Eric James states and asks: >From time to time we hear suggestions that the monarchy in Great Britain >should be done away with. I won't comment for or against such a notion, >but I do wonder what the country would do for a national anthem should the >Queen step down. Why should it do anything. We already have a perfectly good national anthem, which has survived governments of different political flavors, monarchs of differing sexes, abilities and qualities and expresses that which a national anthem ought to -- a sense of identity stemming from tradition and history. I simply cannot understand why there is such a fascination with producing something new -- which would have to struggle to find widespread acceptance and would be highly unlikely to express an identity from Day One. Not that I'm resistant to change -- quite the opposite. However, I am resistant to change for no good reason. If it ain't broke..... Tim Mahon [log in to unmask]