Knighthood Petiton for Ringo

found this on the GH forum:

Euan Buchan says:


WHAT do you think Cliff Richard, Tom Jones and Bobby Charlton all have in common?

They have all had dodgy hit singles — remember England’s Back Home from the 1970 World Cup?

They also happen to be Knights Of The Realm.

But there is one music legend who remains without a knighthood.

So, today, The Sun is backing a growing campaign to put that right in the New Year’s Honours List.

He is the man who has touched the lives of three generations of music fans with his genius, the man who was one quarter of the greatest band ever to walk the Earth — and, last but not least, the man who provided the voice for Thomas The Tank Engine.

And if dodgy singles are the criteria for a knighthood — well, then he has certainly had a few of those in his solo career.

That man is, of course, Ringo Starr
A new online petition to get a knighthood for the fourth greatest Beatle is now being flooded with signatures from Fab Four fans furious that the quirky drummer has been consistently overlooked.

Fans of Ringo from all over the world are adding their names to the campaign after 10 Downing Street has for the first time allowed petitions for honours to be considered via their website.

A committee of Starr-struck fans have put together ten reasons why the bearded all-rounder should be made to “Arise, Sir Ringo!”

They include the fact that Ringo currently has just an MBE, which puts him on the same tier as, er, Gerry And The Pacemakers singer Gerry Marsden and Hot Chocolate’s Errol Brown. They also cite Ringo’s drum solo on Beatles album Abbey Road’s track The End as sole proof he should get a gong.

Petitioner Michelle Honick writes: “Ringo should have been knighted long ago.”

US citizen Scott Benowitz, who, sadly, is ineligible to sign the petition, writes: “Let’s see that credit is cited where credit is long overdue.”

A contributor called Tom says: “Ringo makes great album covers — and he was married to Barbara Bach, star of Island Of The Fishmen.”

And Alex R posts: “Ringo did the voice for Thomas The Tank Engine . . . case closed.”

The Beatles — Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo — were all awarded MBEs at Buckingham Palace in 1965.

They were nominated by the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

Macca later went on to be made Sir Paul by the Queen in 1997, John and George died — and Ringo has, in the eyes of many, been left on the shelf.

With Prime Minister Tony Blair’s approval, and enough signatures, Ringo’s army of fans now reckon that he could be getting down on one knee very soon.

A fitting honour, I’m sure you’ll agree, for the virtuoso responsible for Octopus’s Garden.

SIGN the Ringo knighthood petition today at: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Ringostarr/

It's tragic that Ringo has never been awarded a knighthood. That fact that he still only has the lowly MBE - an award they give to your local lollipop lady - is appalling. Ringo should have been awarded at the same time as Paul.

And while we're at it, how about a postumous award for George? (I'm assuming that John wouldn't accept!!)

not really a big deal

"In December 2006, Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein [started a campaign] to get Ringo Starr knighted in a petition to the Prime Minister.Whilst it is in an attempt to test the recently introduced petitions section to the government website and admits its triviality, Finkelstein thinks "he [Starr] deserves it" and has set out ten "unanswerable" reasons as to why Ringo Starr should be knighted:

- The Beatles are not just another pop group they changed popular culture.
- Ringo has an MBE. Tom Jones has a knighthood.
- The Beatles are a symbol of this country's creativity that is recognised in every part of the globe.
- Ringo has an MBE. Cliff Richard has a knighthood.
- Have you heard the drumming on Abbey Road?
- Ringo has an MBE. Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate has an MBE.
- Before Ringo joined the Beatles they were nothing.
- Ringo has an MBE. Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers has an MBE.
- Have you seen Help?
- Ringo has an MBE. Jeffrey Archer has a peerage.

The petition has been met with widespread press coverage from the Sun and the Canada National Post and has received several hundred signatures."

from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringo_starr#Filmography

Poor Britain!  Still hobbling along with an outdated feudal system of social class distinction.  Keith was right to tell Mick that a Rolling Stone shouldn't be a knight!

Ringo doesn't need to be one either.  

Why doesn't Britain scrap the whole monarchy while they're at it?  It's pathetic.  

Reminds me what one British poet had to say way back in 1819--although the spring's still muddy:

An old, mad, blind, despised, and dying king,--
Princes, the dregs of their dull race, who flow
Through public scorn,--mud from a muddy spring,--
Rulers who neither see, nor feel, nor know,
But leech-like to their fainting country cling,                      
Till they drop, blind in blood, without a blow,--
A people starved and stabbed in the untilled field,--
An army, which liberticide and prey
Makes as a two-edged sword to all who wield,--
Golden and sanguine laws which tempt and slay;                      
Religion Christless, Godless--a book sealed;
A Senate,--Time's worst statute, unrepealed,--
Are graves from which a glorious Phantom may
Burst, to illumine our tempestuous day.

Ringo couldn't give a mess about the Royals or a Knighthood.

I don't think Ringo's bothered about a knighthood.
I would be pleased if he did have one because he's a very underated
musician & drummer.

just imagine - Sir Ringo Starr!  

Sounds like you can buy a Knighthood if you give the right donation to the right party.  

I like the tabloids act so appalled at this news--as if it hadn't gone on for centuries--the monarchy filling its coffers with plutocract money.  Remember Lord Beaverbrook?  Son of a Presbyterian minister in Canada.  And should we even get into "Lord" Conrad Black?  

Once again Ringo has been overlooked. The Queen's honours list this time. Why Joe Cocker gets an OBE is beyond me. For what? One decent cover version and a bunch of soppy, syrupy balads for films!

I assumed he was dead!

Sir Ringo - I hereby sign this petition.

Oh, gee, I just went to the site ... I;m too late