My best friend is from Hong Kong. Last two days have been tense between us - we’ve been fighting about the death of the Queen. I’m extremely anti-monarchy as I think it’s an institution that has committed genocide, bloodshed, theft, and oppression around the world. I think colonization has been horrible for the world at large. I also think the people in the monarchy are terrible people with a track record of racism, pedophilia, adultery, abuse, manipulation of legal systems to evade scrutiny for their horrible actions. My friend support the monarchy and agrees with me that while all the problems I have with it are valid problems that are horrible and need to be rectified, that Hong Kong benefited in some ways from British colonization. They say that British-influenced Hong Kong culture is part of their identity. Furthermore, they say that they take inspiration from the Queen’s example of public service for their own life of public service. I do not agree that her or the institutions she belonged to are anything good for the public. I also believe that Hong Kong people should be the architects of their own self-determination and sovereignty and not depend on a foreign power ruling them.

My friend did a masters in British colonial history if that’s relevant (I didn’t do any studies in that area). Their parents came to the US in the 80s and they were born in the US before the handover.

Things have been tense. So I want to ask Hong Kong people on here to clarify what is actually going on with the British monarchy and colonization in Hong Kong. Is it possible to be a proud Hong Konger without supporting such a reprehensible institution?