I was watching the news tonight and saw that Libya’s Moammar Gaddafi is dead and Queen Elizabeth is looking at flowers in Canberra. How ridiculously poles apart theses two images are just sort of blew my mind. I am sure the last thing Gaddafi was thinking of was how pretty the flowers were on the roadside in his hometown of Sirte, as he was beaten over the head with the back of more than one gun.
There are some interesting observations that one can make about leadership here and the way in which both people have handled it. One cares about her people, the other did not. One has at least tried to understand the struggles of her people, the other did nothing but exploit his people, then butcher them in their millions. One is a head of state that can hold her head up high and say she served her people well. The other probably spent his last moments regretting everything he ever did to his people over the last 42 years (or maybe not).
It also made me think about the whole head of state issue and what it means to put one’s trust in one person. Dictators of many countries over the last 100 years have usually been Presidents of countries, with absolute power and no checks or balances on what they do. Names like Gaddafi, Taylor, Amin, Hussein, Mubarek, Assad and Mugabe are all tarred with the same brush. The absolute power they received when they began leading their respective nations certainly did corrupt them absolutely. People like Mussolini, Castro and Mugabe were seen as heroes and saviours in the beginning. They turned out to be the personification of evil.
There is an argument that the reason why Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the like have enjoyed peaceful democracy is because we are all part of the Commonwealth of Nations lead by Queen Elizabeth II as our Head of State. As a republican I can only say that I think that is an interesting theory, but I think stability, peace and prosperity depends on how a constitution is developed, the people that make up a particular nation and a general sense that the population is generally singing from the same hymn sheet. Leaders set the tone. A bad leader equals a nation with problems.
Has Queen Elizabeth II been a part of the day to day life of all the nations she is the head of? Of course not. So to say having her as our head of state creates stability is a bit of a nonsense. But watching her here in Australia is a testament to just how dedicated, tough and hard working she is. She is 85, remember. Her husband, Prince Phillip is 90. No matter how well she has been looked after all her life, to keep a schedule like she does is remarkable for such an elderly woman. Republican or not, one must admire her.
So, during this ‘Arab Spring’ as it has become known, let us take stock of what is important to us and who we want to lead us. In the end, we want our leaders to be fair, kind, hard working and strongly in support of us. What model that takes is irrelevant really. Each country needs to forge their own path. I would want Australia one day to become a republic. However, if that meant the rise of our own homegrown dictator, then I would prefer the system we now have.
To the people of Libya, I sincerely hope this is the beginning of a bright future.
Enjoy your day
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October 21, 2011
Gaddafi and the Queen
Posted by damob under Politics, Social commentaryLeave a Comment
I was watching the news tonight and saw that Libya’s Moammar Gaddafi is dead and Queen Elizabeth is looking at flowers in Canberra. How ridiculously poles apart theses two images are just sort of blew my mind. I am sure the last thing Gaddafi was thinking of was how pretty the flowers were on the roadside in his hometown of Sirte, as he was beaten over the head with the back of more than one gun.
There are some interesting observations that one can make about leadership here and the way in which both people have handled it. One cares about her people, the other did not. One has at least tried to understand the struggles of her people, the other did nothing but exploit his people, then butcher them in their millions. One is a head of state that can hold her head up high and say she served her people well. The other probably spent his last moments regretting everything he ever did to his people over the last 42 years (or maybe not).
It also made me think about the whole head of state issue and what it means to put one’s trust in one person. Dictators of many countries over the last 100 years have usually been Presidents of countries, with absolute power and no checks or balances on what they do. Names like Gaddafi, Taylor, Amin, Hussein, Mubarek, Assad and Mugabe are all tarred with the same brush. The absolute power they received when they began leading their respective nations certainly did corrupt them absolutely. People like Mussolini, Castro and Mugabe were seen as heroes and saviours in the beginning. They turned out to be the personification of evil.
There is an argument that the reason why Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the like have enjoyed peaceful democracy is because we are all part of the Commonwealth of Nations lead by Queen Elizabeth II as our Head of State. As a republican I can only say that I think that is an interesting theory, but I think stability, peace and prosperity depends on how a constitution is developed, the people that make up a particular nation and a general sense that the population is generally singing from the same hymn sheet. Leaders set the tone. A bad leader equals a nation with problems.
Has Queen Elizabeth II been a part of the day to day life of all the nations she is the head of? Of course not. So to say having her as our head of state creates stability is a bit of a nonsense. But watching her here in Australia is a testament to just how dedicated, tough and hard working she is. She is 85, remember. Her husband, Prince Phillip is 90. No matter how well she has been looked after all her life, to keep a schedule like she does is remarkable for such an elderly woman. Republican or not, one must admire her.
So, during this ‘Arab Spring’ as it has become known, let us take stock of what is important to us and who we want to lead us. In the end, we want our leaders to be fair, kind, hard working and strongly in support of us. What model that takes is irrelevant really. Each country needs to forge their own path. I would want Australia one day to become a republic. However, if that meant the rise of our own homegrown dictator, then I would prefer the system we now have.
To the people of Libya, I sincerely hope this is the beginning of a bright future.
Enjoy your day
Like this: