Lord Ahmed offers bounty on Obama?..

[Odysseus]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/9206082/British-Peer-Lord-Ahmed-suspended-after-offering-10m-bounty-on-Barack-Obama-and-George-Bush.html

British Peer Lord Ahmed suspended after 'offering £10m bounty on Barack Obama and George Bush'

A controversial British peer has been suspended from the Labour Party amid reports that he offered a £10 million bounty for the capture of President Barack Obama and his predecessor President George W Bush.
Lord Ahmed, 53, who in 1998 became the first Muslim life peer, was reported to have made the comments at a conference in Haripur in Pakistan.
A Labour Party spokesman said: "We have suspended Lord Ahmed pending investigation. If these comments are accurate we utterly condemn these remarks which are totally unacceptable."
According to Pakistan's Express Tribune newspaper Lord Ahmed offered the bounty in response to a US action a week ago.
The US issued a $10 million reward for the capture of Pakistani militant leader Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group, who it suspects of orchestrating the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people died as terrorists stormed hotels and a train station.
The British peer reportedly said: "'If the US can announce a reward of $10 million for the (capture) of Hafiz Saeed, I can announce a bounty of £10 million (for the capture of) President Obama and his predecessor, George Bush."

Just when you thought Muslims couldn't get any more unpopular in Britain, Lord Ahmed steps up and scores a spectacular own-goal.

[rumborak]

I actually had to look up what peer means in this context.

Regard the OP, do people care about nobility (other than the royal family) in the UK? In Germany they're usually frowned upon.

rumborak

[Progmetty]

Is peer a Poltergeist reference?
And how relevant is that guy? I never heard of him before.
Also why isn't this a Pakistani issue rather than a Muslim one? His opinions doesn't represent any Muslim I know.
One last question: people understand this guy is a joke, right?

Regard the OP, do people care about nobility (other than the royal family) in the UK? In Germany they're usually frowned upon.

As it should be imo.

[Odysseus]

I actually had to look up what peer means in this context.

Regard the OP, do people care about nobility (other than the royal family) in the UK? In Germany they're usually frowned upon.

rumborak

They care that they are unelected people who have a say in what legislation passes into law.  That cuts both ways.

Is peer a Poltergeist reference?

No. See above.

And how relevant is that guy? I never heard of him before

He is a member of the House of Lords and was made a peer for services to religious tolerance, his opposition to forced marriages and, interestingly, speaking out against international terrorism.

Also why isn't this a Pakistani issue rather than a Muslim one? His opinions doesn't represent any Muslim I know.

Because he was made a peer based on his faith-based activities rather than his nationality.

One last question: people understand this guy is a joke, right?

Do you mean the man himself is a joke?  Probably not.
Or do you mean his comment was a joke? Maybe, but then when you are in a position of responsibility with the tabloid press within earshot, it is a good idea to engage your brain before your mouth IMO.

[rumborak]

I actually had to look up what peer means in this context.

Regard the OP, do people care about nobility (other than the royal family) in the UK? In Germany they're usually frowned upon.

rumborak

They care that they are unelected people who have a say in what legislation passes into law.  That cuts both ways.

Democracy in the UK is an interesting beast. I guess you never had the violent upheavals like France and Germany to completely rid yourself of the undemocratic elements.

rumborak

[Odysseus]

We came close in the 1830s during the chartist era, but not close enough to get the political sphincters twitching like they do on the continent.  We're far too stoic here....  whatever people say about the French, they down tools and are prepared to get shit done, even if they do stink of garlic and piss in the street... 

[AndyDT]

I actually had to look up what peer means in this context.

Regard the OP, do people care about nobility (other than the royal family) in the UK? In Germany they're usually frowned upon.

rumborak

Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia wants his monarchy restored:

https://www.thelocal.de/opinion/20120314-41329.html

[rumborak]

Where do you find these junk articles, Andy? There isn't a single soul in Germany who wants a monarchy.

rumborak

[hefdaddy42]

There is no Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia.  Because there is no Prussia.  There is just some guy named Georg Friedrich.

[rumborak]

Two quotes from the guy:

"I do not see any reason for the political system in Germany to be changed. And I am very happy — probably happier than many of my forebears."

"I have as head of the House of Hohenzollern no political role — and neither do I aim at such."

Once again, you are reading factually bogus articles, Andy.

There is no Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia.  Because there is no Prussia.  There is just some guy named Georg Friedrich.

Actually, in a bizarre historical twist, due to a law passed in post-WWI, the guy's official last name is "Prince of Prussia". Mind you, it's not his title, because that would confer some kind of status, which were all nullified in 1919. "Prince of Prussia" is his last name
Which is actually pretty brutal.

rumborak

[hefdaddy42]

WTF

[AndyDT]

Two quotes from the guy:

"I do not see any reason for the political system in Germany to be changed. And I am very happy — probably happier than many of my forebears."

"I have as head of the House of Hohenzollern no political role — and neither do I aim at such."

Once again, you are reading factually bogus articles, Andy.

There is no Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia.  Because there is no Prussia.  There is just some guy named Georg Friedrich.

Actually, in a bizarre historical twist, due to a law passed in post-WWI, the guy's official last name is "Prince of Prussia". Mind you, it's not his title, because that would confer some kind of status, which were all nullified in 1919. "Prince of Prussia" is his last name
Which is actually pretty brutal.

rumborak

https://www.thelocal.de/national/20120314-41325.html

My mistake - Seems it was Prince Philipi Kiril of Prussia who said the monarchy should be restored.

