DIARY - [Get a] grip [on yourself]
Date: 2009-03-27 18:02:45
Author: Pat Kent
It's been a while since I've sounded off about this crazy old world of ours but in the last week or two there have been a couple of times when I've sat there open mouthed, astounded by the tackiness and downright loss of control that the press and the supposed stoic individuals that make up this country of ours can stoop to.
The majority of the press in this country are scum, I've no doubt about it and they proved it to me over the last two weeks.
In the last fortnight they have been trying to make a saint out of a sinner. I have no grudge against Jade Goody, in fact, I am saddened that such a person could lead such a damaged life; damaged all the more by greed and the leeches that attach themselves to such unfortunates, leeches who pushed and pulled her into being little more than a celebrity puppet. I am saddened that anyone should die in such tragic circumstances, particulalrly when they suffer through cancer. I know too well what it is like to see a loved one suffer from it and wouldn't wish it on anybody.
But in the death of a single person this nation of ours once again throws everything out and puts all their grief into portraying her to be something she wasn't. Not long ago she was a "Rabid racist", "A slapper", "Jade Baddy"...over the last month it's been Saint Jade. Forget the "Queen of Hearts, the press and the crap celebrity magazines have a new Queen to hang out for the public.
The Prime Minister, in what for me has been the single largest error of judgement he has made so far, and I think he's made a few...led the tributes to this "brave" and "couragous" woman.
...Sorry, at this point there should be the sound of a record scatching as the tributes stop....
She was a minor "z" list celebrity, she may have increased the rate at which young girls go to get cervical cancer screening, but what does that say about those young girls. The fact that they place their futures in the say so of woman who lived her life based around greed and self interest just about sums it all up. A woman who all but had casual sex on TV so I'm told...what a role model.
Yes, I accept that she did, in the end, set out to protect and cater for her son's futures, but again it was not exactly selfless in what she did, was it?
....In all of this, the country and its people are the poorer; not becuase of the loss of a person but because of the tawdry way in which it was handled, the scum press who have tried to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear, the fools who have written about her legacy and the bigger fools who believe it, the Prime Minister for jumping on the chav band wagon. It's a wonder the Queen didn't have anything to add.
People want to talk about her legacy. Sorry, I don't see that much of a legacy for the wider community. Maybe we should talk about real committment and selflessness in leaving a legacy, in that case look no further than Jane Tomlinson, heroic, selfless, dignified...she diddn't have the media circus around, she ddin't just do it for her family, she did it for the general well-being and support of everyone's kids. No "Hello" magazine shot for her or televised bedside interviews arranged by Max Clifford, no, she did it with dignity and stoicism. Now, she should be remembered as a saint, caring for others before herself and her family.
Jane's Appeal raises funds for children's and cancer charities. These charities have benefited from Jane's support over many areas including medical research, cancer treatment and specialist care. Somewhere in the order of £1.85 million has been raised so far and I believe that Jane's family led by her husband, Mike Tomlinson, are determined to continue the tremendous work started by Jane and push the amount raised above and beyond the £2 Million pound mark.
Now she's a person we should be proud of...she did it because she felt it was the right thing to do, I remember seeing a TV programme about Jane and felt moved by her determination...that wasn't fuelled by self interest.
Touble is, in this day and age, the media, kids and a lot of brain dead adults cannot see beyond what the press tell them and accept people like Jade Goody as something to aspire to....sad times indeed.
If she has provided for her son's futures than I cannot knock that, and would add that is all to the good, I'm sorry that anyone should lose a life but how many other Mother's died that day, how many other children were left without parents? Let's get a grip and learn to think that she was Jade Goody, she wasn't a saint.
I'm sure I can't be the only person who is thinking along these lines, if I am then the rest of the country must be out of step.
Pat K
©Pat Kent 2009 – All rights reserved. Pat Kent exercises his right to be identified as the author 2009