There were relations and friends who could not come to the wedding even though they were invited, so I wonder what would have happened if we’d asked our wedding photographer to photoshop them into the family photos?
Former UUP leader, the late Jim Molyneaux, was a guest at our wedding and appeared in wedding album photos. Could you imagine if I was to photoshop Jim out of those photos and, when showing the album today to family and friends, replaced Jim with an image of current UUP boss Doug Beattie?
I don’t think there would have been all the fuss and furore which has engulfed the Royal Family over the Princess of Wales admitting she had edited the picture of herself and her children.
If ever there was a storm in a teacup, it was the near hysterical reaction to the evidence that the Royal snap had been supposedly ‘doctored’. It forced Kate into making a grovelling apology and reignited the speculation about her health.
We’ve had to listen to loads of moaning about trusting the Royals. But what was the big deal? It wasn’t as if Kate had edited in Prince Harry’s youngsters or changed the backdrop to a ski resort in the Alps. All she did was - albeit in a fairly amateurish way - adjust a few bits of the photo. It still remained a photo of her and the kids.
Then again, given the looney woke society in which we now live, there seems to be a body of opinion which looks for any chance to bash the Royals and especially the monarchy.
Basically, we could dismiss all the who-ha about Kate editing her photo as a bunch of eejits with nothing better to do with their time. Then again, were there more sinister undertones to the criticism over Kate’s actions?
Even in asking this question, have I too fallen into the wokery pitfall of seeing an issue where none exists? Have I too inadvertently become a conspiracy theorist?
What for Kate was simply a do-it-yourself tidy-up exercise of a family photo, has turned into a full-scale political row questioning the very future of the monarchy!
Given all the pomp and pageantry of the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 and King Charles’ Coronation events last year, it is clear the British Monarchy is as popular as ever. So where is all this anti-Royal clap-trap coming over an edited photo?
The hard reality is that there is a republican element within British society which just want any excuse to call for an abolishment of the Monarchy.
Ironically, because one of the hallmarks of British democracy is freedom of speech, the anti-Royalists can have a platform to churn out their honestly held, but totally nonsensical rants.
Whether this small band of vocal republicans like it or not, the British Royals - and indeed Monarchy throughout the globe - are big business.
It’s been one of the main planks of the United Kingdom culture and heritage since the Monarchy was restored by King Charles II in the 1660s following the brutality of the earlier English Civil War of the 1640s, the execution of King Charles I and the Cromwellian era in British politics.
Then again, because of the evolvement of the so-called snowflake society, those folk classified as celebrities, or who live their lives in the glare of publicity and the public domain, can now expect to have every aspect of their lives poured over with a fine judgemental tooth comb looking for an excuse for someone to either criticise or be offended.
Politicians are having to watch off the cuff remarks; clerics are having to monitor the language used in live-streaming sermons; sporting stars are having to think about where and how they are being photographed - and now the Royals have to watch how what many of us ordinary folk indulge in, using modern technology to adjust family pictures.
Kate’s trivial editing of a photo is now being branded as a public relations disaster for the Royals. It has sent the memes industry into hyper-drive as folk make their own editing adjustments to the photo and share them online.
Maybe it says something about the kind of society the snowflake brigade have converted our once forgiving communities into. Are folk being hounded by the so-called wokerati who would be offended if a pin fell the wrong way onto a floor?
Is this happening to such a degree that people in the public gaze have to say sorry for comments or behaviour which a decade ago would have been laughed off as silly?
And not content with the present day, the snowflakes are trawling back over years, even decades, to find material to be offended about by challenging people in the public domain if they still held these views.
Unfortunately, it will deteriorate to a situation where people in the public arena will have to employ a new post know as a Comment Censor to vet every word uttered.
It won’t be just the concept of freedom of expression that will be under threat; the very idea of freedom of thought will also come under the scrutiny of the snowflake society.
Perceptions will merge with reality. Snowflakes will say - that person looks like they could make a racist or offensive comment! False stereotypes will be created and folk could end up having to apologise for wearing the wrong colour of clothing.
Wait, I’m bald! Maybe I should start wearing a wig or toupee. The snowflake society might perceive my baldness to be a sign that I’m from the skinhead culture, that I’m a fascist, racist, transphobic, homophobe! Dare I say it - Bald Folk Matter!
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| Follow Dr John Coulter on Twitter @JohnAHCoulter Listen to commentator Dr John Coulter’s programme, Call In Coulter, every Saturday morning around 10.15 am on Belfast’s Christian radio station, Sunshine 1049 FM. Listen online. |
John,
ReplyDeleteWhy do you care and defend an inbreed parasitic family who loves eugenics that has family members who are associated with pedophile rings (Kincora, L'affaire Dutroux, Saville, Epstein.....).
I can only speak for myself but I couldn't care less about Kate Middleton getting upset because people mocked her Photoshop skills...Maybe she should have gone to Spec Savers first.....
Do you honestly think the German family who lives in palaces that you bow down to, pay for their lavish lifestyles give a fiddler's fcuk about you? Why do you defend them...(I doubt you'll reply)...
Reverse psychology........the royals have been issuing doctored photos for years and the honest media never raised an eyebrow. Anyone see the photo of a pregnant Kate entering a building and when leaving the bump was near at her knees? You won't see it on the honest media.#alltheworldsastage
ReplyDeleteMore outrage about her photoshopping a shot of her and her kids than there was about Andrews claim that the photo of him with his arm around the very young Virginia Giuffre with Maxwell in the background was doctored ffs.
ReplyDeletePriorities people!
Happy anniversary John
ReplyDeleteI don’t get all this woke this, woke that nonsense. What does it actually mean? What does it have to do with the royals or this article. It’s this phantom issue people like to bring up because they lack genuine problems and fear societal change. An umbrella term that means nothing. Afraid of this impending doom of wokeism. It just baffles me.
ReplyDeleteIts virtue signaling Donal, nothing more.
DeleteYour on the money John when you state ..... " British Royals - and indeed Monarchy throughout the globe - are big business. " .... and until such times that they find themselves in the debit column so it will remain. As mundane and exciting as that. Its ALL about the money and the quality of the show. Business not personal is the overwhelming bottom line if you can see past the hokey-pokey....
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary