Margaret Thatcher is dead
Apr 11th 2013 | 1:29 am
#301
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 238
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
Thatcher ushered in a me,me,me society, where people knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. She waged war on the working classes, particularly those that belonged to a trade union. Her tacit support of Apartheid in South Africa, her support of Pinnochets fascist dictatorship in Chile and her friendship with Jimmy Saville are beyond contempt. What saddened me most about Britain under Thatcher was not the greed, the hypocrisy or the fact that the most vulnerable in society were punished, but the breakdown of community. She considered herself the ultimate patriot but unwittingly destroyed the very thing that made Britain such a fantastic place to live. What we are left with is an underclass devoid of hope and ambition. A Frankenstein monster vilified for their reliance on benefits when their is no work left for them to do. A chronic shortage of social housing because of Thatchers wish to 'control' working people though the sale of council housing, (when you are tied to a mortgage you are far more unlikely to strike against unjust management). A banking system bailed out by the tax payer - yet still able to award immoral bonuses. Austerity my arse!
Apr 11th 2013 | 1:50 am
#302
Mostly Harmless
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 15,111
From: Semi-rural wonderworld, Brisbane
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
See, as our house keys are exchanged when we go away leaving trusted people to watch over the place.
Watch, as we allow the neighbours to enter our property and leave their horses there to wantonly munch on our grass.
Observe the local community gathering in the village green to raise money for the Girl Guides.
Get the picture? Not saying it doesn't happen in the UK, just that it isn't unheard of here.
Apr 11th 2013 | 3:19 am
#303
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 972
From: Northumberland to Maida Vale Perth
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
Was she a friend of Jimmy Saville?
Or did she just pose for a photo or 2 with one of the greatest, most selfless charity raisers the country had ever seen?
She waged war on those in the union movement who took the piss out of the lower classes.
I do agree that the UK lost it's soul at about the time she came to power. It's one of the reasons that I (and I think a few others on this forum) moved half way around the world to start over. This country definately still has it's soul.
Keel
Or did she just pose for a photo or 2 with one of the greatest, most selfless charity raisers the country had ever seen?
She waged war on those in the union movement who took the piss out of the lower classes.
I do agree that the UK lost it's soul at about the time she came to power. It's one of the reasons that I (and I think a few others on this forum) moved half way around the world to start over. This country definately still has it's soul.
Keel
Thatcher ushered in a me,me,me society, where people knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. She waged war on the working classes, particularly those that belonged to a trade union. Her tacit support of Apartheid in South Africa, her support of Pinnochets fascist dictatorship in Chile and her friendship with Jimmy Saville are beyond contempt. What saddened me most about Britain under Thatcher was not the greed, the hypocrisy or the fact that the most vulnerable in society were punished, but the breakdown of community. She considered herself the ultimate patriot but unwittingly destroyed the very thing that made Britain such a fantastic place to live. What we are left with is an underclass devoid of hope and ambition. A Frankenstein monster vilified for their reliance on benefits when their is no work left for them to do. A chronic shortage of social housing because of Thatchers wish to 'control' working people though the sale of council housing, (when you are tied to a mortgage you are far more unlikely to strike against unjust management). A banking system bailed out by the tax payer - yet still able to award immoral bonuses. Austerity my arse!
Apr 11th 2013 | 5:51 am
#304
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 938
From: London - but only until I can afford to move back to Sydney
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
In a teleconference wih the New York office today I was asked how I felt about the passing of someone that had such an impact. I told them that it was a tradgedy that the inventor of IVF had died yesterday and that he had made many people very happy. To say I got some blank looks is an understatement.
Apr 11th 2013 | 9:11 am
#305
Banned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
In a teleconference wih the New York office today I was asked how I felt about the passing of someone that had such an impact. I told them that it was a tradgedy that the inventor of IVF had died yesterday and that he had made many people very happy. To say I got some blank looks is an understatement.
How strange
Apr 11th 2013 | 10:44 am
#306
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
I'm no fan of the lady or her party, but the 'celebrations' at her death are in extreme poor taste... and viewed from a distance, have done the reputation of the UK no favours
Apr 11th 2013 | 12:20 pm
#307
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 24,249
From: Alloha snack bar
Apr 11th 2013 | 12:41 pm
#308
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
The two most destructive things she did were selling council houses and speeding up the rate of the destruction of grammar schools. These two things had an enormous and strongly negative impact on British life that has lasted to today and no doubt beyond.
I don't hate her personally, because I never knew her, and I do find the celebrations in poor taste, although I appreciate why people feel like expressing themselves in this way. She was an enigma, was Maggie.
