I try to stay away from
politics on Facebook (I leave that to my Twitter account), however some of the
sentiments posted on Facebook and Twitter regarding Lady Thatcher's death are
truly appalling.
I can understand that opinions on Margaret
Thatcher are very divided and that there are people who didn't like her
politics or her as a person, however to mock the death of anyone is beyond the
pale. Examples of these hateful comments include Derek Hatton, a former deputy leader of Liverpool city
council, he wrote: "The issue isn't about whether she is now dead, I
regret for the sake of millions of people that she was ever born."
Mark Steel, the left wing
Radio 4 comedian (I use the term loosely) tweeted: “What a terrible shame –
that it wasn’t 87-years earlier.” However whilst many of her old adversaries appeared
to revel in her passing, colleagues of Arthur Scargill, the former leader of
the National Union on Mineworkers, said he was unlikely to make any public
comment and that is how it should be. The Shadow International Development Secretary Ivan Lewis
urged all Labour supporters to respond to her death with “dignity and respect”.
Irrespective of ones
political persuasion, people should remember that an elderly
statesman of this Country died today and our thoughts should be with her
family.
Although Lady Thatcher died of a stroke she
also had dementia, this is a truly horrid disease that is distressing
for the sufferer and for their family. Can you image
not recognizing your loved ones and being
scared because you are unfamiliar with your surroundings? I have
worked with people suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia, I
have seen the impact that these diseases have on the sufferer, their
friends and family, I can quite honestly say that dementia is one of the
cruelest diseases suffered by so many.
The former Labour leader and Prime Minister
James Callaghan passed away in 2005 and I don't recall people being so damn
right rude. He was a Prime Minister who presided over a government that
virtually bankrupted this Country. He had to ask the IMF for a bailout, gave us
(with the unions) the "Winter of discontent" and was forced to call a
general election in 1979 after losing a vote of no confidence in the House of
Commons. Yet when he passed away people rightly paid their respects.
People on the left side of the political
spectrum constantly preach about equality and diversity, and the need to
respect others views (which I believe are a good set of principles), however this only appears to apply if you agree with their political leanings. So for
crying out loud if you don't have anything respectful to say....don't say it.
(Right then rant over)
