Sunday 16 September 2012

The One With Hillsborough - Part 2

Since writing my original post on the Hillsborough tragedy 

http://thoughtsfromrandomwoman.blogspot.com/2011/10/one-with-hillsborough.html

I have had the honour of chatting with several people from Liverpool on Twitter and my post has been read by them along with the official Liverpool FC Twitter account, the JFT96 account and two people who were there that awful day. All now follow me and I follow them.

All have thanked and even praised me for my words.

The day after the startling, and frankly disturbing, revelations about the cover up and lies told after Hillsborough came out I was asked onto local radio to discuss my blog and my thoughts on the tragedy.

Here's the listen again link for the interview. You need to go 35 minutes in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00xmvn0

I was honoured that they asked me to talk about this subject. It's now a cause very close to my heart and for anyone who follows me on Twitter they'll see me often hashtag #JFT96 (Justice for the 96) - referring to the 96 people who died that day - as a mark of respect.

The world was a very different place in 1989. 

We now all have mobile phones that have cameras, video and internet access. We are now all effectively journalists. Pictures, video and comments on social media sites can be posted in seconds as soon as a big news story breaks.

I hope that now there is no way something so terrible could occur let alone be covered up and take 23 years to come to light.

The families never gave up and now they have the beginning of the justice they so richly deserved.

The government has apologised.

You'll Never Walk Alone is back in the charts.

Fans and players have paid tribute this weekend by wearing black arm bands, flying flags at half mast, singing songs of solidarity on the terraces. That aren't terraces now, they're seats.

Match of the Day 2 has just run a beautiful tribute to the 96 by listing the names from youngest to oldest. 

The youngest was 10 years old.

He was tested for alcohol in his blood.

The true "Justice for the 96" has only just begun.... 












2 comments:

  1. There is so many aspects to the horrific events that day to consider. On the plus side ground safety has changed out of all recognition. However, we now know that 41 lives could have been saved if it wasn't for inept policing and that the cover up took place shifting blame onto those who suffered rather than those who were there to help, look after fans and if required to save their lives. There was a fleet of ambulances outside the stadium but only 3 made it onto the pitch. Police were battering fans back into the crush. All wrong decisions made by inexperienced people. But yet the police covered their tracks and deliberately falsified records whilst instigating a campaign to play on the bad reputation of fans. Alcohol testing and criminal checks made on the dead. If this took place in the Eastern Bloc or South Africa in 1989 we would be rightfully cross but dismiss the attitude as a typical police state tactic. But it happened in Britain, a democracy with accountable public services and public servants is inexcusable. It was a tragedy waiting to happen, it was heart breaking for the families not only to lose their loved ones but then to have them blamed for their own deaths. The strength of these people to take on the police and state is such a dignified manner must never be forgotten and I hope that we take heart that eventually the truth will always shine through. This says more about human spirit than anything else in this case. Whilst we now want justice for the 96, for the loved ones, and indeed for all those who have suffered injury that day we also need justice for this country. This report has been a very important first step.

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    1. Wow what a comment. I wish I'd written that in my original blog. You have put that so well and better than I could myself. Thank you.

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