So how do you feel about Margaret Thatcher's death

[Rylingo]

How do I feel about it? I feel numb about it. I don't care. I didn't know her as a person but Im sure she had people who loved her and I hope they are able to cope with their grief.

From a political stand point she has been dead for a long time. She no longer has any sway. Whilst I'm not gonna take pleasure in the loss of her life, I am glad she is no longer in power. She was a poor leader.

Her political outlook caused more damage than good. I think her housing reform was good. It had become waaaaaay to expensive. Everything else she did was pretty awful. Her economics lead to prosperity in London at the expense of most of the north of the country. She resurrected class separation. Her response to the issues in Northern Ireland was, at best, juvenile. Rather than helping ease tensions she inflated them. Her 'Iron Will' drove those in the middle towards the extremes, making her ironically, a great recruiter for the IRA. Her policies cost Northern Ireland a lot of lives. She backed a lot of questionable leaders on the international front.

People said she was good because she had convictions. Having convictions is only good if the convictions themselves are helpful. Pliable leaders tend to function better in modern society. Iron ladies were only useful in the iron ages.

 

[Lethos]

People are not celebrating her death because she was aggressive and stubborn so that's a pretty poor argument. Oh no he shares some traits with her, big deal, they're not what make her death worth celebrating to people.

Look at what you originally quoted me on, genius. On the point you have decided to take issue with I don't mention him celebrating her death because she was aggressive and stubborn. I mention that he is expressing the same personality traits. You decided that was to do with homophobia and dictators, and now you've decided that it's my entire argument, rather than a single point.

 

[mortalsatsuma]

I think she was a great woman who made the right decisions, not the popular ones and stood by them. Not like our current wishy-washy poor excuse for a leader, David Cameron. If someone like her was in power now, Britain wouldn't be in the poor state it is currently. That being said, I can see why a lot of people disliked her and that's fine. There are a lot of people she screwed over but hey, you want to make an omelette, you gotta break a few eggs. It doesn't bother me that a lot of people dislike her but it does bother me how there's a lot of talk of anarchists and the like discussing disrupting her funeral. Also, the way there were quite a few "mini riots" on the day of her death including some looting, criminal damage and vandalism, is just unacceptable. If you hate her, fine, I'm not going to tell you you're wrong etc but please conduct yourself with dignity. You are after all celebrating the death of an 87 year old woman who had Alzheimer's.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

Typical responses from those born during and after her term who didn't experience what came before her.

The never ending curse of youth.

Yup. Baroness Thatcher fought against unemployment, and if she had been only half as bad as the most ignorant folks like to paint them, she would not have been re-elected - twice.

Only just looking at the four years Edward Heath was in office right before Margaret Thatcher challenged him would serve up some more answers, or at least some pointers as to what life was like back then, even if one was not born yet back then. It would also show the destructive and disruptive potential of (miner) strikes. The vast majority of Margaret Thatchers actions can be understood to have been made to save the country and its people, but the leftist opposition to this day is impervious to facts and they cannot be reasoned with. That made perfect sense during Cold War times, these days I find it more offensive and also rather sad.

I do not know if Margaret Thatcher was the best leader Britain ever had. But I'm pretty certain she was the best ever since. we really do need someone of her caliber to get out of the mess that is our here and now.

Also quite important to take note of is the fact that the term 'Iron Lady' was applied by some Soviet apparatchik. You know - the good guys. Right? They always lived in countries of giddy happiness, overabundance of joy and no one ever died, but instead lived happily ever after. The End.

Oh, and... people that think it's a good idea to watch that Meryl Streep movie to learn a thing about Thatcher and understand anything - don't. Really... don't.

 

[Lethos]

"You shouldn't be proud of harboring an ideology that fills you with blinding hate. How ironic that you express the qualities that you insult Thatcher for having. Perhaps you're more like her then you think."

Read what you wrote. Now quote me Mr. F insulting her for those traits. Thanks and good luck! ^_^

Sure thing darling.

From this thread: [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.405306-Margaret-Thatcher-Dies-age-87?page=1]

To us, she was the witch. The *****. The iron lady.

I hate the affect that she has had on this country. I firmly believe that her actions were, if not malicious, then simply callous.

