Captain Ott?

[Theblip]

Captain Tom was undoubtedly a lovely brave old man who raised a record-breaking amount of money for the cash-strapped NHS, and was an inspiration and lifted the nation’s spirits during this pandemic. Last year he got a knighthood, Pride Of Britain Award, a hit record, a Piers Morgan Life Stories, etc. Since he died there’s been a special clap, Parliament stopped to honour him, GMB dedicated a whole show to him, there are calls for a hospital to be named after him, a statue to be erected, etc etc. But I am now going to put my head above the parapet fully expecting to be shot down in flames when I ask: isn’t it all a bit OTT? My arguments would be: He didn’t intend to raise more than £100 - the extraordinary donations were from other people. Plenty of people will have done tougher things to fundraise for the NHS, though may be not at such a grand age. Yes he fought for our country - so did countless others. He was adorable with an endearing turn of phrase, but so are many. The likes of Sean Connery, Des O’Connor, Bobby Ball and Maradonna who also died recently had far greater impacts on my life, yet their deaths didn’t get anything like this reaction. Okay, I’ve put my tin hat on. Fire away!

[dannyk13]

Blip //And I would definitely say Sean Connery and Maradonna each had an impact of far more people than Captain Tom//
You are entitled to your opinion no matter how misplaced it is.

[Theblip]

“Aspire to” Maradonna? Where did I say that?

[Bobbisox1]

You said people like him has impacted your life , didn't you?

[Bobbisox1]

Pre text ( sorry ) should have been inspired by him not aspire

[naomi24]

Theblip, //Naomi24, where did I say life is all about me?//

You didn’t - but in awarding a few celebrities greater credit for enhancing your life than you award an honorable elderly gentleman for rallying the nation in times of need, you certainly give the impression that your personal satisfaction takes precedence over all else.

[Theblip]

Yes, impacted (as I explained) by entertaining me. At no point did I even suggest I aspired to be Maradona. For a start, I was never much good at football and I have always sought to be clean living

[Theblip]

It is simply my post stating my opinion, Naomi. You read it how you choose to read it

[Theblip]

Neither did I even suggest I was inspired by Maradona. Impacted and entertained, yes

[Bobbisox1]

He was a cheat ,
Captain Tom wasn't , that's the comparison
Okay, he was an " Entertaining Cheat"

[naomi24]

theblip, I just read it. No more, no less.

[Theblip]

Well, that’s you and your opinion....and, to quote you, it’s not all about you! So far at least no-one else has yet come to the same conclusion as you

[jackthehat]

Captain Tom embodied those traits of Britishness which we believe exist within all of us, and these were played out on the world stage.

In times when we didn't/don't have much lightness in our lives there appeared a chap whose life story (not just the garden walk) we could enjoy.

I think that the blip
Also, reading about him and his 'walk' came as a blessed relief from the daily doom and death numbers so prominent elsewhere in Media-land.

The media, as is their wont and in the chase for column-inches and increased readership, bombarded us unnecessarily, in my opinion, with features about him for far too long after his walk and the relevance (for want of a better word) of it had ceased.

Captain Sir Tom richly deserved all of the plaudits he received and I think after these times have ended we will look back on them and smile in remembrance of him.

But I didn't clap for him and I am not sure a statue is an appropriate way to commemorate him.

[dannyk13]

JTH //I am not sure a statue is an appropriate way to commemorate him.//
I think a more appropriate recognition would be the naming of a hospital after him.After all most of the millions went to the NHS.

[emmie]

so do i Danny, a name worth remembering....

[dannyk13]

Capt Tom came from Keighley and the Airedale Hospital is situated there.It would be an ideal combination.

[Tilly2]

I hope the family choose to have that statue ^ installed in the grounds of Bedford Hospital. That would be fitting.

[Khandro]

//The likes of Sean Connery, Des O’Connor, Bobby Ball and Maradonna who also died recently had far greater impacts on my life,//

I think that says it all!

[KARL]

As much courage it took to log your post, the exercise is probably a bit naughty: You knew you were challenging the UK's current PC sentiments. You have basically listed my thoughts on this, of course it is a load of sentimentality. But then a nation in a perilous state wants/needs to bury its head in such things, something to take attention from the grim facts/realities of life. The problem is that, once a country/nation develops a habit of defaulting into the less/unimportant, the ability to deal with the more challenging parts of life suffers/fades. That is the clear downside of populist preoccupation and choices. Cover up/avoid/deny the truth and you become paralysed against what relentlessly becomes ever more bloated and challenging to take on. You are engineering your own doom just as surely as a drug addict.

[Theblip]

Good grief!!!!