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 Replies: 27 / Views: 4,644 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2845 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
Great read - thanks for posting. I'm a US citizen, was born that way, but lived near the border most of my life and have (really) long-ago-Canadian roots (sort of). My family came from Germany, settled in Canada, and later moved to Pennsylvania.
Anyway, I see Canada like a second home, but it always was just somehow "special" to be able to visit someplace that still had a monarchy, and yet so close to home. As a child I remember the idea being almost a magical flavor crossing into a land where they still had a Queen.
I certainly would trade the Queen and family for what we suffer with right now.
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Valued Member
United States
302 Posts |
I heard a great saying about California, but it could probably be adapted to Washington, D.C., too: It's as though the country is on a slant and all the nuts and bolts roll down to Washington.....
Edited by JHax
04/19/2016 12:19 am
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
2845 Posts |
You're welcome Earle42! As a Canadian it's a pleasure to read anything that makes us chuckle about ourselves from time to time.
Interesting what you say about "special" but thinking about it, yes, Kings and Queens, princesses and princes, those are the things that childhood dreams are made of. Not sure exactly why the monarchy is strongly resented here by some, considering it shaped our entire Canadian culture and heritage. Seems it's the least of our problems.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
Totally agree with your last post on not understanding why people can be down on the monarchy. Its all a part of history - a very important part. But it could be that up there, like down here, they do not teach the actual history of the country anymore. They are undermining it here for political reasons. As just one example, the bold faced lie the media has so ingrained into people by repetition is that the statement "separation of church and State" is in the US Constitution and means that nothing having to do with religion is allowed in governmental places. This is a blatant rewrite of history - yet they have said it so many times, people now believe the lie. The concept can be looked up (even a quick google) to show the statement is NOT in the Constitution, and that Thomas Jefferson penned the words in a context saying the government was not given power over religious organizations in any way (which is why churches are tax free), and was not allowed to create a government-run church and outlaw all other churches - a.k.a. his context was that of reinforcing the idea of freedom of religion from governmental control in any way. But our modern media and education system have twisted it into exactly the opposite. They use the lie to justifyu taking down the 10 Commandments from courtrooms, schools etc. - how incrediblt horrible to teach kids its wrong to lie, cheat, steal, murder, etc! Ao despite the fact Congress always starts their sessions with prayer (and many, many other Bible sayings/sculptures/10 Commandments/Bible verses in important places in D.C.)m the lie has been fostered to erase most of the actual founding of our country. Colleges are teaching its a myth that the Bible was of any importance to America's founding fathers. Yet the facts are there - but the kids are also programmed to ridicule (ad h9ominem approach) when people don't agree, rather than look at facts. Sorry, I ranted some. I was a teacher and am saddened at the incredible loss of history and heritage. It has, and will continue to lead to no good. BTW - the day The Queen broke the Victorian record for reign, I bought an heirloom for my kids. From The Royal Mint I ordered one of their rounds celebrating HM reign. It was more $ from their mint (especially shipping!), but hey - the historic significance of living to see that day was something I had looked forward to since a kid! And placing the order in the UK made it all the more special to me. How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 |
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
9862 Posts |
"Dipping" is not considered cleaning...
-from PCGS website
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2845 Posts |
Earle42, I think it's true that our history, including Canada's membership within the British Commonwealth including the reason the Monarch's effigy appears on our coinage, is not well known. The best reason that I can see is Canada has become a country of "me"s, each of striving to be special, unique, distinct, victims or recognized of status in some way, either individually or by group.
And because times have changed and past values, laws or viewpoints have evolved, the role of history has primarily become to illustrate how naive, narrow-minded, ignorant, corrupt or downright evil yesterday's society was. Not to say that wrongs of the past haven't occurred, just that we've reached a point in time where the negative emphasis has been so often placed on Canadian history that it's become, well, verging on a downright embarrassment.
Therefore I'd speculate that popular opinion is there's no good reason to acknowledge history whatsoever, just erase it, and that's the reason why Canada still honouring the Monarch's effigy on our coins is considered by some to be downright ridiculous.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
This makes sense also. Living n the border, I found that as American society took turns for the worse, it took Canada only about 10 years to follow.
A simple example would be that when I was a kid, my parents always said, and it was so, how immaculately clean Canada was overall in term of no litter. I remember seeing this myself and being amazed even as kid - even when visiting a big city like Toronto. They said it reminded them of how the US "used to be." Ten years later, and the difference was not so pronounced anymore.
I agree with you on history also - past wrongs have occurred, but how arrogant the mind of those who nowadays think the people who laid the foundations of technology for our modern advancement were stupid. And I find it even more arrogant for us to think our modern society can possibly understand what it was like to be alive in previous eras, and therefore we think we have all the answers for what "should" have been done.
It also helps certain political goals when the history of decent nations is programmed into young minds to be seen as evil. This is what I see as being behind it also. When a generation of legitimately ignorant people is raised up - puppets result. Make them think they are the best thing since sliced bread, provide trinkets for them, and all the while use them.
Those who refuse to study history are doomed to repeat its mistakes what the modern education system desires.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
519 Posts |
Quote:
I certainly would trade the Queen and family for what we suffer with right now. I certainly agree with that sentiment. My hat is off to Her Majesty! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
@DBM
You are so right! What a cute little guy he is. Actually his whole immediate family are rather nice looking people anyway. For the most part, since after Victoria (no disrespect meant) the Royal bloodline has been a rather photogenic group anyway. Their effigies have made for some aesthetically pleasing coinage.
I still think Canada's effigy of King George V is the perfect picture of a king with a crown on. As a kid, the picture I dreamed up in my head when hearing stories of kings fit his effigy on coinage almost perfectly.
Outside of the modern effigy of HM the Queen, I have always thought her effigies were regal and pretty at the same time. Maybe if the current one had a crown on her head, I would like it more. As it is, the representation just reminds me of "anyone's grandmother." In fact, and it may seem crazy, but this is also one reason I have not kept up with modern Canadian coinage - the aesthetic value of the OBV just, IMO, is too lacking when put beside others from past years. To my eye they just stand out as being too plain.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
514 Posts |
I like the Queen;
Charles is a buffoon, and he made it known in the way he and Diana parted;
I really hope that shortly after he is crowned the King, that he steps down, and names his son as the new King.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2845 Posts |
I like the Queen too and according to reports of her recent public appearances, she's not about to leave us anytime soon. Otherwise I think it would both wise and considerate if Charles steps up to the throne, regardless of past scandal, to allow Prince WIlliam a reasonable opportunity to enjoy his young family life for a few more years with some semblance of normalcy.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
@wildflower I had not thought of it that way before. This makes a lot of sense. I just hope they can make him appear more photogenic on the coin effigies that would be made  How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3692 Posts |
Canadian culture? What is that?
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5394 Posts |
@Libertad couldn't agree more......Canadian culture  .......is that like ordering a Timmy's or a Molson's in both Official Languages and paying for it with your government GST rebate. Canada is hardly a homogeneous democracy. It is more or less an ill fitting jigsaw puzzle that has no business being in the same box. Enough of politics however! Take Royalty off if all Canada's coins and the twenty. |
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Valued Member
Canada
148 Posts |
Since lack of history in the schools was mentioned I felt compelled to share that studying numismatics taught me far more about history than school ever did.
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Replies: 27 / Views: 4,644 |
Posted 04/18/2016 10:42 pm