I can tell what you're going to say though. Because he's not directly saying it, it's not going to be good enough evidence for you. Ignoring the fact that calling someone callous is obviously implying that you think they're cruel and hate filled, it's a pretty well accepted fact that her critics frequently and openly insult her for being hate filled.

 

[Zebidizy]

I don't really care, her death doesn't make a difference the fact that we are paying 10 million of tax payer money on her funeral now that really pisses me off especially as she has done nothing to deserve that and this is during a recession. Also as someone from northern Ireland the stuff she did over here, she does not deserve the praise she has been getting.

 

[Hawk of Battle]

Really, 4 pages and this response hasn't been done? Oh well...

 

[verdant monkai]

She did some good stuff to be fair like making the trains private companies again so they actually run on time. I use the train all the time here in Blighty so I can be thankful to her for that.

She wasn't all bad so I can't say I'm upset, but to be honest it would be like George Bush dying I would care even less then. Just a famous politician who I've never met and who isn't in power any more, no real reason to care much.

 

[Timmey]

She did some good stuff to be fair like making the trains private companies again so they actually run on time. I use the train all the time here in Blighty so I can be thankful to her for that.

She wasn't all bad so I can't say I'm upset, but to be honest it would be like George Bush dying I would care even less then. Just a famous politician who I've never met and who isn't in power any more, no real reason to care much.

The trains here are terrible! Over crowded and over priced, you must be joking? Also thatcher didn't privatise the trains, that's a common misconception.

 

[Flutterbrave]

A woman whose family loved her is dead. I see no reason to celebrate.

 

[ArnRand]

The people whose politics I value actually thought she was a great Prime Minister. They also agree she destoryed countless jobs, societies, and lives. No-one is denying that. But she also led us in the Falklands and brought down the Iron Curtain.

You just don't see many people defending her here because of the traditional demographics between age and political leaning; hence all the Witch is dead rubbish.

As someone who takes pride in having thier own opinion, but admits he was born some 2 years after her term ended, I will say this:

When all this clears, and history sits down to actually consider what it was she did, I believe she will go down in history as someone who actually ACTED.

She made enemies because she did something; regardless of whether folk see it as good or bad. We need someone in the UK who does something, and not be a spineless twatbadger like, say, almost all polticians right now.

We may not need another Thatcher, but we sure as hell need someone who is willing to make some enemies by acting.

I don't understand this attitude. The current coalition government is engaged in some of the most comprehensive shrinking of the welfare state that we've ever seen, despite it being opposed by the public (in opinion polls) and it fucking up the economy. That's definitely acting. And that's not spineless. Stupid and dogmatic maybe, but not spineless.

 

[Images]

I'm happy. Not only was she a monster, tearing apart communities, taxing the poor unfairly, neglecting those who needed help and ignoring travesties of justice, I'm from Hong Kong and she gave away my home.

If any of you give me that "don't speak ill of the dead" guff, here's my answer...

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

Weird that Guardianista is complaining about giving back a bit of China to China though, normally you guys are well into that white guilt self flagelation nonsense.

Because like I said, I'm FROM Hong Kong you nitwit. I was born there, raised there, grew up there and did not take kindly to my home being given away without a vote.

Ignoring all that she was a beast in all the other ways I listed. To celebrate her death is something many promised they would do when she ruined their lives entirely. I have no problem with people fulfilling that promise I'm just sorry they had to wait so long.

Dude it was "rented", it had to go back. There was nothing to vote for.

Nope...The New Territories were rented. Hong Kong Island was GIVEN to the British at the end of the Opium War. When the lease for the New Territories was coming up it was Maggie's job to renew the lease. She did not even attempt it and casually threw the island into the return as well. While citizens were being butchered across the border and at the time they were, we were being told, "enjoy your new leaders"! Locals (and I do mean local Chinese) in Hong Kong now wave the old colonial flag at protests to show how unhappy they are with how the mainland is eroding local freedom and how much better things were.

You could have looked this all up really rather than make an unresearched statement at a local of the place in question.

And Maggie still raped the miners.

 

[Atmos Duality]

May she hunt many Killjoys in the hereafter with her Candy Robot.

