This clap for Captain Tom idea

[User133847]

I've just seen a lot on social media about this clap for Tom on Thursday at 8, similar to the clap for the NHS.

I'm a bit ambivalent about this. The one organised the other week was a damp squib and nobody got involved. The weather is still dark and cold (it wasn't in the summer when the pots and pans were out for the NHS). However, for a nation in mourning at Tom's passing, perhaps this could help really bring the country together on Thursday.

Beautiful.

I mean really, if we aren't all moulding our children's faces, while they sleep, to match this image, then what hope is there for us?

Just because your personal facebook friends are all crying into their pillows, does not mean we're 'a nation in mourning.'

Maybe for David Attenborough when the time comes, but that's about my line.

He did an impressive thing for hid age and thanks to savvy PR it made alot of money but ultimately that's all.

I'm sad for his family and hope all the publicity etc isn't making it harder for them

And here was me thinking I was a heartless cow....this where all the sensible people are! This is refreshing after the absolute drivel thats been all over the media/social media.
Heartbreaking? No
Sad? Yes
Clap? Not for me

I didn't clap the second time round, and neither did anyone around here.
Did the first though, were all out.
This feels different though - like a last respects type thing, so can see people out more this time.
As will I

[quote SquirtleSquad]@user1471448866 eh? You can't differentiate between the death of the mother of our future king, the princess of Wales who had her life cut short at a young age and this?

And I didn't say I cared, I asked a question to a poster (not you) because I am really genuinely curious why on earth they'd chose to go outside and start clapping about the death of this man. Not light a candle, say a prayer or have a quiet drink and think about what Tom did or what sense of collectivism he provoked or whatever.. but specifically go out and clap at the sky.[/quote]
To be honest no I really can’t and I say that as someone who watched her funeral and cried but realistically however harsh it is she was already a person that was being erased out of history and the fact that she was the mother of the future King wasn’t going to change that. I cried for her as a young woman who left very young children behind as do many others. You seem to suggest that she should somehow be more mourned merely by virtue of being the future King’s mother ? I am upset (but not crying ) for Captain Tom because he lived a full life but I think he really did give hope to people at a time of absolute despair. You were questioning how someone chose to acknowledge this death in a purely personal private manner - what does it matter to you ? I really don’t think it’s appropriate to make this into some sort of competition as to whose life matters more so I won’t be responding further but accept your view

@SquirtleSquad

No clapping. His family don't want it

Where has that been said? Not seen that anywhere

@Quaagars if you RTFT it's there somewhere

@joystir59

We don't need anyone to raise charitable donations for the NHS, it's s professional health service funded through taxation and national insurance, and £35m is a drop in the ocean. A gesture. I can't stand the charitisation of the NHS.

I do wish people would understand the funding, though.

"The NHS" is not exactly the same as "NHS Charities".

The NHS = free at the point of access healthcare to all. If you are sick, medical help is provided to help you get better. Head to A&E because your kid fell off the trampoline & broke his femur, we'll fix it no cost to you. Get cancer that's borderline curable and after 10 years living with it and all the treatment we can muster, you're eventually life-limited - free of charge. We'll fund your end of life care as well. Taxes pay for all this.

NHS Charities = discretionary funded support and services that "The NHS" BLOODY WISH they could give people, because they know it makes a difference to treatment outcomes and people's lives, but which there is no funding from the government. (Because most people hate higher taxes.) Living with cancer and need to understand your options in the long-term? Well, maybe a private charity like Macmillan can help, or maybe you can head to the local hospice who might give you reassurance in your last dying days.... but not if someone doesn't foot the bill somehow. Or if you need Physical Therapy to recover from a nasty accident. Or if your relatives need counselling support to help you come home from a life-altering event. Or if specialist children's entertainers are vital to visit a juvenile ward to keep spirits up. Or... well - basically anything that's not "serious" healthcare.

The NHS is a professionally funded service. We should protect it and be grateful for it.

The NHS Charities pot is entirely different and we should cherish the people who fundraise for it.

@user1471448866 I wasn't making it into a competition I said they're not comparable because they're entirely unrelated and different people/situations/eras.

If you aren't responding further I'm not entirely sure why you've asked me questions or announced you won't be responding

@SleepingStandingUp

Maybe for David Attenborough when the time comes, but that's about my line.

He did an impressive thing for hid age and thanks to savvy PR it made alot of money but ultimately that's all.

I'm sad for his family and hope all the publicity etc isn't making it harder for them

Yes to all this.

With all due respect I'm not in mourning.

He was an old boy who did a good thing. He raised money and got recognised by the queen.

I don't think we need to do anything else!

@Gcnq

I think people might be clapped out? I think a different idea would be better like plant flowers or something.

Agree totally that people are clapped out.

Round here, the first clapathon was like a sea of clapping and rattling...but the one arranged for a few weeks back?

Not a single clap was heard.

I loved the lights people put up though for Christmas ...some are still up in gardens.
something better than clapping.
Clapping is so passé now.

[quote SquirtleSquad]@LakeGeneva some inspo for your home [/quote]
I bet Tom would have snorted at that!

He would not want to be on a bedspread, surely!?

@oakleaffy it certainly gives a fresh spring to "lie back and think of England"

@DinosaurDiana

Not for me. I’d have loved a holiday abroad this winter but didn’t. Say no more.

So basically you're saying that because he spent Christmas in the Caribbean he deserved to catch Covid and die?

People are not just upset about him? It’s about him being a representation of a bygone era . People who fought for a freedom, an eccentric , a gentleman and a non whinging doer

My father fought in WW2, was a gentleman, a doer and certainly wouldn't dream of whinging. He would absolutely cringe in horror at the concept of someone clapping him for being those things.

@PickledChicory you have summed up exactly how I feel about this. We have already had someone on our local FB group post some sort of live singing event of “you’ll never walk alone” and asking for charitable donations. It is way, way too much. She roped her kid in as well just to make it that bit more excruciating.

@BaliB1

Clapping isn’t respectful enough, get his face tattooed on your arm if you really want to show respect.

Collectively we should be embarrassed that the NHS is being funded by an elderly man.

@SquirtleSquad

Jesus Mary and Joseph. Way to make it all about you ffs

I just saw one of him with his walking frame, badly photoshopped into shit picture of heaven.

Good grief, if we can't get rid of reliance on walking aids in heaven I'm not sure there's much point in going there.

Next time vote for a govt that will fund the NHS, rather than voting for a bunch of robbers, tax dodgers, liars, incompetents, misogynists and racists.

That might be a better tribute to Capt Tom. He will be sadly missed.

He seemed like a great old guy, but I don't like this human obsession with turning one person into a symbol.

If you think he was great and worth clapping for, you'd be better placed to go and volunteer in a hospice or an old people's home or something. Plenty of older people out there who would love some more support.

"Next time vote for a govt that will fund the NHS, rather than voting for a bunch of robbers, tax dodgers, liars, incompetents, misogynists and racists."

Who should I vote for then? Labour aren't much better these days tbh.