Margaret Thatcher: Now the dust has settled.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about her.

In some ways, I think well of her. I love that England had it's first female PM, and I fully support the idea of small government, and I generally admire people that stick to their convictions.

In other ways, I find her despicable. I think her crusade against trade unions, immigrants and homosexuality were appalling. She also had some very odd views of women, which I always found surprising.

I definitely don't know as much about her as I should, but I suppose that's what you get for moving to a different country.

 

It's great that she was a woman, but her politics were devoid of compassion and humanism. She was a strong supporter of many of the ills we see today in society. I'd like to believe there are much, much better role models in politics than her.

Russell Brand, of all people, wrote a solid piece about her when she died. I recommend giving it a read.

 

my dad was a driver for the coal industry so you can guess how he felt because of her family's were torn apart due to coal mines shutting down . she made rich people richer didnt care much for the working class or unemployment . but she was also a mother -grandmother she was getting on a bit. I dont hate her personally but she made more enemy's than respect .

 

Also this:

 

While I despise her ideal and actions, I have this annoying urge to respect her for getting right to the top in the most male dominated field in the world.

 

That is something to be respected, still it doesn't change the fact that her actual politics and actions were more destructive and eltist, than constructive and in the interest of the whole of the UK.

 

I hate her legacy. Not only because of her treatment of gay rights, her destruction of the trade unions and her economic policies (which would be bad enough), but because she left the society a less united, less compassionate place. She even went as far as to say she didn't believe in society. Obviously, I wasn't alive when she was in power, but from research, and talking to a large number of those who were alive (on both sides of politics), I find that she is the cause of - or is responsible for parts of - many of what I consider to be social ills, homophobia, xenophobia, lack of compassion etc.

During her time in office, she brought politics so far right that even the (true) left may never recover, and that is something I'll never forgive her for.

I also dislike the treatment the anti-thatcher protests have received. For those who don't know, there have been a number of parties, people protesting the (£10 million state-funded) funeral, people turning their back on it, anti-thatcher merchandise and a campaign to get a song to no. 1. The BBC refused to play the song, instead reporting about how disrespectful they thought it was. It is a reflection of how much she damaged certain communities and society as a whole that people are still so angry, and just not turning up to the funeral, as her supporters suggested, does not allow people to adequately present their position on the matter.

Basically, I will not respect a person who didn't behave respectably. I consider myself a feminist, but I will NEVER support or respect thatcher.

 

As an American, I see how she went to the top and I admire her for that. Do I think she had a perfect legacy? Not at all! But, it's all about the other options. She seems like a walk in the park compared to other leaders, and even recent US leaders....

I've brought this up time and time again. She didn't like gays? Well, that was the 80's. things were VERY different then. Should she have been more open? As a woman, yes. But I don't hold that against her. Were she alive today and of sound mind (she suffered from dementia, so I'm sure these last years of her life were a blur, especially with her strokes) and she still said it, then I might feel differently. That one issue just bugs me! I don't see it fair that our politicians can say they don't support gay marriage, but then they turn around and do and we are all just so tickled pink.

 

Flawed argument, as there were people in the 80s who were allies and either way it's still wrong.

 

Yeah, I think gay rights would have gone quite far in the 80s if not for her. I hate to bring things down to hitler's level, but we don't say 'hitler was anti-Semitic, but so was everyone else, so its perfectly fine'.

And anyway, it isn't just about section 28. There is so much more to hate about her.

 

It's nice to see Godwin's Law invoked so quickly.

 

Well, sure, there were Allies, but it was still a big issues with AIDS and all of the hatred and bigotry. It was completely different back then. I know I didn't experience it, but things have definitely changed. So, I don't agree but whatever!

---------- Post added 19th Apr 2013 at 07:50 AM ----------

I don't really see how it's possible to connect the two, but if people really want to destroy my view, then I guess it's possible.

 

Still doesn't change the fact that other people were capable of regarding things rationally and not be homophobes.

So we can't fault the CSA for going to war over slavery either then? Seeing as how things were different back then to?

 

Sorry. I know. But it was the only comparison I could think of, and I wasn't suggesting that thatcher and hitler can be considered to be the same, I was simply using it to illustrate my point that we don't give opponents of human rights a free pass simply because their views were held by others at the time.

Obviously, they are not connected in severity, but I was simply saying that thatcher can't be absolved of responsibility for her damages to the gay rights movement in the same way hitler can't be absolved of his crimes simply because others felt the same way.

 

I agree. She did what she did. But I honestly don't think she should be seen as this evil crazy gay hating bigot. To me, for someone to say the things they did then is less of a threat than that website someone just posted on here, like "the truth about homosexuals" or something like that.
I would never think there's any way to forgive Hitler, but this isn't about that. I don't want to make any connection because that's just not even close.

 

Well anyway, her damage to the gay rights movement has never been my main issue with her. As I said, there are many other problems one might have with her. Just take your pick.