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ON THE occasion of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Fox News star host Tucker Carlson devoted a segment of his show to recalling the deeds for which the late monarch will be remembered and which, mired in an age of confusion and extreme ideology, the world seems to forget.
In just over five minutes, Carlson defined Elizabeth II’s reign as “the last living link to a truly Great Britain,” and stressed that the queen was “born in one world and died in another,” and kept her dignity intact in front of the public for more than 70 years.
Queen Elizabeth II was the last living link to a truly Great Britain. pic.twitter.com/pvbhRCnwm0
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) September 9, 2022
Carlson recalled that, when Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953, the United Kingdom was devastated by two world wars, even though it claimed victory in both.
“After victory came humiliation,” the host noted. “The empire evaporated, and along with it, Britain’s self-confidence and ultimately its self-respect,” although he highlighted that, under the nobility of Elizabeth II in the last seven decades, the British Empire ruled the world “with decency unmatched by any empire in human history.”
Referencing the scorn of the “usual ghouls” on social media who celebrated the monarch’s death, Tucker mentioned Carnegie Mellon University professor Uju Anya, who wished Queen Elizabeth II a painful death.
“Various know-nothings in the media, including a columnist at The Atlantic and a couple of employees of NBC News, seconded that thought. ” Carlson noted. “‘The British Empire was evil,’ they wrote, apparently totally unaware of what came after it.”
The legacy of Isabel II
He recalled some examples of what happened to African countries once the British Crown let them become independent countries, as in the case of Uganda, which was dominated by the cannibal Idi Amin, or how Rhodesia became Zimbabwe and soon after was already the poorest country in the world under the iron fist of the “racist lunatic” Robert Mugabe.
He further noted that after Britain’s departure, the African continent now belongs to the communist government of China, “the latest colonial power to dominate Africa.”
“In the real world, the one that we live in, strong countries dominate weak countries and that trend shows no sign of changing,” Tucker continued. “The very least you can say about the English is that they took their colonial responsibilities seriously. They didn’t just take things, they added.”
He pointed to an example close to home: when the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, Tucker recounted, it left behind “airstrips, shipping containers and guns.” When the British Crown left India, it left behind “an entire civilization, a language, a legal system, schools, churches and public buildings, all of which are still in use today.”
Beyond what is commented on social media about the British Empire, the presenter pointed out, it was much more than death and domination. Quite the opposite.
“In fact, the British did not commit genocide, except arguably against the Dutch during the Boer War,” he continued. “The British did give the world the Magna Carta and habeas corpus and free speech. They helped end the transatlantic slave trade, as well as the ritual murder of widows in India. The British Empire spread Protestant Christianity to the entire world. It published some of the greatest literature ever written and produced the finest manufactured goods ever made anywhere at any time, including now.”
Tucker Carlson’s speech, rather than a defense of Elizabeth II or the British Empire, was a recognition of her historic and unique legacy: one of freedom, decency, democracy, which will forever represent the greatness of the West.
Tomás Lugo, journalist and writer. Born in Venezuela and graduated in Social Communication. Has written for international media outlets. Currently living in Colombia // Tomás Lugo, periodista y articulista. Nacido en Venezuela y graduado en Comunicación Social. Ha escrito para medios internacionales. Actualmente reside en Colombia.