Thursday, April 11, 2013

BBC Thatcher obituary and dignity


I have not watched the TV programmes on Margaret Thatcher. I stopped watching TV when it started broadcasting four letter words.
What does BBC stand for? Being British? Or being biased?
Being British, (BB-C!) is about stiff upper lip, dignity in a crisis.
The death of a leader who was has been out of office for years and was already suffering from dementia is hardly an event to celebrate.
Above all, be reliable and impartial. That means hearing both sides like a court of law.
Both sides should have their say, but in such a way that the dead are respected. So a thirty minute segment on the death of a leader voted in by the British public should have a minimum of ten minutes opening praising her and ten minutes ending praising her.

Some would go further and say that the main programme should have the majority of the programme praising the departed, with just an odd line here and there in text with a photo of the opposition she faced and how she dealt with it. Ending: 'This Lady's Not For Turning'.
What does one expect in an obituary or funeral speech?

What gives a good impression of Britain?
Dancing in the streets at a death is not a democracy.
If we want to command respect we must show respect for our own leaders, admitting they made mistakes.
It's not as if anything is to be gained by being rude or angry. 

Her rule ended long ago. If you feel, as I do, that it was a mistake to withdraw milk from schoolchildren, who now drink sugary drinks instead, then reverse her policies.
Don't dance around in the streets. This is a democracy. She was voted in and voted out.

 Learn lessons. Debate and decide on making changes. Benefit everybody. Respect everybody. Be British.

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