Poor Old Bulldog - Complaints over Churchill statue

[Merlion]

Here is another piece of news about a statue. What is your view? Is the statue distasteful and inappropriate?

My complaint is rather about the photographer not having proper lighting setting for the shot. This link (http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED11%20Mar%202006%2013%3A16%3A04%3A170) to the full article shows also the photo.

Never knew Churchil suffered from manic depression all his life.

I wonder what went on in the mind of Stalin in Yalta, when he was in deep, serious and probably protracted bagaining negotiations how to divide up the world with two future adversaries Churchill and Roosevelt. He would know very well that one suffered from polio and had to be on wheelchair, and the other who he would probably know suffered from manic depression.

Complaints over Churchill statue

The statue of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a straitjacket which was unveiled in Norwich to draw attention to the stigma surrounding mental health has brought complaints from old soldiers and members of the politician's family.

Norwich North MP Dr Ian Gibson and Cliff Prior, chief executive of mental health charity Rethink, revealed the statue in The Forum as part of a campaign which is striving to stamp out stigma and ignorance surrounding issues such as manic depression.

Churchill was chosen because despite dealing with the symptoms of manic depression throughout his life, he was able to become Prime Minister, lead the country during World War Two and be voted “The Greatest Briton” in the recent national poll.

But political leaders and members of Sir Winston's family have condemned the “distasteful” and “inappropriate” statue.

[Merlion]

A year ago, I posted a story about a statue of Winston Churchill in a straitjacket. It has never been publicly known that Churchill did suffer from manic depression. At that time, a mental health charity Rethink had this made, "to draw attention to the stigma surrounding those suffering from mental disorders". As expected, there were public outcry in UK as he was their great war hero if not savior.

There is now a follow-up story about this statue. The picture of this statue can still be seen in the news link I posted in the above post.

What happened to that controversial Churchill statue? (http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED21%20Mar%202007%2008%3A48%3A12%3A080)

21 March 2007

A mental health charity 'Rethink' has today said the controversial move to unveil a statue of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill in a straitjacket in Norwich a year ago has helped to change perceptions of mental health.

The statue was set up outside the Forum in Norwich in a bid by 'Rethink' to highlight - and dispel - the stigma surrounding mental health but it caused a national outcry and was removed after angry protests.

The Churchill family branded the statue offensive and scores of veterans said it was an “insult” to Britain's greatest hero.

However 12 months on 'Rethink' said although it had to remove the 9ft statue from the public eye they stood by its decision and said mental health perceptions had improved in the community and in employment.

Before the charity's campaign, which was launched in March last year with the Churchill statue as the starting point, about one-in-seven people said they had experienced a mental health problem. After the campaign the figure rose to almost one-in-three......

Despite dealing with the symptoms of manic depression throughout his life which he called his “black dog” Churchill became Prime Minister and led the country during the Second World War. The statue was designed to illustrate how thousands of others the discrimination surrounding depression acts like a straitjacket denying people work and other opportunities.

Mr Ashton said the statue currently be kept under lock and key and added: “I think the controversy made people take notice of mental health issues and we have made big headway in getting rid of discrimination. With mental health problems there is a lot of ignorance and fear but these negative attitudes are changing in Norwich.” .....