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Carpal Tunnel
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In another thread Jo says, I rarely admit to the levels to which British culture can sink but I assure you that depths have been plumbed!!!
This just in from Cairns, Queensland:
Prince Philip bungled again over the weekend by asking an Aborigine: “Do you still throw spears at each other?”
The remark outraged native Australians ... Philip, 80, was branded “stupid” and “ignorant”. He has made insensitive remarks about Indians, Chinese, Papuans, Cayman Islanders and Scots.
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Pooh-Bah
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>The remark outraged native Australians ...
The problem is that there are people who would now be slighted if he hadn't said anything outrageous to them. When you see Prince Phillip (without slitty eyes) it makes you realise how diplomatic the queen is. She has barely put a foot wrong (in person, ie not through "her" government) in fifty years, despite the idiots (her family) that she associates with. Long live the Queen (and if she doesn't, then God help us!)
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Prince Philip bungled again over the weekend by asking an Aborigine: “Do you still throw spears at each other?”
Just have to respond to this, though there is no real point in doing so.
The Aboriginal Elder who was asked the question did not take offence, either at the time or later, according to all reports. Indeed, he replied that yes, it still does happen on occasion. Which it does. I think he and his community were glad to be considered important enough to be visited after years of ... insert appropriate word here. While I agree it was a stupid question, and one likely to cause offence, the "outraged native Australians" were probably those in the political and public eye who were highlighting the lack of sensitivity towards and understanding of Aboriginal culture.
Oh, and the term "Aborigine" tends not to be used by more 'educated' people, though I know not why. It is often replaced by "Aboriginal", and more and more is being replaced by the name of the individual's tribe.
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Carpal Tunnel
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I think the fuss is just one more example of the media enjoying royalty bashing.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Oh, I dunno. Someone on the radio the other day said that there was one place the Queen should never take Prince Philip - abroad. Rather liked that line!
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Pooh-Bah
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>that there was one place the Queen should never take Prince Philip - abroad. Rather liked that line!
I have never really reconciled his Presidency of the World Wide Fund for Nature with his "huntin', shootin' fishin'" interests. So keeping him at home isn't an option either! Actually, he should have stayed with Helen's friends, although I think that there are issues of trust there.
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> WWH writes: One more example of the media enjoying royalty bashing
You're right. With a history like Price Philip's, it's clear that the media were just waiting to pounce on any diplomatic foot the poor ol' sod put out of line. It was completely blown out of proportion in the British papers I've seen (front page!). It probably wasn't taken that badly by many indigenous Australians who were there anyway, as Doc C. indicates. Sure they might have thought him ignorant and insensitive to their culture, but do you really think that would come as a big surprise to a man who has always experienced a life of aboriginal people clawing away for self and mutual respect between the invaders and the invaded, or the conquerers and the conquered depending on which side you stand.
Maybe the prince should find a quiet island to retire from public life on, hey?
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journeyman
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I cannot stand the Royal family, personally I think of them as parasitic anachronism, but in this case i think prince p might have been badly done to. Nobody seems to mention that 5mins prior to this conversation he had just watched these body-painted loin-clothed men give a demonstration of spear -throwing, he asked 2 men if their tribes had ever fought in the past , they replied "yes" then came the "offensive" remark.
the Duncster
the Duncster
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>that there was one place the Queen should never take Prince Philip - abroad. Rather liked that line!
I have never really reconciled his Presidency of the World Wide Fund for Nature with his "huntin', shootin' fishin'" interests. So keeping him at home isn't an option either! Actually, he should have stayed with Helen's friends, although I think that there are issues of trust there.
Oh, I didn't say that I thought that the statement was correct. Just that I liked the line. As for the consort, well the man is a riddle wrapped up in an enigma.
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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I think the fuss is just one more example of the media enjoying royalty bashing
Royalty bashing aside, the media will "bash" just about anyone - the older I get the more cynical I become about the "truth" portrayed through the media.
Now, where's that grain of salt...
