Winston Churchill Sculpture

[madein1978]

Did anyone see the new sculpture of Winston Churchill in a strait jacket? I think this is a disgusting travesty of a truly great man who deserves better than to be mocked in this way. What has Tony Blair done or any of them to avoid having a rise taken out of them? Thoughts Please.

[jump79]

I think my earlier post sounded harsher than I meant it to be... I don't think the statue is a personal attack on Churchill himself, but at the same time the 'straitjacket' is not a very effective way of depicting a mental illness such as depression. It might even be offensive to the people who suffer from it who may see it as a bit over-the-top...

Although the intentions are good, the straitjacket wrecks it as it may actually be stereotyping the people with mental illnesses as those who need to be physically restrained at all times. People will now associate mental illnesses with madness because of the straitjacket on the statue

[gary baldy]

I think the Black Dog is the only thing Winston Churchill and Nick Drake had in common*

* obscure folkish, introspective singer songwriter reference.

[joko]

whatver his personality, winnie fought hard to protect this country and the people in it - if he had thought that he could continue to help people, to aid others that suffer the same things he did, to help them live a better life - after he was dead - i reckon he'd be all for it.

[ludwig]

I agree with Drusilla. Whatever the motives, there's an element of 'bennettonism' about it which is annoying. ie lets do something deliberately distasteful, under the guise of raising awareness, but really we just want to maximise publicity by pi55ing off as many people as possible.

[madein1978]

That's a good point drusilla & ludwig, It is exactly like those disgusting benetton adverts of the 90's, with the deliberate aim of shocking. I remember my history teacher at the time of those adverts telling us that he spotted one on a billboard once, and was so angry he phoned the Advertising Complaints Commission and demanded they were removed, and also said if they didn't, he would set fire to them!!

[joko]

i quite 'enjoy' being shocked by this kind of thing (not that i am especially shocked, more interested and surprised)
I think it makes you think, gets you going, wakes you up, make you experience emotions that you rarely experience and i think thats a good thing.

i used to have a boyfriend who got offended by every little thing, would go pale when watching holby city or one of those public safety announcements, such as 'kill your speed' 'smoke kills', and- and then get upset and annoyed and demand they are all banned.
he was happy in his safe little bubble, shielding himself from anything that might disturb him.
he didn't think it was right to be forced to face the realities of life.
he said he knew bad things happened, he didn't need to see them. i don't think he 'really' knew at all.
I would say he needed to see them more than most, so that he wouldn't get so upset and hide from it.
we all know bad things happen, but people only tend to do something about those things if they are shocked into it.

i thought it was quite sad.

Its not like these things hurt anyone, they are usually designed to inform, alert and warn, and if it helps even just a few people, i for one am prepared to put up with momentary discomfort and mild shock.

(i am aware that 'enjoy' is possibly not the right word to use here, but i hope you take my meaning)

[ludwig]

Joko, I know what you're saying. I'm not particularly shocked or offended by it - what really annoys me is when someone deliberately trys to shock and offend me just to get my attention.
Example; Bono seemed to go through a phase of deliberately saying Fook during every award acceptance speech just to be controversial - not a word I object to in the right context, I use it myself, but you just think 'Fook off bono, who are you trying to impress?'
I'm not dead against this statue, can't really decide to be honest.

[joko]

i agree ludwig, if its pointless and just a way to say "look at me" then it wouldn't shock me, I just can't be bothered with it and would think 'lame'