America Wants A Queen

Below is a short essay that I wrote in 2007 for a college English class. The assignment was to make some sort of observation about American behavior. The Essay was titled "America Wants A Queen" and recently, with all of the hoop-la being made in America over the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, I felt like sharing this essay. It seems a bit ridiculous how overly excited so many Americans are about a "Royal Wedding" that has nothing to do with their own country. (I have several British friends who are not even half as excited as some American's I have seen talking on television.) I personally don't think it is such a big deal, but here is my essay. I think it was true in 2007 and I feel it is still valid today in 2011.

America Wants A Queen

Over two hundred years ago Americans fought for the right to be free of royal control. Upon winning the battle, a new leadership was formed based upon a popular vote. A method that has endured to the present, because Americans believe that a person with the support of the people is better suited to run a government than someone who is merely born into a certain family. Americans claim that democracy is the only way, and that monarchies and other such governments are relics of the past. However, they will only say this when speaking about government. The true hearts of Americans are laced with jealousy for their cousins across the pond, because the truth is, Americans long for a monarch. A person who will sit in a big gilded chair, dressed in fine robes, adorned with jewels from head to toe, and who will smile encouragingly to the massive crowds of common folk. The American president does little to fulfill this desire for the people.
Instead, Americans make royalty out of celebrities. Oprah is the ‘Queen of daytime television’, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are the ‘King and Queen of Hollywood’, the late Elvis was ‘The King’, Michael Jackson was the former ‘Prince of Pop’, and even Britney Spears has been called a ‘Pop Princess.’ There is no doubt that many people view the children of celebrities as heirs to the thrones of Hollywood, whether the children have any acting talent or not, it is considered their birthright. Obviously, the desire for a monarchy system is not dead in the hearts of Americans. It is frighteningly becoming more and more apparent that Americans care more about having a leader with a pretty face than one who knows how to run a country. Current polls ask citizens who would make a better president, Hillary Clinton (the wife of a former president), or Oprah Winfrey (perhaps the richest woman in America). People choose Oprah, because they like her talk show, but does she know anything about running a country? Perhaps it would not be such a bad idea for Oprah to be elected president. Oprah did not get rich by accident. She got rich because people trust her. She tells people what to buy, and what charities to donate to, and people listen. Maybe if she were president, people would not mind paying their taxes, (because it’s for Oprah), and perhaps the country could pay off its deficit. However, then Oprah would also be stuck with the real business of running a country. Like dealing with a war, feats she may not be capable of handling, and when she fails, the country will lose faith in her. No, it would be better for America to adopt a situation similar to that of England. Let us have a Queen to stand up at ceremonies and wear a pretty crown, and a president that can be blamed for everything that goes wrong. Then America will be happy. Until that day, America simply has Oprah, ‘the queen of daytime television’ and a president everyone loves to hate.