1800s never knew, play as they march to their spot in the ranks. The crowds cheering almost every move be it police, army or workers preparing the ground. Others praise the unity found upon such occasions, I find myself asking, will it last? An event brings people together, daily life soon returns and today will be forgotten by Thursday.
Of course when the media tells us all have fallen silent for the funeral not all have done so willingly. There is a need for the nation to take note of a monarchs passing but to be honest so much has been over the top and a hindrance to many. With a growing republican feeling in parts of the UK, not yet an overpowering growth however, many are irked by the response and feel ignored, sometimes angry. Much of this is somewhat childish, protesting at a funeral for instance, and much a 'chip on the shoulder' feeling about rich folks. I ask such about their wealth, and many have plenty of it, and enquire as to how they spend time helping the poor? "Do you work in a foodbank?" is always a good question, one which gets no reply. A more balanced debate is required here.
While all this was going on I participated in one or two discussions on Twitter. A great place to meet objective dialog and sympathetic listeners. In answer to one man's statement that gay sex was normal I reminded him that this was abnormal, not normal. He was based in Germany, the German Twitter has informed me this was not breaking the rules, however, UK Twitter has blocked me. So I appealed, on scriptural grounds. I am blocked completely now while this is investigated. We shall see if the gay lobby rules Twitter or not soon.
3 comments:
I didn't watch the funeral but I did write a long post about the tributes that were left in Green Park. So far nobody has commented on it, which is very unusual, but perhaps they are all suffering from monarchy overload!
Jenny's post has not turned up in my reader....I will have to seek it out.
The ceremonies fascinated frends here in Costa Rica...espesially the Windsor segment, where the whole procession was marching down a country lane with no one in sight but a family outside their isolated house in the fields.
Jenny, You left a good post.
Fly, Yes, I liked that bit, marching slowly into town, down and up hill for miles. Charles need shis week off.
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