John Burns and Alan Cowell on Margaret Thatcher (New York Times, 4/11/13):
Her death has been received in many quarters with a vituperation that was notably absent in the United States with the passing of former President Ronald Reagan.
Anthony Faiola (Washington Post, 4/11/13):
When Ronald Reagan departed this life, Americans joined in an outpouring of bipartisan mourning that ranged from genuine grief to grudging respect for the memory of the Gipper. On this side of the Atlantic, the reaction to the death of his political soul mate, Margaret Thatcher, could not be more different.
When it comes to elite media and political circles, there’s no doubt that these two very controversial political figures were treated the same way when they died: with gushing, uncritical celebration of their lives.
No, the problem would seem to be that many in the British public–damn them!–have bitter memories of life under Thatcher. One has to assume that this is especially baffling to Burns, who believes Thatcher restored the country’s self-confidence.
As for the “bipartisan mourning” and “grudging respect” for Reagan–well, some of us tried our best to push back against that at the time.
I’d imagine the difference can be explained in large part by the lack of class consciousness in these here United States, which, despite the best efforts of New Labour, still exists within Britain.
In other words, the old union hymn, “Which Side Are You On?” has a good deal more resonance there than it does in its homeland.
And, of course, the corporate media have played no small role in the realization of that reality.
“Well”, (to quote Raygun); the best wall art epitaph I’ve seen for the Mag is “Iron Lady, RUST In peace”.
Reagan ruined the US economy, principally by busting the unions. We are back in the situation of 1910, if not 1877. The economy has no solidity, and the constant refrain that things will get better doesn’t seem so obvious anymore.
Don’t wait for the USA – support solidarity of traditional world societies – understand the commons and idle no more.
Till a more homogeneous/just society is realized it appears the sharp acknowledgment of class is a fundamental element in having a flame of hope in avoiding a global meltdown. I agree with Doug Latimer’s comment on the class factor.
The individual British worker, the late Margret Thatcher, the Queen and all Brits have a better understanding of difference/disparity of class than the USA body corporate. That vast body represents a mass wasteland of helpless zombies living with a dreamland script for currency and a dreamland script for life whereby an actor WITHOUT representational or Presidential qualifications is, not only seriously entertained for that position, but glorified in history with economic pontification and media wank-talk. The fabricators think that the worse the base the more toxic gloss is required.
But USA citizens DO know the wizard of oz because the curtain IS, somehow often if not always, pulled back. However the fog of fascism is constant and intoxicating for the fledgling USA state, wanton freedom is easy and self satisfying as it is self-blaming and destructive. This then is the sad commons of the USA, the real constitution – the group behavior. And for the one who would resist the fog and want to overthrow this system within the USA, the question comes: what support can be recruited out of that?
Occupy Wall Street in Wall Street seems defeated while Occupy London is real and active. It was evident at Margaret Thatcher’s funeral. I concede that Ragan’s funeral came before the 2008 prime-capitalist bail-outs (oxymoron) and prior to the birth of the Occupy movement – Thatcher’s funeral came post-all that.
Nevertheless the fact that Regan’s dead body (together with poor Nancy running coast to coast to keep up with the casket) were used for more expanded propaganda than his live figure (with family) during his Presidency AND NOT a single outcry from action groups is glaring.
This was the last nail in the USA coffin. When there is no resistance Presidents are appointed not elected – ie: Bush v Gore, 2001. And as the critical mass consolidates expecting self correction is like expecting the Nazi population to rise against their own leader.
The problem we face is that Globalization is the modern fascist state fast overtaking more than it’s successful field in superpower USA. Yet those basic historic/traditional/folk/ancestral/aboriginal inklings and traces, that reside and are valued in the UK and most non-USA populations maybe the only uncontaminated signal/nerve for correction before totalitarianism is truly total and irreversible.
The USA is such an arrogant and despicable entity protected by a perceived world paradigm of national sovereignity – but the paradigm of sovereignty is something imperial USA and Globalized transnationals know not of.
Dealing with the USA is like trying to make reason with an alcoholic – an angry adolescent drug filled zombie over-armed and brought up on Hollywood myth, and on the path of destruction in the world school ground. That the anti-culture emanating in and beyond the USA.
However unfortunate it is to be critical of a person at the time of their passing, I applaud London activists for the public display of protest on the occasion of Margaret Thatcher’s funeral. She was callous, tyrannical and wrong. If we don’t all die drones in an expected eco-collapse, future generations will see history will prove it. The important yet hostile political and media arena demand activists to assert the commons, be responsible and clutch cognitive consciousness and reason. That’s the difference between what’s left in the memory bank of England and failed USA.
He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future.
– George Orwell
Can anyone link me to a clue of a panel discussion where Margaret Thatcher was a panelist?
It was in California I believe during the 1990s in a large auditorium with military brass – probably televised on PBS or was it C-Span. The topic was something like: The Military in a Future of Peace.