Re: Would you take this as an insult?
I was awarded a CDM a while back for services to my family. That held more value to me than any knighthood etc.
The award system by royal prerogative is nothing more than an attempt to further the alleged legitimacy of the monarchy.
In days of old, when men were bold and women knew their place (I’m going to get castigated for that last bit) the king or queen would reward their boot licking sycophants with a knighthood and/or land because of the way they licked the monarch’s boots. They got their awards on the backs and blood of the villagers. All the villagers got was higher taxes under pain of death. Nothing has changed in hundreds of years except the time.
Sadly too many celebrities and too few ordinary folk get rewarded for their efforts. So a sports person is good – nay outstanding at his/her sport and has made a small fortune in the process and they get an OBE or something. What empire are they referring to? Is it that one where we conquered and exploited to the detriment of the inhabitants? A captain of industry makes a huge fortune and is rewarded with an honour. A Whitehall mandarin pushes papers around for 50 years gets an honour and a great pension.
What about Joe Bloggs who delivered the mail come rain, storm, hail, snow, shine, vicious dogs and narky customers and got a measly wage for doing so. Now that person really does deserve an honour. Nurses who have devoted their life to nursing. Don’t forget the lifeboat crews. They put their life on the line for others for no financial reward. Coming a close second are the Search and Rescue volunteers who put their life on the line to rescue some hoorah Henry who decided to go walkies without the faintest idea of what he was letting himself in for.
I don’t normally put the letters after my name but just this once I will.
jambutty CDM
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