Jo Cox verdict

[CoolCarrie]

My heart goes out to Jo Cox children, husband and family.
They have behaved with grace and dignity.

He wasn't silenced. He wanted to be able to arrange the process to suit himself, remaining quiet when he wanted and then making a grand statement at the moment of his choosing. The judicial process gives him a chance to speak, but he wanted to do that only on his own terms. Too bad. It's actually more symptomatic of the arrogance that if you can't have your say prioritised, and have things exactly as you want them, you're being silenced, when actually it's just that you're not so much more important than everyone and everything else.

Although it may be unpalatable, I suggest what matters is how to diffuse the anger and alienation such people have and find them a way to let them express themselves and be heard so they feel they have a voice and choose to not commit murder.

I agree with you that we need to tackle the anger and alienation that lead people into extremism before they choose the path of violence.

But this man had already made his choice. Giving him a platform now might help him and his supporters to feel heard, but it will not erase the choice that he made. It will not bring Jo back. Nor will it deter other of his ilk. Quite the contrary, it might inspire them, just as Mair was inspired by the rhetoric of Anders Breivik.

Many people are angry and disaffected without expressing it in this way. Thomas Mair is clearly a very sad individual, and of course, we would do well to try to understand what led him to act in the way that he did. But give him a voice to promote his message of hatred? No, I don't think so.

Itsnoteasy: "I do not make claims to know his state of mind but I can speculate he felt he would be manipulated by cross examination. Or that everything he said would be mis-reported so he thought to offer his comment after due process. "

You can speculate all you like, but the truth is he didn't give evidence because he didn't have a defence. He obviously did it: plenty of people saw him do it. His only possible defence was diminished responsibility and he chose not to use it. What kind of cross-examination are you imagining, exactly?

Perhaps he thought that everything he said would be misreported but in fact court reporting is the most accurate reporting you'll see in newspapers. Newspapers report exactly what is said in court - it's not the kind of stuff you can make up. There is a stenographer taking notes throughout.

Jo Cox's murder was tragic and her family has dealt with it and the aftermath with grace and dignity.

I am glad that the murderer will spend the rest of his days in prison.

Itsnoteasytobedifferent is a very wise person.