OT; Bad company name

[The Natural Philosopher]

Was that a Cliff Richard Flop of the last century?

[Nightjar]

They are only willing to be sued if they think they have a reasonable chance of winning. One editor who investigated stated that he didn't think the women who made the claims would stand up to the rigours of a court case, so he decided not to publish.

Colin Bignell

[polygonum]

If all the information now available had been in the possession of a team on a single newspaper, they might have done. But it was all so spread out that none of them had the picture.

[Dave W]

Here's my 2p's worth:

1. To most people Savile was a good man who was jolly and raised money for many charities.
2. Channel 4 should not have exposed him when he was dead, destroying most people's feelings for him. However I can see why they did, as it certainly would be compelling viewing, including myself. It's the modern equivalent to what the 'News of the Screws' put out daily.
3. Nobody is all good or all bad. Savile's badness was a small part of his activities, and is nowhere as bad as killing people. He does not warrant the term "monster" that you and others bandy about.
4. I agree there's no point in recriminations on all parties so long after the events, being outraged with cover-ups at a time when attitudes were different.
5. The recriminations have now escalated and are being applied to other possible deviants, the BBC is being 'investigated' for doing this without evidence, questions in the house etc. etc. etc. Can we please confine ourselves to present problems rather than waste time on a dead man?

-- Dave W

[Frank Erskine]

"De mortuis nil nisi bonum", as they say.

[dennis]

Tell that to the victims! You need watching as I don't think we can trust your moral judgement.

[Andy Champ]

As they _used_ to say...

Andy

[Nightjar]

Most people never met him and only saw the carefully cultivated public image. Even then many, myself included, didn't like him and thought his only redeeming feature was the work he did for charity.

Why not? Any such feelings appear to have been based upon a false image.

ISTM that the whole point of most of his activities was to put him in a position where he could indulge in his paedophilia and bully or buy off anyone who tried to expose him.

The fact that they were different does not mean that they were right, even at the time. Would you say that we should not be outraged at, say, the social engineering of the Khmer Rouge, because they had a different attitude?

Colin Bignell

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

He wasn't stupid.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

In his mind, I venture to suggest, the charity work was done out of guilt and a way to further his public appeal. Which was the greater of the two, I don't know.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

You're on the list, Harry.

[John Rumm]

Indeed. Even though I accept attitudes were different; and DJs etc probably felt it perfectly acceptable to take advantage of all the free totty lining up at the stage doors with the pre-meditated intent of getting jiggy with someone famous. There is a world of difference between not asking an apparently all gown up and gagging for it teenager exactly how she is, and trawling children's homes looking for clearly under age children to coerce or manipulate.

[harry]

The past problems might be ongoing. Also an example to the others.

[Nightjar]

I can't help but think you are being overly generous by assuming he might have felt guilt, rather than simply choosing to do things that put him into close contact with children.

Colin Bignell

[Martin Bonner]

Possibly, possibly not. I have seen it suggested that the reason that Catholic Church had so many paedophiles was that some of them /knew/ their desires were transgressive, and so were attracted to a career which required celibacy. The problem was that when it came to it, they weren't able to maintain the celibacy.

[Andy Champ]

My suspicion has always been that a number of people who know they aren't going to be able to maintain a normal marriage go for the priesthood because it's regarded as normal for a priest to be unmarried

- even in those sects where it is not required.

This is of course not saying that the great majority of priests of any religion are not fine members of society...

Andy

[charles]

possibly the exception that proves the rule, but my daughter and son-in-law trained for the priesthood together and are now job sharing as Vicars in a Surrey parish. And all bar one Anglican priests that I have known has been married - and I've know quite a number.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Most of them are decent people (religion aside) and it's a damn shame the good they do is jeopardised by the rotten apples. I've known a couple of priests who were reticent about what they did for a living, when in mufti, because they'd had so much hassle from some of the unthinking members of society, who tend to lump good in with bad.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

That's quite likely, too. He was a complex character. I don't know how he held so many balls in the air...

[damduck-egg]

I can't decide if you meant to write that the way it reads deliberately for devilment, or it if it was just an unfortunate turn of phrase.

G.Harman