This a piece which is partially about the decisions of the thai government to block youtube at the ISP level due to a video on it that was considered offensive to the countries monarch [1]. I know someone who knows a lot about Thailand and feet are considered dirty and if you were to chase your money down the street and try to stop it by stamping on it – this could be considered defacement of the kings image and you could go to prison for it, insulting the king might not result in prison time but it would certainly get you arrested apparently.
Now the idea of this is less to protect the king it is more to protect the idea of monarchy. The real crime is more criticising monarchy rather than criticizing the king. Now this is utterly disgusting. For a government to decide which ideas should be promoted by law and which should not is utterly fascist. Even though the idea of the laws in Thailand are more to protect the idea of monarchy – it does result in more protection for the king versus normal people when you can be arrested for insulting him.
In Thailand can you be arrested for criticising a man on the street? No. Can you be arrested for criticising the king? Yes. They’re up there and we’re down here. This is my main problem with monarchy.
Under monarchy it is impossible to be a citizen, all you can ever be is a subject.
Now, I’m English as you’ve probably guessed. In England we have a royal family. They are a family of people sharing common blood who are privy to a number of perks, one of which is tax exemption, they don’t have much of a role in government but their view counts. And who are they? A bunch of fuckwads!
I like America, in America anyone can be the president, there is no tiered society, everyone is at the same level. Under monarchy there is a two tiered society. You can work hard and make an impact but there is a level you cannot even reach, a level that you are born into by an accident of birth.
Now this is not the same thing as being born into a rich family vs being born into a poor family, both are subject to the same rules of society and both can make it with a little effort. For the royals there is a whole different set of rules.
So in summary the idea of monarchy should be ridiculed because it is ridiculous. Contempt is the only appropriate reaction to the contemptible. For the UK to be considered a free and modern culture we should abandon our old fashioned models of monarchy throw them on their rear ends to fend for themselves.
Sources
[1]
http://www.physorg.com/news94922984.html
[2]
http://www.physorg.com/preview95072199.html
Saturday, May 10, 2008 11:57 PM