Not in his bloody name either

It's not just me who was indescribably hacked off about the opportunistic misappropriation of ''The Poor Victims of 7/7 ( TM) '' to 'sell' the 90 day internment in the new Terror Laws that were rejected last night by the Commons.

Have a look at this copy of the Sun. Look at the picture and the headline.

Look at the picture. Look at the shocking suffering of that man bombed on his way to work. Don't you want to do the right thing by him?

Don't you? Of course you do.

*Deep breath* Earlier this week, the Sun famously used a disturbingly graphic full colour front page to support the Blair agenda and emotionally blackmail MPs with a big shot of a gruesomely bloodied bomb victim and the header 'TELL TONY HE'S RIGHT'.


That picture was of John Tulloch , a passenger who had the misfortune to sit opposite Mohammed Sidique Khan when he detonated his bomb.

He wasn't asked by the Sun what he thought about the Terror laws, when, like the government the Sun purported to be 'doing this for the victims' .The implication from Clarke and Blair and the Sun was always that the Poor Victims of 7/7 (TM) were in unaminous agreement that the Commons and the people needed to vote in support of the Government or they'd be 'letting the victims down'.

Now, it's very hard to argue with such emotional blackmail. But as I said earlier, we were not asked. There is a danger in speaking for the voiceless, in making assumptions and using the The Poor 7/7 Victims as a justification for passing dodgy Terror laws. This is just not how democracy should work - ever. And having used such reprehensible and cheaply melodramatic tactics, don't be bloody surprised when those you purport to be taking under your wing and 'protecting' suddenly turn round and shout Not in My Name and bite you on the bum.

This shocking Sun front page was a key element in attempts to sell in the Terror legislation.
(But lawks! Seems 97% of their readers didn't back the Sun either- look at Bloggerheads doing the maths. )

Now, John Tulloch is a not just a Victim of 7/7. He is a professor, an expert in media and an expert in risk in everyday life and he currently is writing a book about how it feels to be the media specialist who becomes the centre of the story. I'm looking forward to reading it. He is quite rightly furious about being grossly misrepresented in this way.

- 'They have given me somebody else's voice - Blair's voice' he says in todays Guardian. He is angrier with the politicians than with the bombers.

He is quite frankly, appalled, ( though not, unfortunately surprised). And he says the last thing he would have said is 'TELL TONY HE'S RIGHT':

''This is using my image to push through draconian and utterly unnecessary
terrorism legislation. Its incredibly ironic that the Sun's rhetoric is as
the voice of the people yet they don't actually ask the people involved, the
victims, what they think. If you want to use my image, the words coming out
of my mouth would be, 'Not in my name, Tony'. I haven't read anything or
seen anything in the past few months to convince me these laws are
necessary."

( Thanks to Lottie P for the link before I'd even bought my copy!)

Today the Sun is sulking and calling the MPs 'TRAITORS!' .

MPs betray public! Blair is humiliated!' is today's front page.

I wonder if that makes John Tulloch a traitor? I wonder if that makes me a traitor too?

Oh ho, so bang me up (without trial)why don't you. Damn it. I believe democracy is to be cherished and freedom protected. If thinking that - and being pleased when MPs think so too and vote against the Government - makes me a traitor, then I'll buy the bloody T shirt.

I do hope the vote against the Government was for those conscientious reasons and not just an excellent excuse to kick Blair in the goolies. Hum.


Still, seems I've been thinking what howlingspoon's been thinking .

90 days and 90 nights now sounds an eminently reasonable length of time to me. For Cherie to book the vans, remove the carpets and light fittings and pack up the crates and boxes.

Close the door on your way out, won't you?

UPDATE: Here's what , mrhaf a fellow-'victim' of 7th July ( he was on the Edgware Road train when it exploded) has to say.

And Gary, one of my regular commenting visitors has made his opinions known to the BBC, well done Gary... great interview!*round of applause*

The more of us shout about this the better and bloggerheads suggests you pick it up with the PCC