I don't hate her personally, because I never knew her, and I do find the celebrations in poor taste, although I appreciate why people feel like expressing themselves in this way. She was an enigma, was Maggie.
Apr 11th 2013 | 3:31 pm
#309
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 16,623
From: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
And for those of us that don't live in a bland modern housing estate in Australia there is a sense of community.
See, as our house keys are exchanged when we go away leaving trusted people to watch over the place.
Watch, as we allow the neighbours to enter our property and leave their horses there to wantonly munch on our grass.
Observe the local community gathering in the village green to raise money for the Girl Guides.
Get the picture? Not saying it doesn't happen in the UK, just that it isn't unheard of here.
See, as our house keys are exchanged when we go away leaving trusted people to watch over the place.
Watch, as we allow the neighbours to enter our property and leave their horses there to wantonly munch on our grass.
Observe the local community gathering in the village green to raise money for the Girl Guides.
Get the picture? Not saying it doesn't happen in the UK, just that it isn't unheard of here.
And now every Tom Dick and Harry has their GCE etc dumbed down - all go to 'Uni' and many wonder why they still can't compete, when a secondary modern or tech school in my opinion is still the way.
Apr 11th 2013 | 3:53 pm
#310
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
The grammar school. The one way where normal kids who having demonstrated academic ability and the means to learn could eventually get to within shouting distance of FE/HE and take their places with the 'elite'.
And now every Tom Dick and Harry has their GCE etc dumbed down - all go to 'Uni' and many wonder why they still can't compete, when a secondary modern or tech school in my opinion is still the way.
And now every Tom Dick and Harry has their GCE etc dumbed down - all go to 'Uni' and many wonder why they still can't compete, when a secondary modern or tech school in my opinion is still the way.
One of the chief architects of this was Shirley Williams, daughter of Sir George Catlin and Vera Brittain. She was schooled at 20k per year St. Paul's Girls' School and Oxbridge. She saw fit to deny ordinary children the chances she had been given in life, and condemned millions of children to a grossly inferior education.
Wilson had campaigned on their destruction in the 60s, but the axe fell under Callaghan in the 1976 Education Act. Terrible, unforgivable vandalism and a national scandal.
Apr 11th 2013 | 4:06 pm
#311
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,830
From: Perth
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
Speaking of poor taste it would appear that the Palace is not at all impressed with preperations for the funeral.
Maggie is to be given a funeral to the same degree as the Queen Mother and Diana. Meaning regal status,although Maggie thought of herself as royality her demise does not warrent such a send off with troops and all.
Only Churchill who united a lot of the country during a time of real crisis has been afforded such.
That being the case I can well understand the protests. Maggie divided the nation and although a person of conviction,deserving respect but not on such an elevated level. Sounds increasingly a Tory blue rinse affair.
Maggie is to be given a funeral to the same degree as the Queen Mother and Diana. Meaning regal status,although Maggie thought of herself as royality her demise does not warrent such a send off with troops and all.
Only Churchill who united a lot of the country during a time of real crisis has been afforded such.
That being the case I can well understand the protests. Maggie divided the nation and although a person of conviction,deserving respect but not on such an elevated level. Sounds increasingly a Tory blue rinse affair.
Apr 11th 2013 | 4:18 pm
#312
Banned
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,300
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
Speaking of poor taste it would appear that the Palace is not at all impressed with preperations for the funeral.
Maggie is to be given a funeral to the same degree as the Queen Mother and Diana. Meaning regal status,although Maggie thought of herself as royality her demise does not warrent such a send off with troops and all.
Only Churchill who united a lot of the country during a time of real crisis has been afforded such.
That being the case I can well understand the protests. Maggie divided the nation and although a person of conviction,deserving respect but not on such an elevated level. Sounds increasingly a Tory blue rinse affair.
Maggie is to be given a funeral to the same degree as the Queen Mother and Diana. Meaning regal status,although Maggie thought of herself as royality her demise does not warrent such a send off with troops and all.
Only Churchill who united a lot of the country during a time of real crisis has been afforded such.
That being the case I can well understand the protests. Maggie divided the nation and although a person of conviction,deserving respect but not on such an elevated level. Sounds increasingly a Tory blue rinse affair.
Apr 11th 2013 | 4:39 pm
#314
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 24,249
From: Alloha snack bar
Re: Margaret Thatcher is dead
I'm a big fan of MT but even I think this funeral is OTT
I actually don't think that she would have wanted it this way
I actually don't think that she would have wanted it this way
