Dear David,

I love our system of government. All the different tiers.
From local, state, federal. I think they keep things in
check. I'm not against a monarchy. It certainly works for
Britain. I can't imagine Britain without The monarchy.
I can't imagine the Uk without the Royals.

I am for an Australian being our
Head of State but of course it will be up to the Australian
people to decide on that and vote on what kind of model
they want. The details will have to be worked out.

A country needs its traditions. Needs to have pride in its
history. I remember when we travelled around Mexico a few
decades ago - seeing opulent churches in poor impoverished
towns and wondering - why didn't the people invest in
irrigation and other life-saving devices in the village
instead of building such churches? I soon realized it came
down to pride and self respect. They needed something to
provide them with hope.

I'm not sure if I'm putting things properly but I think you
will understand what I am trying to say.

The Queen has made a surprise appearance on the balcony
with 3 generations of her family. There again were huge
crowds out in front of Buckingham Palace. This is the
end of 4 days of celebration to mark her Platinum
Jubilee.

Hi there FOXY...

Notwithstanding the pro's and con's of the monarchy; I've always felt in my own simply way, that HM, the Queen, and Great Britain, is the glue that holds the various Nations of our C'wealth together. Most of our laws, even definitions, our language, and most of our culture, emanate from the mother country. The queen, to me personally, is an amazing lady, and I adore her immensely.

I'd agree, more or less, with the sentiments expressed by the late Sir Robert MENZIES when he uttered similar wards; '...I'll love her 'til the day I die...'

Dear Foxy,

Some English enjoy the pomp and ceremony of the royal parasites. Others are aware of the emptiness and vainglory of it.

Ozymandias

By Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

Hi O Sung Wu,

I admire the Queen enormously but I do think it is time
that every Australian had the chance to be Australia's
head of state. I feel that a Republic and an Aussie
head of state would make people even prouder to call
themselves true-blue. Of course it should be up to
the Australian people to decide what kind of model they
want.

The Queen has reigned during my entire life. But now with
her being in her twilight years - it is time to consider
all of our options.

Hi David,

Thank You for the poem.

I think the following one on Elizabeth II by Ruth Stacey
is appropriate:

http://poetryfoundation.org/poems/90166/elizabeth-ii

Dear Foxy,

Why do we need a head of state? We have a prime minister. If an event is sufficiently important the PM can go. If it is less important the PM can designate someone else to go. The head of state seems to me another mouth feeding at the public trough. It is an unnecessary position.