My Last Post and Farewell

Dear Monarchist,

After much thought, over a good Single Malt, I have decided to post here segments of an email I have sent to the head people at Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (ACM). I post it to share not only my thoughts but also to contribute to the debate, which is the great Westminster tradition I know you all value. This will be my last Post to "The Monarchist", however I might still send in a comment on other's articles from time to time. Thank you all for allowing me to contribute. The following is my letter of resignation to ACM:

Monarchy/Republic is it a play on words?
I have come to wonder if many who partake in this debate just play with semantics. My understanding of a republic is that it is not just a state with the absence of a hereditary monarch, but that it is a democracy. Therefore, when many in ACM derive nations that call themselves republics yet have dictatorial leaders they are either ignorant or mischievous, as such a state is NOT a republic (not a democracy). However , Hitler and Stalin were true monarchs, just that they were not hereditary. Having read a great deal of history I would say that because Germany and Russia were hereditary monarchical dictatorships, until the end of The Great War, they were thus predisposed to their new monarchical dictatorships of Hitler and Stalin.

However Britain, Australia, Japan, Canada and other such nations are republics as they are democracies. To me the words “Constitutional Monarchy” is just a fancy way of saying republic that for some reason or other has kept a monarch, who has no power, as a figurehead. The word REPUBLIC should be at the heart of anyone who loves freedom.

Problems with “Constitutional Monarchy” in Australia
In 2005 Mrs Bronwyn Bishop gave an address to the ACM conference of that year. She stated at least two times that Australia was a secular state; there is no state religion in Australia, as it should be in a democracy. Yet the rules that govern our hereditary figurehead demand that they be a Protestant Christian and Head of the Church of England; this is a complete farce for us to have this govern who our monarch should be. Is it worth turning over the way our country should be governed and, given that in a democracy a monarch has authority without power?

Most Australians see themselves as living in a largely egalitarian state, yet the Crown in Britain props up some extreme social inequalities. Now this part of the Crown is not in effect in Australia but is it right for us to benefit from something that plays the above role in another nation?

So called “republicans” have sold out Australia
With regards to the “let’s get rid of the monarch at any cost brigade” (the Australian Republican Movement) they do a great disservice to this nation. Whilst I fully acknowledge their right to re-open a debate with regards to our constitution, I am extremely disappointed with the underhanded methods they have promoted since the 1999 referendum. To put a plebiscite, based entirely on nationalistic jingoism, to the people without a new constitution for them to examine is disgusting in the extreme! The question must be asked “never in the history of referenda in Australia has there needed to be a plebiscite before a referendum, so why is this any different?”

Where do I now stand?
I will never again call myself a “Monarchist”. Not only is that dishonest, as Australia is a republic with a monarchical figurehead, but it is also something that tags one with tyrants such as the Kaiser, Hitler, Napoleon and all other True monarchs.