Baroness Thatcher passes away after a stroke...
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22067155
Former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher has died "peacefully" at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke, her family has announced. Successor David Cameron called her a "great Briton" and the Queen spoke of her sadness at the death. Lady Thatcher was Conservative prime minister from 1979 to 1990. She was the first woman to hold the role. She will not be accorded a state funeral, in accordance with her own wishes, Downing Street said.
Full details on the link above with further onward links to biographies and commentary. Whatever your Political views, and the historical consequences of her choices as Leader of The Conservative Party and Prime Minister, one cannot deny she was a major world leader that has had lasting consequences on the World stage. I note she had left instructions that she was not to be afforded a State Funeral something that would have been seriously considered otherwise. Martin
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I was a teenager when she was Prime Minister of Great Britain. I always loved her and liked to watch her and listen to her on the television. She was so powerful. She was very pretty too. Isn't she going to have a service of some sort at Saint Paul's Cathedral? I think I heard it on the news? RIP Baroness Margaret Thatcher
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rip to a gracious leader love doris
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hey_kittay:
I was a teenager when she was Prime Minister of Great Britain. I always loved her and liked to watch her and listen to her on the television. She was so powerful. She was very pretty too. Isn't she going to have a service of some sort at Saint Paul's Cathedral? I think I heard it on the news? RIP Baroness Margaret Thatcher
Apparently the funeral will be pitched at the same level as Princess Diana and The Queen Mother will full military honours. Not sure how that's different to not having the State Funeral she declined - possibly by not having a Public "Lying In" where people could attend the coffin to pay personal respects. But it will be a big televised event to be sure. Date and Time yet to be announced, but next week some time. Martin
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I know Americans all love her, but not many of us Brits have any fondness for her at all. Even though I was still young I remember the immense relief when she left power. Her policies were disasterous and she's had few fans in Britain in recent years. I just hope that doesn't suddenly change now just because she died.
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Breaking news: Funeral next Wednesday April 17th - more details to follow... Martin
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illwobble:
I know Americans all love her, but not many of us Brits have any fondness for her at all. Even though I was still young I remember the immense relief when she left power.
It is very interesting following reactions to her death. It seems in death she remains as controversial as in life. Let everybody mark her death in whatever manner they see fit, let's just hope each group respects the needs of the other and that there is no confrontation at the funeral itself. Sadly I can see some extreme groups failing to respect that.... Martin
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illwobble:
I know Americans all love her...
That's a broad generalization.
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Most of the UK think giving her a funeral similar to Diana's in an absolute disgrace. She is widely hated here. She ruined peoples lives. And her pathetic, evil, fascist-like political party are still damaging my country today... even though they were not fairly elected into power. I am all for more women being in politics. I am a feminist and I think it's terrible that only a very small percentage of politicians are women, so I feel she was only good in making a point about gender equality in politics... but that's it. For most of us here, she won't be missed.
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audi:
illwobble:
I know Americans all love her...
That's a broad generalization.
True. I do find it interesting though. I know virtually no one here who has much good to say about Thatcher. Makes me wonder whether it really is the same thing as the way virtually all Europeans love Obama. I can't really put Obama and Thatcher in the same category but I wonder... I know you like Obama but an awful lot of Americans seem not to. Is it only not having had to live with Thatcher and her policies that make Americans such Thatcher fans? Articles on BBC website. This one on why Americans loved Thatcher http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13365889 This one not as good an article, but on why people from Liverpool all hated Thatcher!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-22073199 -
Thatcher was anything but a leader. A leader is someone who inspires others, who brings out the best in other people, who does what needs to be done and not by imposing his/her will against others but just because he/she feels he/she must behave that way and then some people follow the leader, they feel inspired by what the leader has done so they decide to do the same. I don't know.... Paul McCartney, for instance is a leader, not Margaret Thatcher.
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I wasn't born when she was in power! but I admire her for standing up in man's world but didn't agree with her politics of what I heard about her.
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21st Century Paul:
Thatcher was anything but a leader. A leader is someone who inspires others, who brings out the best in other people, who does what needs to be done and not by imposing his/her will against others but just because he/she feels he/she must behave that way and then some people follow the leader, they feel inspired by what the leader has done so they decide to do the same. I don't know.... Paul McCartney, for instance is a leader, not Margaret Thatcher.
Paul is a musician. Margaret Thatcher was a politician so she had to do things some liked and some did not. I calculated the time I, as an American girl in junior high school watched her on television, holding a position of great power she was an inspiration to young girls that they could be a leader in all areas of the world, not just a housewife or some man's 'girl friday.' In my view at the time, being young and impressionable, that is what she represented to me and girls like me. Being a politician is not really a popular thing. Someone is always going to not like your policies. As a young girl I did not like all the decisions Reagan made either. Anyway, I respect her for doing what she thought was the right thing to do in impossible circumstances and not backing down. Just an American view from a woman who admired Thatcher as a girl as an inspiration to become a woman with options in life.
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The Falkland Islands 1982. Unfortunately, nearly 1,000 people died in this conflict which had the eyes of the world upon her for awhile.
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hey_kittay:
21st Century Paul:
Thatcher was anything but a leader. A leader is someone who inspires others, who brings out the best in other people, who does what needs to be done and not by imposing his/her will against others but just because he/she feels he/she must behave that way and then some people follow the leader, they feel inspired by what the leader has done so they decide to do the same. I don't know.... Paul McCartney, for instance is a leader, not Margaret Thatcher.
Paul is a musician. Margaret Thatcher was a politician so she had to do things some liked and some did not. I calculated the time I, as an American girl in junior high school watched her on television, holding a position of great power she was an inspiration to young girls that they could be a leader in all areas of the world, not just a housewife or some man's 'girl friday.' In my view at the time, being young and impressionable, that is what she represented to me and girls like me. Being a politician is not really a popular thing. Someone is always going to not like your policies. As a young girl I did not like all the decisions Reagan made either. Anyway, I respect her for doing what she thought was the right thing to do in impossible circumstances and not backing down. Just an American view from a woman who admired Thatcher as a girl as an inspiration to become a woman with options in life.
But as Glenda Jackson bravely pointed out recently, Mrs Thatcher did absolutely nothing to help other women.
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With love to Maggie
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"Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead" headed for the UK top 10 this week!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/22093181 -
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Out of a desire to avoid getting caught up in a senseless argument with some of you here in which no one's minds are changed, I will refrain from entering into discussion regarding a person I feel strongly about. I was a University student in the UK when Prime Minister Callaghan was defeated in 1979 by the late Lady Thatcher, so have a very good memory of the Winter of Discontent that preceded the beginning of her time as PM. One definite statement I will make is that for my fellow Americans on here if they have any doubt as to why the British still have a monarch, contrast the acrimony that has accompanied Thacher's passing with the general sense of unity and good feeling that accompanied the Queen's Jubilee last summer. She serves as a very useful embodiment of national unity and purpose, her fulfillment of that role admirably contrasts with the inevitable disagreements that accompany those who must lead politically, especially someone who was the catalyst for great change as was Margaret Thatcher.
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femaleanimal:
Love that song and most of the Spike album!
