Ken Bigley/ minutes silence

[Alej]

there were so many points on the last 1 i thought id start another. My question being 'was it right to have a minutes silence for Ken?' personally i think it is a disgrace that we devote the same amount of time to him that we did for the ppl who died in the towers and our war vetrens, it makes a mockery of the whole reason for having a minutes silence. Forget about him.

[tigga]

How insensitive - it took you longer than a minute to write that !

[Alej]

instead of this kind of response why dont you answer the argument and give your opinion, do you think he deserves the same time as all the people in the twin towers? im not pusyfooting around the subject and being sensitive, i want to see if people agree or disagree and why.Go to the body and soul or home and garden section tigga

[FP]

Alej, Andy Hughes has now raised a very similar question to yours and I just what to let you know that I agree with you. The media has done it's usual job or stirring up the masses. A great deal of people don't seem to be able to think for themselves any more. However, I think you are a somewhat hard in saying 'Forget about him'.

[Greedyfly]

This is an insensitive way of putting it. But I thought the silence was very hypocritical and I would have been disgraced had it been a member of my family. Having the country who was not willing to help you have a silence in memory of. But it was a tragedy, I do see where you are coming from. If this man has a silence then so should EVERY person who dies/is killed.

[Alej]

yes thats my point, my ending was harsh granted - what a was meaning by it is that it is ludicrous that he is honoured in such a way simply by a tragic death. Far greater people have died without any recognition for causes and we dont remember or even hear about them with as much news coverage. I have as much sympathy with his family as with anyone that has lost a loved one, no more no less.

[pandalikbeer]

far greater in who's eyes Alej? I never met ken or any of the 911 victims so don't feel in a position to comment on who was more deserving.

[Alej]

pandalikbeer, sorry im not expressing myself as clearly as id like. I would think a policeman shot dead on duty or a soldier who dies fighting for his country more worthy for a minutes silence would you not agree? Surely the deaths of two buildings worth of people as opposed to 1 man cant be compared. Im thinking in terms of the country not the individuals family, i want to make that clear. Of course any death is devistating for a family.

[pandalikbeer]

Hmmm I got a problem with this - surely it doesn't matter how many people die? Do we have a minutes silence for tragedies involving more than (say) 10 people, but not if less than that are killed?

[Donkey]

Am I glad this was posted as I was going to ask the same question myself.. How we can have a minutes silence for a man that out of his own choice choose to go to Iraq ( for the money and no other reason ). He knew the risks and tragically it ended how it did, But British troops and their familys must be thinking they do not get minutes silence when they are killed doing their job.

[ali_alic]

Sorry folks - have to agree with Alej here. I am not trying to belittle the fact that a man lost his life, but perspective is needed. He chose to go back there - even tho he was warned not to and knew of the dangers. The 9/11 victims had no choice. He wasn't out there doing aid work - he was there to earn "one last large paycheck" which was to set him and his family up (their words more or less). He died in horrendous circumstances - but he was not a hero.

[ll_billym]

I agree with the last post, he was not a hero, he was getting paid a lot of money because of the risk of this type of thing happening. Nevertheless it is a horrible thing to happen, I hope it was quick. The saddest thing is that he is only the first. We'd better get used to it.

[Alej]

Thank you all for your posts, its good to see other opinions on the subject and know im not the only-one thinking it was a tad ridiculous.

[fugly]

this guy is a british citizen out there representing britain doing a vital job. there are alot of civies out in these war zones doing what needs to be done often in hostile conditions but unlike the squaddies dont have anything to defend themselves with. so let us remember Mr Bigley and feel for his family in this troubled time.

[Donkey]

Fugly.... Unlike the squaddies , ken was getting a very big pay packet to be there and had a choice about being there.. To compare Ken to the British Troops who are probally on about �300 a week and dont have a choice is wrong.. This man made his own choice for the money , tragiclly it ended how it did, But if your going to have a minutes silence for him then we should have one for every troop which dies fighting for their country on little pay.........

[foxxy]

I think it is insensitive what you are sayin Alej. Ken Bigley suffered for 3 weeks when our country could have saved him. As for Tony Blair saying "I feel desperately sorry for Ken Bigley, for his family who have behaved with extraordinary dignity and courage." when he could have stopped it from happening. Ken Bigley suffered at the hands of our country and should be remembered and respected by all true British.

[tigga]

okay okay- maybe I was a bit harsh on you alej (you have since explained the meaning of your comment). At the end of the day a mins silence is a sign of respect i doubt we could have sat silent for 3000 mins after 911 could we ? Now you wanted to know if ppl agree or not, well I personally didnt mind a mins silence for the man. It quite simply was a tragic death. And i cant begrudge blair for not helping him, if he had he would put all british people travelling abroad at risk.

[zgma]

I have been following these thread without comment so far, but here's my opinion. It seems like Mr. Bigley's death has had a profound emotional impact on people, because it seems like it has become a symbol of something bigger (the tragedy of this war, anger at Blair) ... so a minute's silence seems appropriate. It's difficult to make comparisons between people's emotions at events like 9/11 and this, and I don't think comparisons like that are necessary - just the fact that so many people are upset about the murder of Mr. Bigley justifies having a national moment of mourning.

[Donkey]

Foxxy.. exactly how could our country of saved him ???????? If your talking about Meeting the terrorist needs then you would be putting thousands more innocent peoples lives on the line just to save one man.. Maybe we could meet every need they have every time they kidnap someone.... Please explain how we could have saved this mans life ????????