 

[ResonanceSD]

She's there, right now, privatising hell.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

I thought she was already dead or something.

 

[flarty]

snip

No one is saying the unions didn't have to be dealt with. But the effects of Thatchers over the top and barbaric treatment of not just the miners can be still felt today in parts of the UK, nearly 30 years on. The time that has passed and these communities are still struggling to come to grips with what Thatcherism done speaks volumes.

Also please stop going on about "lefties" it makes you sound partial, cocky and one sided and no one likes to listen or debate with such narrow minded individuals. Especially when you "righties" seem to work to an ideal of blame minorities about the state of the countries finances but do nothing about the billions that escape the country through tax loop holes. Its pathetic and laughable.

While you knock the guardian, don't forget it was the newspaper to expose the phone hacking scandal (amongst others). For a good while, the only one to report on it.

She backed a lot of questionable leaders on the international front.

Yes none of her supporters seemed to of mentioned her out spoken backing of pinochet. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/304516.stm

 

[Images]

I'm happy. Not only was she a monster, tearing apart communities, taxing the poor unfairly, neglecting those who needed help and ignoring travesties of justice, I'm from Hong Kong and she gave away my home.

If any of you give me that "don't speak ill of the dead" guff, here's my answer...

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

Weird that Guardianista is complaining about giving back a bit of China to China though, normally you guys are well into that white guilt self flagelation nonsense.

Because like I said, I'm FROM Hong Kong you nitwit. I was born there, raised there, grew up there and did not take kindly to my home being given away without a vote.

Ignoring all that she was a beast in all the other ways I listed. To celebrate her death is something many promised they would do when she ruined their lives entirely. I have no problem with people fulfilling that promise I'm just sorry they had to wait so long.

Dude it was "rented", it had to go back. There was nothing to vote for.

Nope...The New Territories were rented. Hong Kong Island was GIVEN to the British at the end of the Opium War. When the lease for the New Territories was coming up it was Maggie's job to renew the lease. She did not even attempt it and casually threw the island into the return as well. While citizens were being butchered across the border and at the time they were, we were being told, "enjoy your new leaders"! Locals (and I do mean local Chinese) in Hong Kong now wave the old colonial flag at protests to show how unhappy they are with how the mainland is eroding local freedom and how much better things were.

You could have looked this all up really rather than make an unresearched statement at a local of the place in question.

And Maggie still raped the miners.

Ha ha, funny how lefties get all riled up about "imperialism" unless they are affected directly, then it seems they become quite sabre rattle-ly.

I read The Guardian and The Independent...so I'm apparently a leftist and have issues with imperialism. Its nice you pigeon-hole people. I'm generally a moderate but as a member of the empire and having done a hell of a lot of reading on the subject (Niall Ferguson's book "Empire" is astounding btw) I've always felt that unlike other empires, the British generally left its subjects lands better off and was a misguided force for good. That however is an argument for another day. I just suspect you're trolling.

I have no doubt the quality of life plummetted on return to China but it's pretty hard to argue we could realistically maintain control over a colony that far away, that embedded into China. Do you honestly believe that if Kinnock had been in he'd have done any differently? He would have been falling over himself to prove himself a true son of the left, undoing evil imperialism and breaking down national borders. You'd have been part of the Chinese mainland before you could say, "70% tax to fund public sector pension boosts".

One of Asia's greatest economies. A bastion of democracy in a harsh Cold War. A harbour placed perfectly for all logistics needs. You don't think that would have been worth holding on to? And I have no idea what Kinnock may have done. I know what Thatcher did. I don't deal in ifs. If my grandmother had balls she'd be my grandfather.

Nah, the miners raped themselves by refusing to modernise, demanding ridiculous subsidies to retain unworkable pits and the general "three day working week" nonsense. Usual union, vest interest crap - see Bob Crow, salary £150k, lives in a State subsidied council house for reference - they tried to bully the country and failed. Interesting how no government since has really considered changing the laws that stopped the unions doing this, if there were so evil and onerous you'd think they'd have a go eh? I mean Labour are funded to the tune of some 80+ by their Union masters.

So leave them all destitute and starving. Great plan.