Why is football now being used as a media tool to generate awareness of events unrelated to football?
Black armbands, minutes silences, minutes applause, and this is still just in its infancy. Yesterday set a precedent with Z-Cars blasting out of Anfields PA system for the death of little Rhys Jones. Now, who’s to argue against this? Of course it’s a totally tragic and unwarranted death, but the fact that he was an Everton fan doesn’t mean that the death should be highlighted at a football ground. I mean, isn’t the whole comedy factor from the blue shite ‘spot the scouser on the kop’? So, therefore cut the crap about scousers all standing together.
And then we have the quilts who think it’s ok to attribute worth to life. There are plenty of other children dying in tragic circumstances. Does a 6 year old drowning in a swimming pool have any less grief associated with it than a youngster accidentally gunned down? Then we have those who say age is a determining factor.
Well, I seem to remember 31st August 1997, the games being called off (LFC v Newcastle, which pissed me off) because of the death of one Diana. Again, media fuelled – are we know saying the size of the gesture places a pecking order on someone’s worth or right to be remembered? Or class, or time of death, or any of these insignificant details. How about we just bow down to what media and journalists want and dictate. It’s a little bit running man/rollerball for my tastes in terms of power of media. And they have everyone right where they want them, make any sort of noise or ask any sort of question to relevance and you’re shouted down by the sheep who say it’s a good idea, show some respect – they must be laughing their balls off.
Then we have the holier than thou brigade, who say a club like Liverpool should be seen to be doing this, fucking big pat on my back please for being such a loyal true fan of football.
Where was all this for Ken Bigley? National coverage again, dying in horrific circumstances and such an ambassador for Liverpool and England, his 17 year old son dying in an RTA tragically and giving away free electricity to neighbours in Baghdad. Worthy of rememberance or not?
I don’t know about anyone else, but all this just makes me uncomfortable. For example, against Charlton, Anthony Walkers parents came onto the pitch. To remember their son, who was killed as a victim of racial hatred and was an Arsenal fan. How many people heard YNWA at Highbury? Why were people asked to wear Arsenal shirts to a funeral, another idea no doubt suggested by an advisor to make the story more compelling, and to provide images worth broadcasting, to pull at Britains heartstrings which are becoming more taut.
Bottom line is, there’s a difference between deaths as a result of football (96, 39, 21), and there’s a difference between bringing tragedies into football to get recognition or a profile raise.
And to all you true feeling reds, why didn’t any of you ask where the black armbands where after the Sunderland game or start a letter/email to the club beforehand requesting their wearing at the game.
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