Once again a thread started to pay respects to a tragic and appalling loss of life has been hijacked by people who have a 'point' to make.
As for your hand wringing self pity, it is tiresome.
Opinion saved for another thread, but would you like to roll over and let me tickle your belly Pres?
Absolutely BH. It is a fact though that Lee Rigby lost his life in fighting for freedom of speech though. If a country does not have free speech it has nothing.
Free speech is to be valued, but so is responsibility. Responsible enough to know that a thread of condolence is not the place to give opinions on the rights or wrongs of it.
There's a time & a place.
RIP Lee Rigby, thoughts & prayers are with his friends & family. I pray that they find some comfort in their grief.
A great tragedy and terrible for his family and colleagues in the Army.
When you realise, he did his tour of duty in Afghanistan to protect us and those in Afghanistan so we could be free of tyrants etc etc and be able to speak freely.
Yet, we cannot even discuss on a forum the opinions, thoughts and problems in this area, without severe moderation for fear of upsetting people and possible legal prosecutions for saying the 'wrong' thing.
I sincerely hope he hasn't died in vain.....but I fear he has.
RIP Lee Rigby.
Can we make a donation to his family from our charity arm To show solidarity . Please.
I think that would be unwise. I understand your sentiment and feel similarly saddened, but I don't feel this is where any NSC charitable donations should be aimed.
For what reason?
Once again a thread started to pay respects to a tragic and appalling loss of life has been hijacked by people who have a 'point' to make.
As for your hand wringing self pity, it is tiresome.
Why round on US for that. Lots of people have voiced an opinion on the thread before him. RIP to the young man but if you don't want to hear people's wider opinions then you need to get off here. What everyone wants on here is outright condemnation of the act - quite rightly - but no arguments as to the suffering our government and subsequently our military bring to the homes of certain peoples. Our foreign policy breeds these acts and will continue to do so.
Condone a barbaric killing ? Never, but any debate is stifled on here by certain people because it is not the palatable dish they want served up. Blame ? You need to look closer to home than Afganistaan and the like.
Debate is welcome, but why not discuss the broader issues surrounding the violent radicalisation of young men on another thread, rather than one on which people merely want to pay their respects to the deceased?
We both are experienced enough on NSC to realise that certain topics have a binfest coefficient higher than others, one in which people which is a condolence thread should ideally not be in that category.
Just seen the most heartbreaking news conference by the family of Lee Rigby. Not ashamed to admit that it moved me.