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Should teenagers swear allegiance to the Queen?

  • 38% are saying yes
  • 62% are saying no

comments from readers

gnuneo
11 March 2008
no

Why?

WTF possible gain could there be from such an exercise?

or is this some ass-backward attempt to make any incipient republicanism illegal?

anyways, definitely not. The duty of a citizen is to the other citizens, not to the mere Head of State.

Bonkim
11 March 2008
no

Cersion does not bring genuine allegiance - The British way is to be easy going which ultimately generates allegiance.

Shaft
11 March 2008
no

forget the queen, she is old and times are changing

Carl Jones
11 March 2008
no

Heck...I said NO because its so bloody Amerikan!lol

I suppose this NWO suggestion will require every child to make a donation to the Buckingham Palace Lodge?LOL

DCarins
12 March 2008
no

What a joke. The state and the monarchy should earn our respect.

Serena Box
12 March 2008
no

As much as the monachy have become part of our cultural heritage they are outdated, have no purpose politically and are ultimately detached from modern society, why would teenagers want to swear allegiance to that?

Cybertiger
12 March 2008
no

God save our Queen from this sort of creeping, creepy Americanization.

Nathan Stewart
13 March 2008
no

It would just create more problems. Especially here in Northern Ireland!

mirandaioss
13 March 2008
no

Absurd! A quick fix response that creates a humorous talking point for a few days and distracts us from complexity of actual situation. Look at us all coming together on this, it's nice isn't it.

Rich
13 March 2008
no

Whatever 'Britishness' is, if it involves swearing allegiance to an unelected head of state then it is not something I want to be identified with.

gcarth
13 March 2008
no

No! We are being asked to swear allegiance even though we engage in illegal wars and condone torture!
It is hypocritical and ironic, but not surprising that Goldsmith, of all people (the man who helped Blair lie and commit a war crime)proposes this stupid idea.

Junedazzle
13 March 2008
no

Of course not. What has she done to deserve anyone's allegiance. But if she'll do it for me I might do it for her.

timbo
14 March 2008
no

Why are we suddenly so concerned about alligence? The problems in society rarely stem from alligence or otherwise to our sovereign. They are a great deal more complex than that.

loudribs
14 March 2008
no

Our complete lack of patriotism is what makes Britain great...don't be messing with our counter-intuitive greatness.

Dirk
14 March 2008
no

Someone once said: "But I say unto you, Swear not at all...But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil" Mmm I think he was right there, don't you?

rolando
14 March 2008
no

For me it seems simple: why ask children to swear allegiance to an undemocratic, hereditary institution?

skatenat
14 March 2008
no

Which queen? Perhaps it would be more wise to follow the people who come up with these ideas, and swear allegance to Monaco (or at least a country with a more favourable tax rate). There is a certain hypocrisy in this new found nationalism

prawn-tot
14 March 2008
no

If they are asked to pledge allegiance to anything it should be to the concept of a democratic secular state - though that would still be meaningless.

Frank Amies
14 March 2008
no

To say 'yes' is to support brain washing.

npgdavies
14 March 2008
yes

yes, if they mean it.

George Walker
14 March 2008
no

Are we going to charge any republicans who refuse with treason? I believe this still carries the death penalty, so maybe it's a subtle attempt to reduce the perceived problems with teenagers.

John Jones
14 March 2008
no

If we have to swear allegiance to anything it should be to some noble and uplifting principles and ideals such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to Peace and Justice for all.

Nobody should have to swear allegiance to a mere human being. All of us are limited and fallible, so is the Queen.

John Jones
Montreal
Quebec
Canada

swatantra nandanwar
14 March 2008
no

No. For all the stated reasons.
But ,if its an almost 50:50 split why are there not any 'yes' comments, apart for one!

suell
14 March 2008
no

It is a risible suggestion and the context makes it meaningless - why does the A-G suddenly think this will make disaffected teenagers become good citizens? They will be laughing into their hoodies.

ChrisBlack
14 March 2008
no

No one should swear allegiance to an unelected head of state.
Chris Black, Glasgow

annie
15 March 2008
no

No! Its about time we looked at our own problems and gave something back, how the hell do we expect our teenagers to conform if we spend our lives selfishly taking everything on offer.

stgeorge
15 March 2008
yes

Allegiance to something. The Queen will do. You can't swear allegiance to the EU. How about allegiance to Britain. If not deport them.

galileo
15 March 2008
no

Why not swear allegiance to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? after all medicos swear the Hippocratic Oath.

BigRedOne
15 March 2008
no

Nobody should swear allegiance to the Queen. And no worthy leader would want such fawning. I would swear allegiance to BBC 4, though.

Ron753
15 March 2008
no

Absolutely not! One can be a patriot without swearing allegiance to an unelected anachronism.

paul kellogg
15 March 2008
no

No, they shouldn't.
What they might do is swear allegiance to the nation if they were about to enter public service, such as enlisting in the military, being commissioned an officer - again, military - or if they should be elected to public office, which I would doubt possible in any democracy, age limits being what they are.

Peter Bond
15 March 2008
no

Don't encourage patriotism, which creates as many suicidal murderers as terrorism.


15 March 2008
no

Not to the Queen, but to the Country. Perhaps it would also be necessary to ensure that not only English teenagers should swear allegiance, UK citizens in Scotland, Wales and Ireland should also have to swear allegiance to Britain.

RedQueen
15 March 2008
no

No! No-one should swear allegiance to an unelected monarch. I like the suggestion for allegiance to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, though.

RosaLuxemburgII
15 March 2008
no

Why should anyone have to swear allegiance to anyone? We all have rights as individuals and not everybody wants to be patriotic. Some of us think that Britain is an awful country full of yuppie idiots and not all of us are monarchists. The Queen is an old woman and can be nice and kind, but it is her, her family and the aristocracy that makes this county the backward thinking country that it is. Is she so different to you or I? Why should we owe allegiance to one person who half of us think is irrelevant in modern day society.

dphodgson
16 March 2008
no

I thought our country sorted out this issue in our Civil War - all we require now is for people to obey the laws enacted by Parliament and we are free to express our opinions -aren't we?

TheElitesWin
16 March 2008
no

More media propaganda, i have many young sons, i asked them their opinions, and told them to ask their friends. The answer i got was absolutely no, so were does your 40% come from? just like fiat money "out of fresh air.

s.wild
16 March 2008
no

I wouldn't so why should they?!
Perhaps they'll have parents sign a consent form for brain-washing when children enter school...oh, that's really not necessary...

treborc
16 March 2008
no

Even the queen has said no, it's just Brown and his stupid New Labour government, perhaps a Tory said it and Brown will do it.

Anton Howes
16 March 2008
no

We are not Americans with empty patriotism!
We are Brits with true love of our country that can be shown by being unexpressed. That is the true British way!

Idler
16 March 2008
no

Nobody should be encouraged to swear, even teenagers who seem to come by it as a matter of course, it seems.

deanweston
16 March 2008
no

Remind me again who voted her in?

nawawimohamad
17 March 2008
yes

The Queen is a symbol peace, unity and dignity, more dignified then the pope. She transcends other world leaders.

Tricia Taylor
17 March 2008
no

It would divide the nation into royalists and republicans hence hindering social cohesion.
Tricia Taylor

chukkiegg
17 March 2008
no

The Bolsheviks had the right idea when it came to dealing with royals.

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