Will,

They look like the typical bunch of inbred, upper class, public school British wankers and tossers to me.

Within walking distance of my house are many stone markers showing where British soldiers fell retreating to Boston along the Battle Road on April 19, 1775--after having made the collossal mistake of taking on the colonial militia at Lexington and Concord.

But I won't deny that many here in Massachusetts have decided to give up their freedom for a version of safety and security that is dished out at the public trough. One of them is unfortunately running for President.

But you're right that I'm just jealous, and given the mores of the time, if I had been high born and had the chance, I would have done just as they did.

That's why I forgive them.

Love,

Bonnie Prince Charlie

mrlexma,

My family played a major role in India's freedom struggle and my grandmother who was imprisoned twice by the British, died a broken hearted woman because she felt more betrayed by successive Indian governments systematically in about 45 years after independence.

Yes, British rule was very imperfect to say the least and exploitative in it's worst incarnation, but as far as the environment was concerned, they certainly did a better job of preserving it than India's native Indian rulers have.

It is also a myth to believe that all hunting was on the grand scale of the driven tiger shikars. There was a considerable amount of hunting by common people on a small, individual or group stalk scale. Eminent people were invited to the royal hunts as an honour from time to time until well after independence. I think the worst decline came in after the India-Pakistan war of 1965 when India veered towards the Soviet Union quite sharply under Indira Gandhi, abolished private ownership of property and brought the erstwhile royals to their knees because they supported the political opposition. we are still paying a price for this today.

Best wishes and good hunting!

Rustam,

It's sad, but I have to agree with you on this.