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Today should have been Jo Cox’s 42nd birthday. I’m sure she wasn’t perfect – reading between the lines, she could be a feisty besom – but by all accounts she was a talented individual and certainly punched above her weight both on the political stage and in the wider field. Jo Cox got things done, but at the same time she picked up many friends and admirers.
I don’t think it particularly prejudices any future court case to say that she was killed by a complete nutcase. The guy doesn’t deny anything, and the only question will be what to do with him. For Ms Cox’s friends and family, on the other hand, the questions are endless. Why? Why her? Why us? What now? How will we carry on? Will it ever end? Only the last question has a clear answer: it won’t.
It’s been observed more than once that Ms Cox’s murder is a stark wake-up call for all of us. Far from being on-the-make, corrupt time-servers, most of our politicians actually do what they claim to do – serve us. Social media users should be paying attention, although I’m not hopeful on that account: vile slander seems the order of the day, especially at referendum and election times. Yet our democracy depends on those who represent us, who stand up and expose themselves to abuse and occasional physical danger. We all have a duty to offer them as much support as possible, even if we disagree with what they say. It’s the process that’s important.
Collectively as a society, it’s actually our duty to protect our representatives. We don’t tend to do that personally, we leave it to the emergency services and armed forces to do it for us in peacetime and in war. We can’t guarantee to protect everyone, and the only person to blame for Jo Cox’s death is that solitary man, but our politicians’ safety and well-being is actually our responsibility, yours and mine. Democracy is rule by all of the people (not just a majority, by the way), but that democracy ain’t worth a damn if we’re not prepared to put our own bodies on the line to defend it.
We messed up last Friday. Sorry. Wherever you are Jo Cox, Happy Birthday.
I don’t think it particularly prejudices any future court case to say that she was killed by a complete nutcase. The guy doesn’t deny anything, and the only question will be what to do with him. For Ms Cox’s friends and family, on the other hand, the questions are endless. Why? Why her? Why us? What now? How will we carry on? Will it ever end? Only the last question has a clear answer: it won’t.
It’s been observed more than once that Ms Cox’s murder is a stark wake-up call for all of us. Far from being on-the-make, corrupt time-servers, most of our politicians actually do what they claim to do – serve us. Social media users should be paying attention, although I’m not hopeful on that account: vile slander seems the order of the day, especially at referendum and election times. Yet our democracy depends on those who represent us, who stand up and expose themselves to abuse and occasional physical danger. We all have a duty to offer them as much support as possible, even if we disagree with what they say. It’s the process that’s important.
Collectively as a society, it’s actually our duty to protect our representatives. We don’t tend to do that personally, we leave it to the emergency services and armed forces to do it for us in peacetime and in war. We can’t guarantee to protect everyone, and the only person to blame for Jo Cox’s death is that solitary man, but our politicians’ safety and well-being is actually our responsibility, yours and mine. Democracy is rule by all of the people (not just a majority, by the way), but that democracy ain’t worth a damn if we’re not prepared to put our own bodies on the line to defend it.
We messed up last Friday. Sorry. Wherever you are Jo Cox, Happy Birthday.
