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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

NO to a state funeral for Captain Sir Tom Moore AIBU?

422 replies

Muncher75 · 03/02/2021 18:37

Just that really. I’ve just been sent an email from change.org asking me to sign a petition to push for a state funeral for him.
Now don’t get me wrong he was a remarkable man and an inspiration... but a state funeral? That will cost us, the taxpayer money we definitely cannot afford in the currant climate. Also I’m sure he’d rather the money go where it’s needed.

OP posts:
Pimlicojo · 04/02/2021 09:44

TrickyD I heard the grandson interviewed yesterday. I got the impression he just chose to call in, and the presenter, James O'Brien, was quite taken aback. He clearly loved his grandad very much and it was lovely to hear him talk about him.

cantmakealifeofit · 04/02/2021 10:01

It needs to stop now. The clap was ridiculous enough.

Tom lived a long life and died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones. He had as good of a death and last year as anybody could want. He was lucky enough to spend his last years living with his family, something so many lonely elderly would kill for, and one of his last memories was of a lovely family holiday in Barbados. His death is not a tragedy, and he shouldn’t be worshipped as some kind of martyr. It was weird enough when he was alive, just leave him alone to rest now. Yes he did something very good but loads of people have done stuff equally as commendable but just weren’t picked up by the media. He’s being treated like some sort of public property and it’s so very distasteful, who the hell do people think they are trying to demand what kind of funeral he gets?

The real tragedies of Covid are those dying terrified in hospital not being allowed to have their loved ones around them, some of which are only in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Lives so cruelly cut short. Those are the people my heart breaks for.

VinylDetective · 04/02/2021 10:07

It’ll stop after his funeral. People are mourning the resilience, hope and optimism he embodied at a very dark time.

TrickyD · 04/02/2021 10:07

Pimlicojo, it seems a shame that he and his brother seem to have been overlooked in the great PR thrust organised by his aunt, particularly as they seem to have a more interesting ethnicity than the rest of the family.

DenisetheMenace · 04/02/2021 10:09

Would much rather see a statue somewhere significant to him. State funerals are forgotten (and a bit impractical just now anyway!), people will still say “I wonder who that is” in another 100 years and go and read the plaque.

Fuckadoodledoooo · 04/02/2021 10:15

Jesus fucking Christ.

Mittens030869 · 04/02/2021 10:20

It’ll stop after his funeral. People are mourning the resilience, hope and optimism he embodied at a very dark time.

^This. It will be a private funeral for the family, with coverage of the family going into the church with the coffin. There'll probably be a crowd of well wishers clapping as well.

Then that will be it. Captain Tom is dead so there really isn't any more to say.

And there really won't be a state funeral. Where has this idea come from? I've only heard this on this thread. If there has been a suggestion somewhere, it clearly hasn't been taken up Witt any seriousness. Even the BBC News, which has been OTT in their enthusiasm for Captain Tom, hasn't said anything about a state funeral.

Fatfunt · 04/02/2021 10:21

@Toddlerteaplease

No he absolutely does not warrant a state funeral. Winston Churchill was the last non royal to have one. And he really was a national hero. Captain Tom will be forgotten in a few weeks. His family may want a private one any way.
why the fuck did Winston Churchill the knobhead get one???
VinylDetective · 04/02/2021 10:29

why the fuck did Winston Churchill the knobhead get one???

Because he led the successful fight against Hitler and was the greatest statesman this country has ever had. The disrespect is appalling, shame on you.

Fatfunt · 04/02/2021 10:35

Erm, excuse me but I’m sure you’re aware that people have a habit of retelling history and that is exactly what has happened with Churchill!

JemimaRacktool · 04/02/2021 10:38

I agree. People are ridiculously fervent about stuff nowadays though.

I wish there was some way of getting them to calm the fuck down.

Mittens030869 · 04/02/2021 10:38

why the fuck did Winston Churchill the knobhead get one???

