As you know, I’ve spent a good deal of my life working and travelling across the USA.
There are few states I haven’t visited and some I know like a resident. If you need a tourist guide, I’m your man.
I admire the American ‘can-do’ attitude, self-reliance, determination and generosity of spirit. Despite years of segregation, they elected a black President, an enlightening act yet to be repeated in Europe.
There is, however, an aspect of north American culture that deeply disturbs me. It is the aspect of public rejoicing at executions. Tailgate parties and celebrations at the death of anyone revolts me.
Dancing around with hideous banners mocking the deceased defies the Christian spirit and is no way for a civilised country to behave.
Which is pretty much how I felt seeing the grotesque reactions to the death of Margaret Thatcher. It matters not one jot whether you liked her politics or not – gyrating around the streets chanting ‘The witch is dead’, does nothing for our international reputation.
Those images have been seen around the world. We’re supposed to be setting the standard for a tolerant society, not behaving like a screaming mob of political zealots.
I can’t believe a civilised nation such as ours would conduct itself in this manner. What’s become of us? Margaret Thatcher wasn’t the despot slaughtering all those standing in her path. The British people chose her as their preferred leader in free democratic elections on three occasions, she didn’t appoint herself.
Are we to rejoice in the death of Tony Blair, Nick Clegg or anyone else whose policies we didn’t personally approve? Why stop at politicians, why not publicly celebrate the demise of bankers and energy company bosses? Just how vindictive do we want to be?
In this age of the Internet, You Tube and instant messaging, there is no hiding place. This barbaric behaviour undermines our standing around the world.
Without dignity, what do we have?
