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March 08, 2010
A truly great and wonderful man
Just picking up on the death of Michael Foot, and in particular, the fond and indeed effusive reaction, even in papers like the Daily Mail.
It reminds me of a sketch in the satirical show 'Not the Nine 0'Clock news', all those moons ago.
There was an interviewer and two politicians ripping into each other in a studio debate. Soon, issues were left far behind as the discussion descended into diatribe and savage personal invective, between two people who clearly loathed each other.
They were hard at it, when suddenly, one of the politicians slumped forward onto the floor, having died of a heart attack. Without pausing for breath, the other politician moved seemlessly into a eulogy for this great and dear titan of democracy..blah, blah...a credit to his party and his country, who will be much mourned and greatly missed...blah, but blah...proud to call him my friend etc. etc.
We do find it hard to value people while they're alive. Van Gogh was not the first to observe that you really need to be dead to be appreciated.
Posted by Mr Bojangles at March 8, 2010 07:52 AM