Ewen Brodie Lord Lieutenant of Nairnshire was at the joint Community Council meeting in the Academy tonight with news of how Nairn might celebrate the Jubilee. He revealed that Nairn Sailing Club are trying to get a boat into the 1,000 vessel parade on the
Ewan Brodie would also like to see Nairn get involved in the Big Lunch with an event in Viewfield on Sunday the third of June. He told the meeting that he was there to try and sell the idea of getting involved in the project. He told the meeting he thought the best people in Nairnshire were the Community Councils who were all very vibrant in what they do and what they got involved in. He also hoped that it would not only be for this year but become an annual event.
On the Monday night there may be a beacon/bonfire. There will be 2012 beacons around the Country and Ewen would like to see one in Nairnshire. The Lord Lieutenant is working with Lord Cawdor to find a suitable site.
Each of the three community councils agreed to go away and discuss the Big Lunch further.
It should be stated that many in Nairn might not want to celebrate 60 years of an unelected, unaccountable head of state with no mandate to speak (not that this small point stops her son abusing accident of birth to promote his instinctive vision of how all our lives should be run, noblesse oblige you know. That's patronage for you. Some of us are actively campaigning for an end to just one bloodline of just one family inheriting position in government, residence of publicly owned palaces, castles and houses - a 'custodianship' which also applies to the 100,000+ pieces in the art collection also publicly owned but which the public has access to only about 10% of - and don't forget access to opaquely accounted millions in public money every single year for all the family. But the worst thing is how this situation affects our democracy. Everything revolves around and down from 'the Crown' instead of up from the people, the unwritten constitution of precedents and traditions in a dodgy deal done centuries ago hands the royal prerogative to the Prime Minister and Privy Council - too much of the wrong kind of power - monarchic, tyrannical. Elected representatives of the people in democratic parliaments of this country must swear an oath of allegiance to this one bloodline of one family as remnants of Hanoverian monarchy in order to take their place in that parliament and do the job they were elected to do. No matter what their politics are or those of the people they represent. MPs, MSPs etc are members of Republic, the campaign for a democratic alternative to the monarchy, and the Green party's manifesto includes abolition of monarchy, but they still must swear this oath they clearly do not mean. Three hundred and twenty years ago on 13th February two companies of the Argyll regiment of the British Army were given orders to massacre Scottish children in Glencoe 'put all to the sword under seventy' the excuse being that the clan chief MacIain had been six days late in swearing an oath of allegiance to the king. We're currently campaigning that this oath be made voluntary at Holyrood as soon as possible in order that the future direction of Scotland will be informed by common sense, rights and reason instead of forced allegiance redolent of a tyranny that should be over.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of 80+ women in Nairn who deserve just a little of the respect, not to say fawning deference, and feeling, not to say mindless sycophancy, afforded just this one distant woman whose image is very carefully controlled and who, despite the media and palace PR promotion, you really do not know.
Oh and I forgot to say, the palace hijacked the Big Lunch. I wonder why. And Charles and Elizabeth have veto on government legislation that might affect their financial interests. Democracy? Wake up.
ReplyDeleteGreen Party Policy? Isn't the Scottish Green Party totally seperate from the UK party? Is it their policy too?
ReplyDeleteWould appreciate the a link to that if it is the case please.
I must say that it was a very well attended joint meeting of the three Community Councils and Ewen Brodie's initiative seemed to be well received.
Yes they are separate. It certainly was their policy but I've asked for confirmation. It's certain what a lot of their supporters believe from what they've said to me. Well attended the meeting may have been and well received it may be, but that doesn't make it right. People should question and think. We would like to have an educational display somewhere for 'don't jubilieve it' on the facts of the monarchy, on the oath of allegiance campaign, Tom Paine and democracy. People shouldn't just swallow what they're spoonfed by the establishment powers that be. It's not just a harmless celebration for a benign old wifie, it's encouraging celebration of an oppressive, archaic, suffocating institution populated by nameless faceless officials who hide behind buildings 'Buckingham Palace says' this and 'Clarence House denies' that. It's deeply unhealthy for all concerned and all of society, including for the peope at its centre. The best thing we could give them is their human rights to vote, stand for election and determine their own destiny free from such a ridiculous, anachronistic position.
ReplyDeleteSpoilsports. Let's just have a party. Life is too short .
ReplyDeleteJust heard back from the Scottish Green Party. 'Our policy is that the hereditary principle has no place whatsoever in government.'
ReplyDeleteI suppose if you are the lord lieutenant you are maybe going to want to raise a wrinkled sandwich to salute the queen, and try and get her loyal subjects to do the same
ReplyDeleteI suggest that Scotland sends the nuclear subs from Faslane to her bash on the Thames, and as a special treat she can keep them there
As for bonfires, I can think of a few folk who should be put on them
Like it or not Scotland is becoming an independent nation, time for the establishment to recognise that and not cling on to old ties
I would predict that an independent Scotland would remain a monarchy. I doubt very much whether there would be even enough interest to make it worthile while for Holyrood to debate the issue of giving a P45 to HM.
ReplyDeletePutting people on bonfires? The trouble with such thoughts is that they then morally legitimise other people putting you on a bonfire. Give me the imperfect debate of Holyrood, Westminster or even Glenurquhart Rd if it comes to it, rather than the recent Lybian way of sorting things.
Peace and love citizens if you wish to debate this issue here.
We will be partying, Anonymous, don't you worry. We just don't have to reinforce the morally indefensible to do so. Graisg you are very wrong. There are many within the SNP and their supporters who are completely opposed to monarchy and who are only playing softly softly catchee monkey on the issue until the one main desire of independence is won. Then out they will pounce. In fact it's policy passed at conference that there will be a referendum on it after independence. Some quite prominent figures in the SNP will not let that slide. Currently the SNP do not allow factions and are very single-minded and determined to satisfy their one over-riding raison d'être of what they want. There will be no frightening of the horses until after independence.
ReplyDeleteAnd no-one's going on a bonfire - that's not what Coinneach Odhar prophesied!
ReplyDeleteHighland Republic Affiliation...sound like a very aggressive group. I think I will vote BNP...JOKE... But at least we would be out of Europe, unlike Mr Salmond's lot who won't make a commitment on the subject. You can not be independent and stay in Europe. We need to get a real party who will say what they mean and not what they think we would like to hear. I am not a royalist but I think we have more to fear from Europe.
ReplyDeleteNot sure where you're getting aggressive from Anonymous. After independence Scottish politics will be very different as everyone's kind of holding their breath frightened to move at the moment and things are clogged up. I'd imagine we have a much better chance of people and parties saying what they mean after it, because that's when the real business will begin. And we'll have much more control in our own hands, which can only be good.
ReplyDeleteIndependence. Not likely if the polls are anything to go by. 79 per cent against today.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's because some people in Nairn Sailing Club have never got over themselves for the fact that they are not a 'Royal' club as the neighbouring club at Findhorn is
ReplyDeleteNo doubt a few of them wish to underline the 'toffs with one's yacht' image by tagging themselves onto the boat motorcade along the Thames, good luck to them
Leaving aside all the angst about the monarchy and republic's, I would ask why are the Community Councils' being asked to, it would seem, be the organisor's of this jamboree? Haven't they, as unpaid volunteers, already got enough on their plates? I think this needs to be 'sold' to someone else with more time and resources at their disposal.
ReplyDeletePolls, spin, percentages, independence? I've started going here to get a bit of news
ReplyDeleteI've just held a quick poll and this household is 100% behind an independent Scotland. We'd also support a Jubilee Big Lynch if there was one
ReplyDelete