[WikiEN-l] Re: Queen Elizabeth II

Wed Mar 9 23:34:50 UTC 2005

actionforum at comcast.net wrote:

>-------------- Original message -------------- 
>  
>
>>csherlock at ljh.com.au wrote: 
>>
>>    
>>
>>>The controversy has come about because Skyring insists that our head 
>>>of state is not the monarchy, therefore we fall inside the definition 
>>>of what is a republic. This is ORIGINAL RESEARCH. I have read some of 
>>>his sources, and none of them state what he thinks they say. 
>>>      
>>>
>>Before something can be Original research it must first be research. 
>>Please learn the difference between research and wishful thinking. 
>>    
>>
>It certainly is wishful thinking.  If only everyone could have a head of state that  did as little as the queen does, what a wonderful world this would be.
>
>Now if only the debate could be conducted in American english, the debate becomes more clear.  The issue all along has been not whether Austrailia is a republic, but whether it is a democracy.   In American english, no it is not a democracy, it has a constitutionally limited form a government, a republic.  Therefore, since Austailia is not a democracy, when we translate back to Austrailian english, Austrailia is not a republic.  The queen has been irrelevant to the whole issue, just as she is to nearly anything in Austrailia.
>
>Now if only, the Austrailian's had used the perfectly good word "democracy", the debate could have been conducted in their english.  Somehow, despite "republics" duplication of the meaning of "democracy" in their language, it carries so kind of emotional baggage that does not allow it to be viewed objectively, perhaps because of some meaning bleed, from the other form of english.
>
Strange comments.  The best analysis of the situation so far on this 
mailing list has been Steven's.  He is by all appearances an American, 
and in this issue citizens of non-Commonwealth countries are in a better 
position to look at the issue dispassionately.  Bringing questions of 
"American English" or "democracy" only serve to create confusion.  When 
it comes to playing in words I'm sure that there are some who consider 
"Democratic Republics" as anything but democratic.  I wonder if I'm just 
feeding a troll. :-)

Ec