Surely this must be some sort of elaborate practical joke...

[elisi]

From the BBC: Man claims African land for daughter to become princess

'He argues that over the years many countries, including the United States, were claimed by the simple act of planting a flag.'

To which I give you this:

Comments

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Awww. And they say chivalry colonialism is dead.

[elisi]

It'll be interesting to see what his new subjects say...

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Apparently it's uninhabited. But I'm sure I could find a few square miles of uninhabited country in the US too. Gee, wonder what would happen if I went there and claimed it as my own independent state...

[elisi]

The whole of the NRA/Tea Party would gleefully gallop along to SHOOT you for being an illegal immigrant. :D

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

The father of three says he was determined to show his children he'd go to "the ends of the earth for them".
Quite concretely, visibly.

I just… can't. XD I can't treat this as anything other than a joke, either.

[elisi]

I keep thinking - surely it's a joke? But then, he IS American...

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

*laughs* To think America was the first colony to ever free themselves…

[elisi]

I can't even.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

OMG...

Of course he would be from my country. *Facepalm*

Honestly, I don't know whether to be proud of his audacity and ignorant earnestness, laugh over the same or cry because Of Course America.

*SIGH*

[elisi]

Laugh, m'dear. That's far the best option! :)

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

What the heck?!

[elisi]

Exactly.

[eaweek.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear God...

What a doofus.

[elisi]

I just keep thinking it CAN'T be real. Or at least, he MUST be aware of... *waves hands* It's like something out of a sitcom.

[eaweek.livejournal.com]

When I was that age and wanted to be a princess, my mom would just give me some old clothes to dress up in. ; )

[elisi]

A much more sensible option! (I've done the same with my girls and they seem perfectly happy.)

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

I saw something about this elsewhere. I thought it had to be a joke, but it's actually pretty well documented. Just when you think people couldn't get any crazier, you know?

I even googled it (and boy, did I get sucked into a wiki/ google hole) and apparently the reason it's "unclaimed" is that there were two slightly different surveys marking out the border between Egypt and Sudan. Two areas differ. One area is valuable (oil?) territory and the other is this one, uninhabited desert. Both side want the valuable land, but if the claim the uninhabited territory they have to admit the other survey was the right one and ceed the valuable one.

I can't quite decide if I'm horrified or amused. I guess a little of both!

[the-redjay.livejournal.com]

This sounds like those examples of times were cities end up still being technically at war with other countries, because they were exempt from both the war-declaration and/or the peace treaty due to being fought over.

[elisi]

I saw something about this elsewhere. I thought it had to be a joke, but it's actually pretty well documented. Just when you think people couldn't get any crazier, you know?
It could be the plot of a comedy movie...

Both side want the valuable land, but if the claim the uninhabited territory they have to admit the other survey was the right one and ceed the valuable one.
Huh. That sounds plausible. I wonder what they think about the random white bloke who thinks he can claim it with a FLAG.

I can't quite decide if I'm horrified or amused. I guess a little of both!
Same here. :)

[the-redjay.livejournal.com]

*facepalm* I read about this yesterday. Poor girl... I mean, a 7 year old girl has every right to be a Princess but it's a shame her father has gone off the deep end, despite every bordering country laughing.

[elisi]

He should have bought her a pony instead. Would have lasted longer. :)