Hev
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the media will "bash" just about anyone
Quite so, Hev, partiularly when the group dynamic of a "feeding frenzy" takes over. That's not unique to media-people, of course.
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Very well put Doc - as usual!
I saw a Brit journo being interviewed on Phil's alleged gaff. His comment was also somewhat inappropriate, but it was true - and funny from some angles....
Basically he said, "Thank God for the old chap. If it wasn't for him these royal tours would be mind numbingly boring. They must be boring for him and the queen as well. He's not a stupid man and he does have a good sense of humour, so he probably said it because he knew he'd get a reaction. I was there and heard him ask the question and there's no way the Aboriginal elder was offended".
Slow news day.
stales
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OK, I can buy that the spear comment was taken out of context and wasn't the cause of as much offense as the press makes it out to be. However, on the same visit, I quote http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1848000/1848813.stm: Earlier, the royal visitors toured Kuranda rainforest by train and cable car. The Queen launched two new aircraft at the Cairns Base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. She praised the organisation's work in a radio broadcast to the Cairns School of Distance Education, whose 500 pupils are scattered across the Outback. Members of the school's band, which practices over the radio, welcomed the Queen and Duke with their rendition of God Save the Queen. After the performance, Prince Philip asked the young musicians: "You were playing those instruments, weren't you? There are no tape recorders under your seats?" Of all the insulting, idiotic things to say. What's the address for Buckingham Palace? I have a roll of duct tape that the Queen might find useful. 
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"You were playing those instruments, weren't you? There are no tape recorders under your seats?"
Mercy--I would have taken that as a compliment! In effect saying, "You-all surely couldn't be as good as you sounded, for such a young age". (Yeah, yeah, I can see the sort-of- King of England saying "you-all"...!)
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Clapping, Prince Philip asked the young musicians: "You were playing those instruments, weren't you? There are no tape recorders under your seats?""Of all the insulting, idiotic things to say" It ain't easy being the prince. You make a "funny" and then try to flatter a bunch of kids and then the fiberbabe and the ever-so-correct press parse your comments like a pedant with a irregular verb up his butt. While watching a mock battle of dancing aboriginals (sic) you say to the chief with a smile, pretending you're afraid... "Uh chief, you don't do that no more do you?" That's wit. After listening to a childrens band play "God save the Queen" you say to them... I can't believe my ears do yall have tape recorders under you chairs?" That's flattery. Prince Baby, doncha get it. It ain't what you say, God bless you, it's who you are and what you represent, that makes 'em so mad. Take a little tip from the Milum- If you think there is any way in forty hells that your remarks can be misconstrued, don't say it, they will. Note: ( I learned this lesson on the Awad Board, But then again, maybe I didn't. Fiberbabe and everyone, please ignore this post.) 
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Pooh-Bah
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>Take a little tip from the Milum- If you think there is any way in forty hells that your remarks can be misconstrued, don't say it, they will.
I think that as a person he has a problem that I share, an over enthusiasm for irony. All his life he has mixed with people from all over the world, he's been presented with every kind of local native gizmo, seen every national costume, national dance etc - in the past few years the kind of comments that he would have got a laugh from in private have spilled over into the wider world where he is regarded less tolerantly. As I said before people are more likely to be upset if he doesn't say anything "outrageous". Princess Anne used to be well known for fighting with journalists but she is now their darling because she works hard and keeps her mouth shut. Perhaps she should travel with the Queen and leave poor old Phil at home killing wild animals and annoying the mother in law.
By the way, does anyone outside the UK get the "Royle Family" and Alistair McGowan's even funnier "Royal Family", wonderfully irreverent. Perhaps he's just playing up to his caricature.
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OK, fine. I suppose I could give him the benefit of the doubt for a nanosecond or two, and it might sound like a compliment.  Admittedly, I was just looking to pick a fight with him. Now I could tell you about my suggestions for those untamed eyebrows of his. [Still , can't stop me]
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Didn't ya know according to the fashion magazine I read yesterday (while waiting two hours for the doctor), Bushy eyebrows are back. That means me and Prince P are in.
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