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.

Jesus, even The White House has tweeted their condolences! 😳🙄

I feel as though I'm an outsider in a crazy world when I read the threads about it all, and saddened how the (what I consider) voices of reason are shouted down 🙁 So much competitive bandwagon jumping, with no-one in the public eye wanting to be seen to not care by keeping quiet, or god forbid have anything other than feverish adoration for him.

He got lucky; his daughter is into "brand development" and the media latched on. What he did was lovely, and an achievement, but he didn't raise the money, the PR/brand/media did. Without them he would just have been another ignored charity fundraiser getting into the local paper at best.

@Bloodypunkrockers

Even Jeremy Vine is getting in on the act

And he's doing "the voice" that he uses to signal we should be sad

I can't bear it when he does that.

He's also interrupting again...

I'm very sorry he died from the virus, but in January we lost two very dear family friends to Covid, a married couple in their 80s who died within 11 days of one another. Both died alone with no family at their bedside. Both lived full lives contributing enormously to their community. ALL the victims need to be remembered, not just one.

That is very sad, about your family friends, especially that they died alone.

I 100% agree that ALL should be remembered. And indeed, all who died during this past, horrible year from whatever cause.

I have recently been unable to attend a family funeral, and a friend's funeral, because of restrictions and I feel so sad for those that we cannot offer comfort to, as we ordinarily would, at such a time.

Jesus, even The White House has tweeted their condolences! 😳🙄

Biggest eye roll ever.

@Graciebobcat

I think the biggest show of appreciation for Captain Tom would be quiet reflection and gratitude and to raise another £40m for charity

I think the biggest show of appreciation for Captain Tom would be a pay rise for nurses and for the NHS to be properly funded by the government from now on, rather than gradually broken down to be sold off to people like Dido Harding.

So that no other 100 year old men have to walk round their garden all summer to raise CHARITY money for something which is an ACTUAL FUCKING PUBLIC SERVICE

This. A thousand times, this.

needadvice I am so sorry about your lovely FIL.

We've turned into a nation of social media led nutcases, encouraged into histrionic, disproportionate responses to every bloody event.

My wife died 2/7/20 of ovarian cancer. She was in hospital alone when she received her terminal diagnosis after 8 months of gruelling treatment. Alone because I couldn't be with her because of Covid. Then followed two weeks of her being in hospital and me not allowed to visit. She insisted on coming home in the end and she died two days later. Everyone who has suffered directly and indirectly because of this virus, we all deserve an outpouring of grief. Every single one. It's a nightmare. I felt so insulted by the BBC announcement of one man's death.

Statues cost a fortune. I'm sure Sir Tom would prefer that money went to a worthy cause

Absolutely
And what's a statue anyway except something for the pigeons to decorate? All very nice at the time no doubt, but give it a couple of years and it becomes "who's that one then?"

I’ve found my people. My work WhatsApp group and Facebook page were filled with this news yesterday and crying emojis. This hero worship, culty, band wagon virtue signalling is driving me up the wall. It does remind me of Diana and the totally OTT way our nation responded. (I’m half expecting some tabloid tag to drag up some not so nice made up story about the man in the future and try and destroy his memory.) Anyway, he seemed nice. I’m sure his family will miss him.

Feel like I’m being force fed a diet of ott saccharine mawkishness

Keep having to change radio to avoid it

@joystir59 so sorry about your wife. My Mum died of the same horrible illness. Sending best wishes.

Thank goodness I will be at work when the national clap happens. What a pile of sh*the! www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-55917475
@Spudina I'm so sorry you lost your wife to the same horrible disease.

@Spufina, sorry, it was your Mum.

The irony of Boris clapping on his doorstep for a man who raised money for the NHS which Boris and his mates couldn't give a flying fuck about...

@ThelmaNotLouise well said.

Oh what a circus, oh what a show..

The media seem very keen to label people who see it for what it is as ‘trolls’. I’ve not seen any nastiness just a lot of people not following the media narrative and asking why it’s one rule for him and his family and another for everyone else.. that’s not trolling.

Thank goodness I will be at work when the national clap happens

Depending on what the job is that might not save you ... what are the chances of someone suggesting a "group clap" to show just how caring the organisation is??

My neighbour has shared loads of captain tom stuff on facebook and also has the waving Tom on her profile pic! She is going to be out tonight with her register noting the residents attendance like she did in the first lockdown isn't she?

@Biscoffaddict and again, THIS! 100%.

This thread has saved my sanity, I too will be very busy tonight at 6pm and the fact that they are having a minutes silence in the House of Commons is, imho, disrespectful to the 100,000 who died prior to Sir Tom.

Huge roll eyes emoji.

Interesting that no-one on this thread has said they will be out clapping tonight and support the idea (apologies however if I have missed anyone who says they will be), if this is considered a reasonable cross section of society it makes me wonder how many people will be on their doorsteps later.

Covid killed my dad.

Why doesn't he deserve a clap ?

if this is considered a reasonable cross section of society it makes me wonder how many people will be on their doorsteps later.

This thread is likely to attract people who aren’t up for clapping. I don’t think it’s going to be particularly representative.

I am NOT doing it.

@Snowdropsanddaffs

The irony of Boris clapping on his doorstep for a man who raised money for the NHS which Boris and his mates couldn't give a flying fuck about...

This a million times!