This week the world welcomed the new Prince of Cambridge.  Named George Alexander Louis he is officially called Prince George of Cambridge.  He is third in line to be king of the British Monarchy.   He is son to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate.   He will one day be king.   He is preceded in the line of succession by his father, Prince William, and his grandfather, Prince Charles.

Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy.   The role of the Monarch is largely symbolic.   The role is described as "focus of national unity", that is in other words a "tourist attraction".  The monarch and his/her immediate family undertake various official ceremonial, diplomatic, and representational duties.  Since the monarchy is constitutional, the monarch is limited to non-partisan functions such as bestowing honors and appointing the Prime Minister.  The Monarch is also the traditional Commander in chief of the British Armed Forces.  At the end of the day, though, the Monarch takes little direct part in government.  The decisions to exercise Sovereign powers are delegated from the monarch either by statute or by convention, to Ministers or officers of the Crown or other public bodies.

As Monarch the King of Queen is  Benefactor of "The Crown Estate".  The Crown Estate consists of a $13 billion real estate portfolio, $10 billion in urban property and $3 billion in rural property.   The Estate also includes golf clubs, parks, apartment buildings, retail space, mineral rights, and much more.  Technically the monarch owns maritime life reaching 12 nautical miles off the coast on England.  In 2012 profits from "The Crown Estate" were $450 million.  In 2012 Parliament passed the "Sovereign Grant" which entitles the sitting Monarch to the rough equivalent of 15% of revenues from "The Crown Estate".  The remainder of the money goes into the treasury   The Monarch receives services equivalent to the predetermined amount.   These are services like travel, security, and maintenance at the "occupied royal palaces."  All this typically amounts to between $40 - $60 million worth of public services.   The Monarch does not have to pay any rent, mortgage or property tax on the various castles. The taxpayers of Great Britain subsidize the Monarch and his/her extended family, and there area no taxes on these state provided benefits. 

Since 1992 Queen Elizabeth has agreed to pay personal and capital gains taxes on her other sources of income, just like any other taxpayer.  The Queen's private income, known as the "Privy Purse" is derived mainly from her ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster, a 46000 acre territory that has been passed down to the sitting Monarch since 1399.  She earns around $25 million per year from the Duchy of Lancaster.   She uses this  money to fund expenses incurred by the extended Royal Family.

In an agreement that dates back to King George III (American Colonial times) the Monarch turns over to Parliament the revenue  from the royal lands.   This comes to about $300 million a year.  In return Parliament supports the Royal Family at a cost of about $60 million a year.  This is a net profit for Parliament of $240 million a year.   Then there are the general benefits to U.K. tourism that derive from the Royal Family.   These profits come from airports, hotels, restaurants, shops, homes, and streets full of tourists.   Incidentally,  most of the tourists are Americans.   The economic boost from the birth of the new Prince is estimated to be close to $800 million. 

So, there you have it,  real life Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, Dukes and Duchesses,  occupied castles and much pomp  and circumstance.   This is not to mention all the money that is generated.  Just like a fairy tale, only it's real.   Is it any wonder that the Monarchy has survived.

Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman Case

 

Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman Case:

On February 26, 2012 in Sanford, Florida an unarmed seventeen year old  Trayvon Martin had a confrontation with a twenty-eight year old neighborhood watch captain named George Zimmerman.   The face to face  confrontation lasted only two minutes but left Martin dead from a gunshot wound.  Zimmerman, who was licensed to carry a firearm,  claimed it was self defense.  There were no eye witnesses to the whole confrontation.  The little evidence available included  the taped 911 call that Zimmerman made during the confrontation.  

After questioning Zimmerman at length the Sanford Police Department believed his story and released him.  The failure to arrest Zimmerman cost the police chief his job.  A new police chief was appointed and Zimmerman was soon arrested.  At issue was race. Martin was black.  Zimmerman is multiracial being part Hispanic. 

Over a year later at trial the main question was whether the six women jurors  believed that Zimmerman was in fear of his life.  The six member jury rather than 12 members is prescribed by Florida law.   A key question was identifying the voice crying out for help  on the 911 tape.  Martin's family was sure it was Trayvon.  Zimmerman's family was sure it was George.  Another point was that Zimmerman had bruises on his face and head.  Martin had only the gunshot wound.  In play was the Florida "stand your ground" law which allows someone who feels threatened to respond with violence without retreating. Ultimately,  considering the evidence and following the law the jury found Zimmerman not guilty of  second degree murder as well as the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Many were outranged by the verdict.  Protests followed.  Fortunately no one was seriously injured, and no widespread property damage took place.  Immediately there was talk of charging Zimmerman under "hate crime" laws.  It was also mentioned that he could be charged in a civil case.    Zimmerman may have been found not guilty, but he certainly did not win anything.  He is hated by many.  He remains in hiding for fear of his life.  His family is also affected.  He is surely unemployable.  His life will never be the same as before.

Americans have a First Amendment right to assemble to protest as long as they don't hurt anyone or destroy property.  Justice Department officials say they are unlikely to prosecute George Zimmerman because it would be very difficult to prove he acted out of racial bias.   The FBI has been looking at the case for a year .  A civil suit is unlikely to be successful, because of the "stand your ground" statute and it would bring out information about Trayvon Martin that was excluded for the criminal case.  That is his marijuana use and text messages which describe him as being in fights.

Attorney General Eric Holder says that laws like Florida's "stand your ground" statute which allows someone who feels threatened to respond with violence without retreating must be examined because they eliminate the common sense age old requirement that people who feel threatened have a duty to retreat, outside their home, if they can safely do so.   Perhaps the revisiting of the "stand your ground" statute is a positive outcome of the case.

To be sure, our national debate shows two sides talking about two different things , either the two minutes Martin and Zimmerman were face to face, or the centuries  of racial context that many believe caused a senseless death.  We have come a long way in America  with regard to racial relations, but we still have a long way to go.

Cleveland Kidnap Victims Speak

Just this week three victims of 52 year old Ariel Castro spoke publicly after being held captive for over ten years in the basement of Castro's Cleveland home.  They are Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight.  Over the ten years the girls were beaten, starved, and raped.   Amanda Berry was able to break out and go for help while Castro was out of the house.

After just two months of freedom the victims made their first public  statements in a You Tube video posted for them by a Cleveland PR firm.  A team of lawyers and crisis management experts are helping them without charge.  They also have money donated to a fund to help with their recovery in excess of a million dollars.  Other high profile kidnap victims waited longer to make their first public statements.  Elizabeth Smart waited more than nine months, and Jaycee Dugard waited two years.

Psychiatrist Gail Saltz  described the video as "smart" and "controlled".   Their hair was styled and their clothes carefully chosen.  They weren't crying.  They did not look traumatized.  They didn't talk about their captor.  They were smiling and upbeat.  According to  Dr. Saltz this makes us less interested.  They gave the media enough information to temporarily keep them at bay.  Americans tend to gravitate towards the disturbing story.  What the girls need right now is privacy to help them recover. 

In their statements Amanda Berry spoke about thankfulness.  Gina Dejesus spoke of the help of family and friends.  Michelle Knight spoke about God and faith.  To be sure these girls have a long road of recovery ahead of them..  I do believe they have a good start. 

As for us, I think we have a lesson here.  It is that to survive and succeed we need to have an attitude of thankfulness, rely on our family and friends, and strengthen our faith in God and ourselves.   I'm not a fan of the "disturbing stories" the media insists on telling.  What I do recommend is finding the lesson to help make a better life for all of us.

God bless Amanda. Gina, and Michelle.