Because he led the successful fight against Hitler and was the greatest statesman this country has ever had. The disrespect is appalling, shame on you.

I think World War II is long enough ago now for younger people not to appreciate how close we came to being under Nazi occupation during the World War II. Whatever we think about Churchill as a human being (and he was very flawed), I think that if it hadn't been for him we would very likely have surrendered. He was the right man for the time. So that's the reason he was given a state funeral.

Mittens030869 · 04/02/2021 10:40

*I agree. People are ridiculously fervent about stuff nowadays though.

I wish there was some way of getting them to calm the fuck down.*

I actually think some of you who are frothing at the mouth about this need to take your own advice. There isn't going to be a state funeral, or a public funeral of any kind.

Very soon now, it will all calm down.

Fatfunt · 04/02/2021 10:41

@Mittens030869 makes sense. Thank you.

MaxiPaddy · 04/02/2021 10:45

With regards to Churchill, I think Game of Thrones summed it up fairly well about what is needed in a leader, or at least a war time one.

'The right kind of terrible'.

Janegrey333 · 04/02/2021 10:51

@Muncher75

Just that really. I’ve just been sent an email from change.org asking me to sign a petition to push for a state funeral for him. Now don’t get me wrong he was a remarkable man and an inspiration... but a state funeral? That will cost us, the taxpayer money we definitely cannot afford in the currant climate. Also I’m sure he’d rather the money go where it’s needed.
I agree it’s ridiculous. This whole thing is ridiculous. Boris is trying to distract from the shambolic mess he has made.
teuer · 04/02/2021 10:52

As much as he was a truly wonderful and inspirational man this is bloody ridiculous and unwarranted. A statue in his home town is a good idea. If someone wants to make a film or write a book about him that is also good. A state funeral is madness though. There are so many people out there doing wonderful things for others at considerable sacrifice to themselves - will they all have state funerals too when they die?

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 04/02/2021 11:04

@Mittens030869
And there really won't be a state funeral. Where has this idea come from? I've only heard this on this thread. If there has been a suggestion somewhere, it clearly hasn't been taken up Witt any seriousness

There at least two petitions on change.org, one already has nearly 200,000 signatures. I could be wrong but one 100,000 is reached and it is presented then it has to be debated in parliament. I doubt it will be debated with any seriousness though - respect yes - but it can’t be taken seriously.

whoamongstus · 04/02/2021 11:04

Absolutely fucking not.

Janegrey333 · 04/02/2021 11:06

@Fuckadoodledoooo

Jesus fucking Christ.
?
VapeVamp12 · 04/02/2021 11:08

Considering how many people are dying right now and barely getting a funeral at all, I think this would be very inappropriate. I got that same email from change.org last night and just deleted it.

Mittens030869 · 04/02/2021 11:29

@BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou

Okay. I'm surprised at change.org for supporting such a petition, though, most of the petitions they support do actually have merit.

Yes, Parliament do have to debate petitions that have attracted 100,000 signatures. But that doesn't mean that they have to treat them with any seriousness. Otherwise they would have had to agree to a second Brexit referendum, as there were far more signatures.

It's Captain Tom's family who will decide and, as I understand it, they want a private family funeral. So that's what it will be, however many people might petition for a public state funeral. I don't see how there's anything to be discussed.

Sophiesdog2020 · 04/02/2021 11:34

What I find strange is that Tom’s other two grandchildren, Tom and Max Teixeira, rarely get a mention in the ‘Happy Family’ scenario

I didn’t even know he had 2 daughters, never mind more grandchildren, until I saw the announcement of his death. I know he lived with the other family, but surely the photos from his knighthood could have included all his children/grandchildren, since they were taken outside and by July we were able to meet people outside.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 04/02/2021 11:37

Even if the expense could be justified we shouldn’t be encouraging crowds in a pandemic.

AIMD · 04/02/2021 11:37

No.
It’s great that he raise so much money and any bereavement is sad but no!