May 7, 2007
Welcome Home, Queen Elizabeth II
Seriously, how much more ironic could this be?
Queen Elizabeth II is visiting Washington today. Washington was named for one of the leaders of the fight for independence against the repressive British empire -- then led by King George III -- a battle that was in part provoked by a general frustration with the levying of taxes and the denial of representation.
And yet, over 200 years later, the residents of Washington still pay taxes and lack formal representation in the U.S. Congress. And while we enjoy the right to choose our local leaders, their decisions are still subject to review and rejection from members of Congress, few of which can logically claim to represent the city's residents (Rep. Louie Gohmert excepted, of course). Way back when, people in these conditions were called "subjects."
In recognition of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Washington, today we're proposing a one-day retrocession to the United Kingdom. So for what's left of the day, we should all speak in cockney accents, take an hour off for afternoon tea, drive on the left, refer to Metro as "the tube," drink warm beer at a local pub and read Londonist. OK, so really we're just looking for an excuse to cut out early and go drink beer, warm or any other variety. Who's with us?
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Well, most folks in DC drive on the wrong side of the road anyway, so it's not that much of a jump. I would have a problem with the pubs having last call at 10pm though.
Well, most folks in DC drive on the wrong side of the road anyway, so it's not that much of a jump. I would have a problem with the pubs having last call at 10pm though.
Capital idea. Let's pop down to the local and raise a pint to Her Majesty's health. If the pub doesn't have a Dr. Pepper for Louie Gohmert, do you think he would drink a shandy?
My teeth are too nice to be British.
Monkeyrotica- I'm pretty sure Britain abolished that a few years ago. You can now drink 'round the clock (in properly licenced facilities).
Go dump some tea in the Anacostia river..
I don't want a holiday in the sun.
Do you know in theory she "owns" the British Empire? She's a super-duper billionaire. And she looks like she shops in JC Penny. I wonder if she and Prince Phillip..you know...say no more.
1. UK pubs are no longer forced to close at 10pm. That WW2 law went off the books last year.
2. The only people who speak Cockney are people who live "within hearing distance of the bells of St. Mary Le Bow, Cheapside, in the City of London."
3. British people's teeth aren't particularly worse than American people's. Americans tend to go to the dentist a lot more often than people in wealthy industrialized countries. Some might say obsessively.
4. Her Majesty, The Queen is not the Queen of England. There is no such title anymore. In 1707, The English and Scottish parliaments voted to be united under one crown. In 1801, Ireland was added to the Union, creating the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland."
5. Who the hell is British? Don't you dare call a Scotsman English or British. He might kick your ass.
Y'all really need to get your facts straight.
That's Northern Ireland, as in 1949, Ireland became a republic and chose not to reapply for admission to the Commonwealth (as Canada and Australia have done).
God Save the Queen..the fascist REGIME. England's Dreamin' man....
I didn't think she would ever come back after that incident at the Angels game.