Germany should reinstate its monarchy to speak to people’s emotions, make them proud of their country and even encourage them to have babies, according to Prince Philip Kiril of Prussia, great-great grandson of the last Kaiser.

Speaking in Thursday’s edition of Die Zeit newspaper, Philip stressed that a monarch would be financially independent – and so would not be likely to accept presents from friends, such as those which led to Christian Wulff’s resignation from the presidency.

"A king is invulnerable to such cases," Prince Philip said. "Either he would have old family property or an Apanage – and it would be beneath his dignity to accept presents from friends."

"And there are no reporters on the level of sniffing around European ruling families,” added the prince, who is a Protestant minister.

However:

But even if the German royal family were to be reinstated, Prince Philip would not sit on the throne – that honour would go to Prince Georg Friedrich von Preußen, who is the direct heir and has said he would not want to see a royal restoration.

[rumborak]

Not only had I never heard of Georg Friedrish, I especially never heard of "Philip Kirill". What that guy wants has just about as much consequence as some of your threads, Andy.

EDIT: Lol, just looked the guy up. He's a Lutheran pastor in some tiny hamlet. He got rejected from the house of Hohenzollern as a child because his father had married a commoner. Then he became a born-again Christian.
So, err, excuse me if Germany isn't exactly gung-ho about the ramblings of a rather sad guy.

Andy, to elaborate more also: Despite the fact that quite a few Germans (well, old ladies mostly) are fascinated with the going-ons of the British Royal family, nobody wants something similar in Germany. Just like for you guys, it's reality TV for the most part.

rumborak

[AndyDT]

Not only had I never heard of Georg Friedrish, I especially never heard of "Philip Kirill". What that guy wants has just about as much consequence as some of your threads, Andy.

EDIT: Lol, just looked the guy up. He's a Lutheran pastor in some tiny hamlet. He got rejected from the house of Hohenzollern as a child because his father had married a commoner. Then he became a born-again Christian.
So, err, excuse me if Germany isn't exactly gung-ho about the ramblings of a rather sad guy.

Why sad?

Andy, to elaborate more also: Despite the fact that quite a few Germans (well, old ladies mostly) are fascinated with the going-ons of the British Royal family, nobody wants something similar in Germany. Just like for you guys, it's reality TV for the most part.

rumborak

The House of Saxe-Coburg is also still around in Germany.

[rumborak]

Not only had I never heard of Georg Friedrish, I especially never heard of "Philip Kirill". What that guy wants has just about as much consequence as some of your threads, Andy.

EDIT: Lol, just looked the guy up. He's a Lutheran pastor in some tiny hamlet. He got rejected from the house of Hohenzollern as a child because his father had married a commoner. Then he became a born-again Christian.
So, err, excuse me if Germany isn't exactly gung-ho about the ramblings of a rather sad guy.

Why sad?

If you read about him, it's much more about his personal frustrations about his life than anything meaningful regarding reinstating a monarchy in Germany. Despite his name, he has none of the nicities of nobility. As I mentioned, his father got "excommunicated" from the house of Hohenzollern for marrying a commoner. So, Philip grows up with a name indicating nobility but no actual nobility. According to himself he got teased to no end about that. Disenchanted, he later becomes a born-again Christian, only to witness the decline of church attendance.
The guy needs sympathy, not a reinstatement of a German nobility.

Andy, to elaborate more also: Despite the fact that quite a few Germans (well, old ladies mostly) are fascinated with the going-ons of the British Royal family, nobody wants something similar in Germany. Just like for you guys, it's reality TV for the most part.

rumborak

The House of Saxe-Coburg is also still around in Germany.

My parents have a house too. Can they be royal?

rumborak

[AndyDT]

Not only had I never heard of Georg Friedrish, I especially never heard of "Philip Kirill". What that guy wants has just about as much consequence as some of your threads, Andy.

EDIT: Lol, just looked the guy up. He's a Lutheran pastor in some tiny hamlet. He got rejected from the house of Hohenzollern as a child because his father had married a commoner. Then he became a born-again Christian.
So, err, excuse me if Germany isn't exactly gung-ho about the ramblings of a rather sad guy.

Why sad?

If you read about him, it's much more about his personal frustrations about his life than anything meaningful regarding reinstating a monarchy in Germany. Despite his name, he has none of the nicities of nobility. As I mentioned, his father got "excommunicated" from the house of Hohenzollern for marrying a commoner. So, Philip grows up with a name indicating nobility but no actual nobility. According to himself he got teased to no end about that. Disenchanted, he later becomes a born-again Christian, only to witness the decline of church attendance.
The guy needs sympathy, not a reinstatement of a German nobility.

Andy, to elaborate more also: Despite the fact that quite a few Germans (well, old ladies mostly) are fascinated with the going-ons of the British Royal family, nobody wants something similar in Germany. Just like for you guys, it's reality TV for the most part.

rumborak

The House of Saxe-Coburg is also still around in Germany.

My parents have a house too. Can they be royal?

rumborak

Depends if they're descended from Sophia of Hanover:

https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704889404576276502793788310.html

Karin Vogel is a direct descendant of an obscure German princess from the 18th century known as Sophia of Hanover. And that puts Vogel in line to inherit the British crown--after 4,972 other people.