Something for this year's Honours List winners to ponder
That I am none too keen on the honours system is a matter of record, and accordingly I take a great deal of pleasure from the refusal of Legions d'Honneur by a pair of French journos:
Françoise Fressoz (head political writer at Le Monde):
"Nothing in my professional work justifies such an honour".
Marie-Eve Malouines (head political writer at France Info):
"I can see nothing in my work which would justify such an honour, and that is why I consider myself obliged to to refuse this prestigious decoration".
As these two honourable ladies were gazetted without prior notification, it is not a case of the two of them trying to have their gateau, eat it and exhibit it at Olympia CakeEx, the way some types in these parts have done.
Hell will freeze over before some of the wretched time servers that fill out the honours list - alongside the usual selection of celebrities named to tickle the fancy of the Plain People of the United Kingdom - would consider such a thing.
Françoise Fressoz (head political writer at Le Monde):
"Nothing in my professional work justifies such an honour".
Marie-Eve Malouines (head political writer at France Info):
"I can see nothing in my work which would justify such an honour, and that is why I consider myself obliged to to refuse this prestigious decoration".
As these two honourable ladies were gazetted without prior notification, it is not a case of the two of them trying to have their gateau, eat it and exhibit it at Olympia CakeEx, the way some types in these parts have done.
Hell will freeze over before some of the wretched time servers that fill out the honours list - alongside the usual selection of celebrities named to tickle the fancy of the Plain People of the United Kingdom - would consider such a thing.
Labels: France, Honours system
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on Monday, January 05, 2009 at 4:34 pm.
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Not many people of integrity left in this formerly great nation :-(
Mr C, as an aficionado of miscellany you may know of an occasion when a UK gong was published in error and subsequently turned down but I certainly don't.
What they do is get the private letter, go to the papers, smile self-righteously and say that they were offered one in confidence but are turning it down because of Iraq/Maggie/The Miners/Trident/the annoyance-du-jour.
BE - I'd nominate Lord Carrington as the last one living. A mate of mine had a holiday job as a hospital porter and found him the perfect gentleman in person too.
Geoff - what is known as 'doing a Toynbee'.
Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum turned down a knighthood and has never spoken about it which I think is admirable. I have huge respect for the people who turn them down because as much as I like to think I wouldn't accept one-I know my weakness. How nice to get the best table or front row tickets? See http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article5400493.ece
Susie
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article5400493.ece
Sorry, the complete address
Susie - Thanks for that. He sounds a thoroughly good egg, doesn't he?
...he does Mr Croydonian-if you read the article in the Times which for some reason won't let me print out the full address-he's turned around the fortunes of the British Museum into one of the most successful museums in the world and is making a good profit to boot!
Susie - I read the article, for which thanks.
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