On Wed, 10 Sep 1997, Karlien van den Beukel wrote:
> It is an irony that Lawrence and Richard decided to prune (but not
> cutback) their gardens rather than going into the crowd to listen to
> its silence. This withdrawal, in effect, to keep intact staple leftwing
> ideas on the media, class, and the 'masses', all the while with one eye on
> the comfort of one's own flowers, is not a "brave stance", as they
> themselves described it, but an imitation of the Royals laagering at
> Balmoral.
- Oh, ah, not quite correct: I praised LU's statement as brave, because it
was the first of its kind on the list, and, as I know from experience,
speaking out against a flow of public opinion *is* a brave act. I didn't
claim any braveness for myself. As for my "withdrawal", I've spent a
considerable chunk of the recent past amongst amongst people struck with
the awe/reverence/silence Karlien describes, and in my initial message
made it clear - I hope - that I'd no wish to downplay their genuine
emotion.
But I don't share it. I hope that doesn't make me some kind of monster! On
this list at least I'd hoped not to have to apologise for not sharing the
views of (apparently) most other people.
The garden was getting well out of hand: I had to fix the nettles and
bindweed, whatever. Grieving is only another part of life, which goes on
in all its smelly and untidy glory. I still can't think of a single aspect
of Diana's death which the platitudinous media (including a few
sycophantic poets) haven't contrived to make worse, rather than better. I
take comfort in the fact that they won't be interested in me or my loved
ones when our turn comes.
RC
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