This is a short diary, but I just have to say something about this new TV show on NBC about some mythical king of the United States. I haven't watched it, but each time I tune in NBC on my over-the-air digital TV I see a promo for it. From that, I get the creepiest feeling possible - I'd say I have a visceral reaction of utter revulsion.
The very thought of such a thing just makes me queasy. Perhaps I'm misinformed, but I thought that we in the United States fought a 7-year war to free ourselves from the notion of the divine right of kings to control our destiny over two centuries ago. And, the U.S. Constitution would seem to have memorialized that principle in Article I, Section 9. The very thought that someone who would claim the right to control me based upon a claim that God had somehow "annointed" him to do so makes me a little physically ill.
I cannot understand what it is that would make anyone want such a situation for themselves, and I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what sort of thinking process went on at NBC's programming department to approve such a project.
The only thing that I can think of to explain this is the sort of weird fascination some Americans have with the British Royal Family. I really do not care a thing about the antics of a bunch of inbred rulers whose only claim to legitimacy stems back to a relative who had some sort of a military victory 943 years ago. What have they done for anyone lately, including the British?
I believe that such strange notions of right is what infects the minds of people like Dick Cheney and Samuel Alito, and unfortunately, it will probably continue as long as there is a British Royal Family, even one that occupies a largely ceremonial role in government.
I do not wish to presume to tell the British what to do about their situation, but I would suggest that it would be to their own benefit to somehow remove the last vestiges of their feudal system. I do not believe that some sort of revolution is necessary, and in fact, I think it would be counterproductive; I would rather see a more modern approach that would equalize the Royal Family with the rest of the populace. I'd suggest that the British government do a leveraged buyout of the Royal Family - a simple business transaction among free people.
In any case, perhaps my unease will not last for long. The premiere of "Kings" was rather underwhelming as ratings go. While it did beat out "The Simpsons" overall, it managed only a 1.6 among 18-49 year-olds. There has been speculation that ratings would improve in subsequent weeks because the show premiered on the St. Patrick's Day weekend. I'd like to think that a collective American consciousness that eschews nobilities and royalty will let "Kings" die an unceremonious death.