Sir Bono?

[L Gilbert]

Paul Hewson, aka Bono of U2, is sposed to be knighted apparently because of his campaign to get richer countries to send aid to African countries. Never saw Mother Teresa knighted, or Mahatma Ghandi, but we've seen Sir Elton et al. Perhaps the Brits seem to think in order to be knighted (or otherwise acclaimed) they have to have been in the entertainment biz and then done nice things for less fortunate humans. :roll:

 

[tracy]

I realize people are always a little suspicious of celebrities, but I see no reason to criticize them for doing good. Bono's role in persuading richer countries to cancel poorer countries debts has been very important.

I can't imagine Ghandi being knighted when he was against the Brits and I don't know if women like Mother Theresa can be knighted or if she would have accepted it anyways.

 

[L Gilbert]

I realize people are always a little suspicious of celebrities, but I see no reason to criticize them for doing good. Bono's role in persuading richer countries to cancel poorer countries debts has been very important.

I can't imagine Ghandi being knighted when he was against the Brits and I don't know if women like Mother Theresa can be knighted or if she would have accepted it anyways.

I wasn't criticizing Bono, I was criticizing the Brit monarchy. Concerning Ghandi, he was still part of the British Empire or Commonwealth, and as for knighting Mother Teresa, I did say "or some other acclamation".

I guess people don't comprehend what they read these days.

 

[tracy]

I can comprehend what I read, thank you.

Ghandi was against the British, why on earth would they have knighted him for organizing his countrymen to resist the British Empire? His citizenship was irrelevant. The honour can be bestowed on those who are not citizens of commonwealth countries (like Bono who is a citizen of Ireland which is not part of the commonwealth).

Here is a list of people from different career fields who have been honoured by the British monarchy. Just because they didn't make the news like celebrities do, doesn't mean that celebrities are the only ones who are honoured. The second link shows people who have declined or returned their honours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_honorary_British_Knights

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_have_declined_a_British_honour

 

[L Gilbert]

Fascinating, but I still find the Brits and their monarchical antics inane.