[QUOTE=xilman;369096]His politics were far from mine but I admire his conviction and the skill with which he propagated his belief. That said, I think he did immense damage to the British economy and political life in the 1970's or thereabouts.[/QUOTE]

As did Thatcher, albeit in a much more insidious "debt-and-financialization-fueled illusion of shared prosperity" manner whose destructive throes are ongoing.

[Although deeper discussion of such themes is better suited for the MET thread in Soapbox.]

I have little common ground with those on either extreme of the political spectrum, but the Thatcher/Benn adversarial pairing is another example of what I find currently in Obama/Putin, namely the importance of political counterweights. In the presence of highly charismatic leaders it is so very easy and tempting to get swept up in the stampeding throng of true-believer followers, and it's often not until much later that the "obstructionist gadflies" who dare stand up and dissent get their due.

[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps"]Fred Phelps[/URL], head of the Westboro Baptist Church.

I hope his funeral is peaceful so that his family members can mourn his passing in private. All families deserve that when one of their members passes on.

[QUOTE=Brian-E;369521][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps"]Fred Phelps[/URL], head of the Westboro Baptist Church.

I hope his funeral is peaceful so that his family members can mourn his passing in private. All families deserve that when one of their members passes on.[/QUOTE]

"Bless those who curse you." You are truly kind hearted, Brian.

[QUOTE=Brian-E;369521][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps"]Fred Phelps[/URL], head of the Westboro Baptist Church.

I hope his funeral is peaceful so that his family members can mourn his passing in private. All families deserve that when one of their members passes on.[/QUOTE]

:goodposting:
Indeed. There is a time, place, and manner for doing things. He obviously forgot how to behave.

Mickey Rooney

[URL="http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2014040718032/peaches-geldof-passes-away-aged-25/"]Peaches Geldof, age 25[/URL]

John Pinette

[url]http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/07/showbiz/john-pinette-dead/[/url]

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

[URL]http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27073911[/URL]

[URL]http://www.themodernword.com/gabo/[/URL]

[url=en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubin_Carter]Rubin "Hurricane" Carter[/url]

[URL="http://www.universetoday.com/111424/remembering-john-houbolt-the-man-who-gave-us-lunar-orbit-rendezvous/"]John Houbolt[/URL], he made getting to the moon and back much easier.

Stan Kelly-Bootle. Anyone else remember "Devil's Advocate" ?