Posted on 03/04/2009 4:03:45 PM PST by PotatoHeadMick
Gordon Brown sparked fury today by awarding an honorary knighthood to U.S. senator Edward Kennedy, who has been accused in the past of being an IRA sympathiser.
Conservative MPs and Peers condemned as 'inappropriate' the decision to make a man closely linked to the Irish nationalist movement a 'Sir'.
Senior British politicians also expressed unease at honouring the Democrat who was embroiled in controversy when he was involved in an infamous car accident on Chappaquiddick Island in 1969 in which a young woman was killed.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.
U. S. Constitution; Article I; Section 10; Clause 1
No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.
Kennedy can not receive a title of nobility. It is unconstitutional. See above.
Once a king, always a king, but once a knight's enough.
> I’ll never understand the American (some) attitude regarding the Kennedys as being some kind of royalty. It’s really quite sickening. Camelot indeed. Everytime I hear that term, I feel like I’m going to vomit.<
I’m in the same boat. I dont remember King Arthur (Kennedy) shagging every chick that he came into contact with.
Probably the second thing I learned from my Irish relatives is that Northern Ireland isn't Ireland. It is England.
They don’t mind him being a murdering pantload of steaming Socialist crap... it’s that other thing.
Screw Gordon Brown. Dig up Arafat's corpse and knight his ass, too, you stupid Limey.
They get dropped off on a beach, and the air support promised never came. I really feel sorry for those folks when I think about it.
Thanks...I forgot about that
The photo of Mary Jo in the article was a nice touch and a not-so-subtle indication of the editor’s feelings on the matter.
I suspect the real reason The Fat Little Rich Kid is being honored is because his purchase of scotch over the years has helped the United Kingodm’s balance of trade immeasurably over the years. The “Ireland” thing is mere cover. Cheers!
Are we to infer something about nature of the thrice proclaimed relationship between the two countries by this?
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A Knighthood isn't actually a title of nobility. That refers to titles of the level of Baron or above.
But still, you are correct that an American can not receive an actual Knighthood. What he can receive is an honourary Knighthood. He would not be Sir Edward (holder of the title), but can hold the honour.
Quite a few Americans have received Honourary Knighthoods over the years - President Reagan and President George H.W. Bush are both Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, for example. So were General McArthur, General Patton and Admiral Nimitz. General Norman Schwarzkopf and General Colin Powell are Knights Commander of the Bath. General Wesley Clark is a Knight of the British Empire.
A American who holds a Honourary Knighthood is entitled to use the post-nominal letters after their name, but post-nominals do not constitute a title (I’m a Member of the Order of Australia myself and can stick AM after my name, but I don’t hold any title).
What letters they can use depends on the Honour granted - Kennedy is receiving the KBE (Knight Commander of the British Empire), but it’s by no means the only possibility - and indeed is the lowest form of Knighthood (with the exception of Knight Bachelor which could not be awarded in any meaningful way to an American because it requires the person to use the title of Sir). Presidents Reagan and G.H.W. Bush were/are GCBs - Knights Grand Cross of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, while Generals Powell and Schwarzkopf are KCBs - Knights Commander of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath.
Oh - and look on the bright side. If he moved to England and became a British citizen, he’d be able to call himself Sir Edward... maybe the idea will appeal to him and you’ll get rid of him.
Please do not consider sending your trash to the UK, we have enough. Most of the rubbish from Europe has landed on our doorstep. We do find it funny that the average Jo in the street’s of America seems to have a very off the mark perception of the English.We are known to most over there as stiff upper lip stick in the mud’s, with OH GOSH and GAW BLIMEY. In reality the rest of Europe sees us as the most violent caucasian population in the west,with gun crime in our cities and stabbings on a par with Harlem.
So keep your IRA sympathiser N.Ireland took three years of my youth, and if most of us had our way over here we would give him his Last KNIGHT on earth hood.
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