Its all academic at the end of the day; Thatcher is elderly and not in good health. Whether I wish her days were over or not is not really that relevant to the situation and won't make a difference either way. You are probably however underestimating the strength of personal feeling against her amongst many section of the population, here in the UK, in Ireland and in other parts of the world.

Can I respectfully remind people about her comment about how it was good for the elderly to be ' a little bit cold' and many other gems of wisdom ( not) which came out of her mouth. Like a lot of people with elderly relatives who found it hard to make ends meet, whilst the rich had tax break, I found this patronising and unacceptable. This is what is shameful!

No other Prime Minister has been summoned to Buckingham Palace to discuss civil unrest caused by Tory policies. The Church of England spoke out against her divisive me me me policies very strongly. Her attack on the miners was vicious and spiteful, not a policy decision, but came out of her wanting to show who was boss. The inevitable could have happened a lot less painlessly than it did. She probably set Anglo Irish relation back decades resulting in many more deaths than should have happened. She was kicked out of office by a Tory party who felt that her views had done enough damage to the country and to the Party.Let take off our rose tinted glasses here and see her for what she was. I'd like to see someone defend her war crime when she ordered the Belgrano to be destroyed when it was actually sailing away from the Malvinas, and tell me that doesn;t
qualify as murder? Its amazing she hasn't been tried. I'd certainly have wanted Blair to be.

When she does leave her mortal coil there will be doubtless many obiturial assessments of her legacy to the country and to politics. The forthcoming movie might be interesting. I hear Carol Thatcher has objected to it which might boost ratings.

I cannot agree with you but think it best to drop the matter. The fact you mention Malvinas says all I think.

What a shame that Roz's views aren't politically correct enough for you, eh, Brian?

Good to have all views however unpatriotic.

Yes, of course. Enough to wish her dead. Silly us!

Brian makes a statement saying that one council subsidises another (however inaccurate that might be) and you accuse him of 'hatemongering'.

Roz wishes somebody dead and you make some sarcastic comment about Brian's supposed hypocrisy.

Brian's views may not be 'politically correct' (thanks goodness) but they're well short of Roz's true hatemongering. Brian has sunk to nowhere near that level.

Cellar,
as we don't know the figures involved, it's all a bit academic.

There are many issues hindering people from getting a job - and a tattoo may only be a relatively small factor in this.

You mention facial tattoos - obviously that's a different category and will affect employer's perceptions - but I still think it's very hard to justify paying for their removal in the current economic climate.
Depends on the size and nature of the tattoo anyway.

I saw a woman on the train with her partner the other day and noticed that her neck and most of her fingers were tattooed - in the style that looks like they were scrawled on with a biro. Not my aesthetic choice, but she seemed happy. I couldn't like someone more or less because they have a tattoo - the fact Samantha Cameron has one just suggests she was following a fashion, not that it makes her a more interesting leftfield person. Let's face it, tattoos and piercings are so commonplace now that I don't think it's a particularly radical to have one - in some groups they are almost a uniform.

[quote = seeformiles]in some groups they are almost a uniform. [/quote]

And that's exactly the problem - what happens when you decide, for whatever reason, you want to leave that group, which may be hard enough already, you no longer necessarily want to advertise that allegiance.

Jon
Thanks for your kind comments.

SHZ
Your comments 100% correct. You can change a uniform , a tattoo is not as easy.

jon14
Did the man in the funny hat who took all your money not even bother to teach you to read? My whole point was that Brian's posts are invariably 'politically correct'. Just a different type of politics. Suggesting that someone be arrested and/or deported for not enjoying the royal wedding isn't particularly admirable, even for someone as gullible as yourself.

And I've no time for Roz's views on the matter either. Just that she should not be afraid to offend Brian.

Baboonery
Who said that someone should be deported / arrested for not enjoying the Royal Wedding. I am sure I did not say that. Indeed I did not watch most of it.

Whilst we're talking about whether we are saying or not saying things, I'm sure I never said I wished her dead either. However I make no secret of the fact that I will be celebrating her passing when it happens.

I do recall Brian wishing to bring back hanging or other severe forms of punishment . So its ok for some criminals to be severely punished and not others?

Jon14, I take it that you were a fan of Thatcher and Thatcherism which is why you take this matter to heart. The fact remains is that she was loathed by a large number of people and has probably the greatest security presence post office than other former PMs as a result. She earned that honour by her views and actions- many actions that most people including much of her own party, found absolutely repugnant. Jon, she was responsible for civil unrest, mass unemployment, and murder, yes murder, which has been sanitised by the press and the establishment, but murder it was.

Why don't you tell me how the sinking of the Belgrano was justified in your eyes and why letting the Irish hunger strikers die was a constructive measure. You are clearly determined to get her off the hook, so lets hear you put your case.

Roz

I do support capitol punishment for premeditated murder. I make no excuses for that.

You have addressed the other questions to Jon so leave it to him but how did she cause hunger strikers to die . Are you saying they were refused food.
I really fail to grasp your logic here.

I'd also argue that as part of a recognisable 'uniform' potential employers are more used to seeing tattoos than ever before.

I used to see a bloke around SE23 with a spider's web tattooed across his face and yes, I agree, that would probably make it very difficult for him to get a job involving contact with the public, but as I recall, tattoos were the very least of his problems.

If only it was as clear as you make out Roz, and you don't have enough information to accuse her of murder. The Argentines admitted it was a legitimate act of war.

She was prime minister for a hell of a long time, which suggests she wasn't always that unpopular. But I don't even remember Major, so I admit I don't have first hand experience!

But I wasn't actually defending Thatcher's politics and you've made a wrong assumption that I've taken this to heart because of that - my response would've been the same had you been speaking of Blair. To talk of somebody's death in the way you did was distasteful, whatever your politics.

Dearest Roz
I would also take issue with your comment she has the greatest security presence and presumably cost of any ex PM.
Althought I have not got any facts I would be surprised if our last Scottish PM before Gordon has not got a bigger and more costly security profile.

Also saw the first programme last night of History of Ireland. It would appear that up to 1000 AD the Irish were the invaders of Britain and took many thousands as slaves. Can we have an apology for that please Roz.

Looks like your Queen has gone over there to try to get them back !

If you're researching Irish history Brian I'm sure you'll get to Bobby Sands eventually.

I well recall Bobby Sands. I was on a beer holiday in Belgium when he killed himself. Was in 81 , 82 or 83 .
Certainly did not stop us drinking. Such great Beers.

Why do you keep on about someone who killed themselves, surely much more deserving causes you can think of.

What a long holiday you had in Belgium, Brian. 3 years? Thats probably a record. Clearly the Hoegaarden was good if you can't remember.

My deserving cause this week will be educating those who seem to have polyfilla where their grey matter should be.