Why are some folk keen on making a point at the funeral?

[MrMark]

Some are talking about turning their back as the procession passes by. Some are thinking of holding up the Saville-Thatcher picture...
What's the point? If you disagree with her politics join Galloway's Respect Party, or move to NK
All seems a bit exhibitionism to me..

[KentPhilip]

It goes beyond them disagreeing with her policies - they have a personal hatred for her.

Also left-wingers, unlike right-wingers, need to protest publicly for what they want, because their agenda is all about bringing people together into a united consensus (unlike right-wingers who just want to be left alone to do their own thing, and their political activity reflects this). So holding up placards at her funeral is just part of this.

[Doggy Styles]

They are sheep, and sons of sheep.

[VectraMan]

They're just being trendy. I'd bet most of them vote Conservative in the privacy of a voting booth.

[SimonMac]

It goes beyond them disagreeing with her policies - they have a personal hatred for her.

Also left-wingers, unlike right-wingers, need to protest publicly for what they want, because their agenda is all about bringing people together into a united consensus (unlike right-wingers who just want to be left alone to do their own thing, and their political activity reflects this). So holding up placards at her funeral is just part of this.

Most of the people who are "protesting" are too young to be directly effected by any of her policies, so as said they are protesting because they think its the done thing. It shows the type of people who they are, they would rather hang onto 23 years of anger than put their big boy pants on and do something for themselves while the hard working people who benefited from her policies get on with their jobs, with a quiet nod to the lady as they do.

[d000hg]

Hating personally someone you never met based on their policies seems on a par with hating someone you never met because they support the wrong football team to me, or hating a company as if they are a person.

Also - when is the bloody thing? This article has a lot of info on what colour ties people will wear and notes the program will start at 9:15am, but fails to mention which day...

[KentPhilip]

.. but fails to mention which day...

Wednesday.

Death and funeral of Margaret Thatcher - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Some are talking about turning their back as the procession passes by.

What's so wrong in that then? - seems a fairly restrained way to show disapproval to me. After all, this is a State Funeral in all but name, being paid for by all of us.

What's the point? If you disagree with her politics join Galloway's Respect Party, or move to NK
All seems a bit exhibitionism to me..

What in hell's name has Galloway got to do with this? As for moving to NK; maybe you'd be more at home there - after all when they have a State Funeral for a dead leader, there is universal agreement on how wonderful that leader was and what a terrible loss it was - no dissent allowed.

Most of the people who are "protesting" are too young to be directly effected[sic]* by any of her policies, so as said they are protesting because they think its the done thing. It shows the type of people who they are, they would rather hang onto 23 years of anger than put their big boy pants on and do something for themselves while the hard working people who benefited from her policies get on with their jobs, with a quiet nod to the lady as they do.

The "big boy pants" thing here is to accept that if you're going to have such a public occasion rather than a quiet private one, some people may chose to use the opportunity to demonstrate their distaste and dissent. That's the price we pay for living in what's left of a free country.

Hating personally someone you never met based on their policies seems on a par with hating someone you never met because they support the wrong football team to me, or hating a company as if they are a person.
.

Agreed, but this person is a such a figurehead and so divisive it's hard to distinguish the person from the policies - of course that doesn't excuse hatred or inappropriate behaviour, but it may explain a restrained show of dissent at the public event. Naturally, if you feel Mrs Thatcher was some kind of saviour, this may rankle a bit - but the funeral could have been held in private.

As for all these cosy slap each other on the back postings about "evil nasty lefties" - keep it up, the only people you're kidding are yourselves. There are evil nasty folk on both "sides" of the Thatcher divide - but there are a lot of decent folks too. When you feel the need to continually belittle everything about people who disagree with you, maybe you're not cut out for living in a Western Democracy.

BTW for the avoidance of doubt, I do not condone noisy, violent or inappropriate actions at a funeral (I think banners or holding up Saville pics would be too much) - just free expression of views.

* except perhaps the educational ones?

[SimonMac]

The "big boy pants" thing here is to accept that if you're going to have such a public occasion rather than a quiet private one, some people may chose to use the opportunity to demonstrate their distaste and dissent. That's the price we pay for living in what's left of a free country.

Why does showing disproval have to become civil disobedience?! Some people will kick off for the sake of kicking off and that's what this is turning into

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Why does showing disproval have to become civil disobedience?! Some people will kick off for the sake of kicking off and that's what this is turning into

As I said, I don't condone that - but with this stuff there are long memories and old scores to settle. I saw a very interesting documentary about the (Thatcher era) Miner's strike once in which both sides (Police and Miners) acknowledged that they were all for a good punch-up - much as in footie violence - there seems to be something of this in some of us as a Nation.

Knowing that, it's a risk holding such a public and publically-funded event. I don't say it's right, but it's there and it's not the sole preserve of the left or right - some bloke on here commented how he's looking forward to kicking some crusties at the event - bluster, bravado, limp attempt at humour - maybe, but indicative of a vein of thought on both sides.