The UK honours system - good thing or bad? Not a question which has ever taxed my mind greatly. As long as they're not hurting anyone, who cares what they get up to in the privacy of their own palace. Would I accept one if it was offered? Hell yes, never turn down a chance for new experiences, even (or especially) if they are as surreal as popping into Buck house to collect a piece of jewellery from Her Maj.
That was, until I saw Benjamin Zephaniah on TV last year, presenting an engaging and cogent argument as to why he'd turned down the offer of an OBE. Too right Ben! Don't let Babylon co-opt you! My own mind was made up, when Buckingham Palace finally comes knocking on my door, begging me to accept an honour, I'm going to throw it right back in their faces. No way will I show my support of this archaic, unfair system of back-scratching.
So the news yesterday that my dad is on the Queen's birthday honours list, receiving an MBE "For services to young people", prompted mixed and confusing feelings. I'm reconciled to it now, the family line is that "it's OK, because it's for charity work". That sounds fair enough. And when Her Maj finally comes around with that gong for me, of course I'm going to accept. After all, it's a family tradition.
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2 comments:
Congrats to Dan's Dad! I don't know, maybe I'm just getting old, but I think it's cool to be a "Member of the British Empire", even if it does consist of a rock off Spain and another couple off Argentina...
Dan, son of MBE, yes, it would be churlish of you to turn it down. I'm sure once one gets it the whole family does.
You almost have letters after your name.
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