The Political Thread

[shaolin_monkey]

I thought this article in the Guardian was well considered:

http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/08/margaret-thatcher-death-etiquette

This'll probably be my only contribution to any debate on this thread. Anyone that has me on Twitter or Facebook probably already knows my feelings on the matter anyway.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

How I would love to live in China because it is such a great country with more freedom for its people than us saps in Great Britain. I suppose you could say our freedom was eroded when Labour got into power and made our population the most watched with a swathe of new laws.

Enough of that though lets just listen to Amnesty shall we 

Amnesty, which compiles its report every year, opposes capital punishment in all circumstances, regardless of allegations against those facing the death penalty.

It noted that the U.S. shares its dubious ranking with countries like China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, which round out the top five. China was by far the worst offender, and the group said it suspects that thousands were executed last year, but they could not provide an estimate because those numbers are suppresse

China the land of freedom! Remember the June Fourth Incident were no protesters died, no neither do I, as quite a lot of them died but not in that square but we always seem to forget that

[Richmond Clements]

Running down working men with tanks... running them down with horses... one is as bad a s the other.
I believe that is the point I was making...

[COMMANDO FORCES]

No probs with that Richmond, just pointing out that people did actually die in China during those events!

[Richmond Clements]

Hggnnnn!
Ah, I'm going for a shower..!

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

Apparently one of them wee fellas from One Direction tweeted about yer woman dying, and none of their fans knew who she was.

I'm not on twitter, but I'd bet certain comedians are havin' a field day.

[vzzbux]

Why should the youngsters know about Thatcher. They have their own ogres like war criminal Blair and economy smashing Brown.






V

[JOE SOAP]

Well at the end of the day she was someone's mother, even if that somone happened to like getting involved in the odd coup.


Must've been something in his upbringing.

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

Why should the youngsters know about Thatcher. They have their own ogres like war criminal Blair and economy smashing Brown.

I'm not sure I can find it in myself to hate Thatcher or Blair or Brown.

Henry VIII, however, was a total bastard. I'm glad he's dead.

[Frank]

Arguing that the actions of any political figure are/were entirely good or bad is a sure sign you're talking out of your hole. The infrastructure which underpins the Bundesautobahn network has long been the envy of the world.

[Goaty]

I saw lots of people on Facebook happy that Thatcher happy that she's died, I ask them why, many replies such as don't know as just follow other people and kept want attention at them!

Sad world! She our leader of UK, yes many good and bad things with her. but still the old leader.

[Frank]

I also enjoy Fanta, the Volkswagen beetle, and the jet propulsion engine.

[darnmarr]

And a stronger version of concrete.

[johnnystress]

While I'm quite enjoying the hysteria and vitriol and appalled at the lionisation from some quarters, Billy Bragg sums it up nicely

From Billy Bragg, Calgary, AB, Canada, on the death of Margaret Thatcher:

This is not a time for celebration. The death of Margaret Thatcher is nothing more than a salient reminder of how Britain got into the mess that we are in today. Of why ordinary working people are no longer able to earn enough from one job to support a family; of why there is a shortage of decent affordable housing; of why domestic growth is driven by credit, not by real incomes; of why tax-payers are forced to top up wages; of why a spiteful government seeks to penalise the poor for having an extra bedroom; of why Rupert Murdoch became so powerful; of why cynicism and greed became the hallmarks of our society.

Raising a glass to the death of an infirm old lady changes none of this. The only real antidote to cynicism is activism. Don't celebrate - organise!

[Frank]

Dresden is a fine showcase for late-20th century architecture.