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.

I did not clap on Wednesday at 6pm as the PM announced and I won't be doing it any other time. My heart goes out to the family of Captain Tom and the other 100 000+ families who have lost a loved one. The media and politicians made full use of Captain Tom in life, please let him now rest in peace . . . and let his family also grieve his passing in private.

But late now anyway as the clap was last night 😂

I think this country is losing all sense of rationality

Lighting a candle would be a better idea. I never saw the point of clapping. It's the same as marching - never achieves anything.

Why does there have to be an 'achievement' to everything? What does lighting a candle 'achieve'?

@Pinkmarsh thank god you said that I'm sitting here going I thought that was last night at 6. And trying to figure out what day it was since they all roll into one now.

"I like the idea of naming a hospital after him best.. seems fitting and would be easy to do."

That would be nice, but it's not enough.

What he wanted in life, and what he made a huge effort for, was a better-funded NHS, so to honour that, we need to make sure it's better funded. Anything else misses the point.

@Borisjohnsonshairbrush

I lost my grampa this morning at 3am to covid. I'm broken. This is real true grief.

People crying on national TV over a chap they never met? C'mon.

I'm so sorry

Surely the Clap for Captain Tom was on Tuesday at 6pm

We went out but not many others, didn’t see anyone

It was all very well and good clapping back in May and June when the weather was good, light evenings, etc but I ain’t gonna risk catching my death standing on the doorstep clapping for people I never knew in freezing cold

Best thing we can’t do to protect the NHS is stay indoors in the warm

@Quaagars

He's not Tinkerbell. No amount of clapping will bring him back.

Ugh,
These comments.
Just why?

(not envy)

Because clapping is performative nonsense that does nothing for the clappee. Give frontline staff a payrise, donate a few quid to charity, just stop with the look at meeeee stuff already.

Giving someone a clap in Scotland means something different.

@CoffeeWithCheese
And please no more clapping past young kids' bedtimes - it was bloody hell for some of us during the mandatory claps last time around. If you want to do one - make it at noon on a Sunday and a one-time only thing so the kids can at least join in - lots of us are trying desperately to keep ours into a routine at present.

Totally agree. Same as playing out in the street together for no regard for other people who don't want their children to, causing more misery and upset than necessary.

i think a statue would be wonderful, till it gets pulled down anyway because you can bet someone will not like it

I really hope we don't get a statue. He raised millions only because of circumstance, the media, and the emotional state of the public at the time, and I find this hero worshiping of him distasteful and disrespectful to all the thousands of charity fundraisers and volunteers whose work goes unnoticed because they don't tick the right media boxes. As I've said; veteran. Tick. Old. Tick. NHS. Tick. Public wanted something good to focus on. Tick.

I thought the clapping was on Wednesday at 6pm? And that it was for NHS too. Members of NHS have told us previously they do not want us out doing it and would rather we stayed safe in our homes. One of Boris’ big ideas

@Oscarsdaddy

Surely the Clap for Captain Tom was on Tuesday at 6pm

We went out but not many others, didn’t see anyone

It was all very well and good clapping back in May and June when the weather was good, light evenings, etc but I ain’t gonna risk catching my death standing on the doorstep clapping for people I never knew in freezing cold

Best thing we can’t do to protect the NHS is stay indoors in the warm

Exactly my thoughts

absolutely bang on!! i also think the point somebody else made about 'hero worshipping' is a valid point.

had we had a NHS properly funded and managed a 100yr old wouldn't have needed to do as he did. we are a 1st world country for goodness sake.

the chap was 100, he had a fabtastic innings (not to triviliase death, bit it happens to us all) 100,000 have lost their lives to this 'virus'without a clap.

i do think the govt and establishment milk this kind of thing for their own benefit

@earnshaw47

i think a statue would be wonderful, till it gets pulled down anyway because you can bet someone will not like it

Well his attitude towards women and the fact he was part of the raid on Burma means it will be chucked off at some point

@CandidaAlbicans2

I really hope we don't get a statue. He raised millions only because of circumstance, the media, and the emotional state of the public at the time, and I find this hero worshiping of him distasteful and disrespectful to all the thousands of charity fundraisers and volunteers whose work goes unnoticed because they don't tick the right media boxes. As I've said; veteran. Tick. Old. Tick. NHS. Tick. Public wanted something good to focus on. Tick.

My thoughts too. He was great, but it’s because he got the publicity behind it that surged him in to hero realms. He done a fantastic job, he seemed like a lovely gentleman but jesus wept it’s going too far now

Btw I don’t mean ‘he’ got the publicity behind him intentionally. I mean the press gut wind if it and took over.I’m sure he didn’t anticipate this level of hero worship.

Again he’s an absolute legend and he done a great thing but IMO many other people do this day in day out for years but because the press don’t get wind of it, no one really knows. Are they doing it vein? That’s my concern

@AllMyPrettyOnes

*Apparently, Jeremy Vine has demanded a state funeral now too You know, middle of a bloody pandemic when financially the country is screwed*

I just can't get my head around some people ... madness

It's performance grief

It's like a larger scale version of when some random dies and you get the Facebook ghouls go all weeping widow to attract attention when they probably only ever once saw the recently deceased in the local pub once.

It's become a national spectator sport now.

Or those who barely know who a famous person was but who posts "RIP 😢🙏" on twitter for the likes.

As for anyone bollocking up Bowie, fuck no. Just no.

Fund the NHS that’s what he really wanted to see bless him

Naming a hospital after him would achieve precisely nothing- more token gestures . Campaigning for a well funded NHS is tbe best way.

@TableFlowerss The daughter who works in PR managed/generated the interest - it wasn't spontaneous.

You don’t clap for the passing of heroes. You now your head in silence.

Bow*