When this thread opened, I was hoping it might avoid the usual traps and actually be informative for those who are too young to have been there or remember. However – predictably – it ended up going in pretty much the same direction as earlier threads on the subject, with people on both sides becoming bogged down in minutiae and personal agendas. On one side, we’ve had the old chestnut of just how big each of the thirty pieces of silver really were, (who really gives a damn whether it was 50% or 400% more – te fact is, it was substantially more than the Union was asking for in its ambit claim, and spare me the old chestnut that you had to work harder to earn it.) On the other, we had ANFO aggrieved because one small group of intemperate stay-outers called him a nasty name – and therefore, all stay-outers are really nasty people.
However, despite that, there were a few gems in amongst the dross, and I hope that those who opened this thread to learn, rather than to reinforce a fixed preconception about the events of 1989-90, (like I did!), managed to sort the wheat from the chaff.
I’d like to join one of the very earlier posters in saying it’s a shame ‘Brisboy’ hasn’t added his tuppence worth to the renewed debate. I found his comments on earlier threads regarding 89 among the most lucid and unemotive of any arguments on both sides.
Oh, and it’s worth noting that ‘Wiley’ in his last post was spot on in his prediction that someone wouldn’t be able to resist pointing out the difference they perceived in the way those who lost their jobs in 1989 differed from those so similarly affected in 2001. In case it needs spelling out, 2001-ers, I believe ‘Wiley’ was trying to say that, disregarding any differences you may perceive on that point, the 89-ers really do understand the sense of loss the 2001-ers felt and continue to feel. The big difference was that you have the sympathy of the nation. Rightly or wrongly, we had anything but.
The ‘list’ certainly exists, and I believe it will continue to exist until the almost last player in the events of 89 is dead and buried, but I think anyone who believes that overseas airlines in search of pilots would take any notice of any such unofficial document is searching for excuses as to why he failed to get a job. And if any heroes are still feeling aggrieved about ‘the list’, consider this - at least you don’t have a sorry excuse of a Prime Monster adding your names to an official international list of political dissidents.