Interesting nonsense

There is an interesting toing-and-froing about my previous entry concerning the visit of the latest monarchist heartthrob (here).

I make the point in comments that having seen "Invictus" last night that some countries do manage to get good leaders (eventually) and cite Mandela as case in point.

My issue (from the previous post) about the monarchy is that it is essentially unjust, and unfair to give people authority and power on the basis of "accident of birth".

It seems to be nonsense to entrench injustice at the highest level of government.

There are of course many injustices and corruptions that flow into leadership struggles, not the least of which is the influence of big money and political parties.

My combatant suggests that Mandela is good because he is actually 'royalty' of the African kind.

The truth is, whether royalty or not, he was still elected.

It seems ludicrous to me that a country like ours should even consider having as head of state someone who is not a citizen of our land. (Whether 'royal' or not, Mandela was a South African...the Windsors are not Australians).

A person, even with dual citizenship, is excluded from being a Senator in the Federal Parliament unless they renounce their citizenship of the alien land. And rightly so.

I do not see monarchists even faintly suggesting that anyone of Aboriginal royal descent should be promoted as potential King or Queen of Australia! The idea has certain appeal!

Putting all that aside, it is easy to get distracted by seductive niggling arguments which divert us.

But, fundamentally, I cannot see that any nation should have as its leader someone who is the citizen of another country.

Whilst allowing for the fact that most systems have deep flaws I also cannot see that the leader should just become so because of accident of birth. At the very least the particular candidate, whether monarch or president or governor, should have some sort of popular approval...probably by a majority of votes in favour (whether of the populace or the Parliament)

An end to terror

In the last week or so the African National Congress, and in particular Nelson Mandela were removed from the US's Terror Watch List (see here).
No doubt Dr Mandela was pleased with this birthday present, but it raises the question of what such lists are all about. They are of course propaganda, and don't serve much useful purpose at all.
The US list has (apparently) nearly 1,000,000 people on it.
One only has to see some of the names on the list, (here)which includes US senators, serving military officers, and any number of people who have opposed President Bush on issues great and small. See the American Civil Liberties Union counter here
The Anglican Church's GAFCON conference (reaction to gay issues and women's ordination) which recenty met (against that Bishop's wishes) in the city of Jerusalem...also had a (much smaller) hit list.
Security were instructed to not allow certain people entry under any circumstances (see here), that list, too, is propagandist and political!