Opinion: by Louisa Pawsey
I have held off from writing a blog on the topic as it seems like going over old ground and didn’t want to just rehash the same subject.But now everything has changed.
With the events at the Old Bailey on Wednesday coming to the surface, and now that the perpetrators are going to be spending an awful lot of time behind bars, I feel it is time to bring this topic to light again.
First things first, I must admit that I am a little disappointed in the Judge's ruling. It was going to be an impossible decision for him as he was never going to be able to satisfy everyone.
But what I don’t understand is why one person got a whole life sentence and the other got life with `a minimum of 45 years' condition. Surely the crime they committed was the same, so why were the sentences different? That is something that only the judge can explain. So we will just have to put up with the decision, but as long as Lee Rigby's family are happy with the ruling then we should all seek comfort in that matter.
For those of you, however, who are still spouting that the two scum-bags (I refuse to use their names) should be executed, you clearly don’t understand their warped view of Islam. If you did, you would understand that being executed is exactly what they wanted, to become martyrs to their cause and to have their names live forever.
But giving them such long jail terms is the best possible punishment as it is the total opposite of what they aimed to achieve, and as time goes on, their names will be forgotten but the name of Lee Rigby will live for ever and that, I think, is the best punishment for them.
* Lee Rigby 1988-2013.
However, we now have to move on. Woolwich needs to become a place that people think of for other reasons and London needs to regroup and find a way forward.
That said, we need to make sure that Lee is honoured in the way every soldier who dies in battle deserves to be. It was nice to see that he has been given a Commonwealth War Graves Commission head stone, as this means his grave will be looked after and cared for by the charity, and his headstone will remain in pristine condition. But what is Woolwich doing to honour his memory? That really is the big question.
Well that is where I come in. I feel that London let Lee Rigby down on that day, and that is a shame. We should never forget, and although there is nothing we can do to bring him back to his family, there is something we can do to ensure his memory lives on. That is why I am organising a memorial to him to be placed at the site of his murder.
However, I am facing opposition that is coming up against me. Some opposition which really surprises me, if I am honest because it hasn’t come from a place you would expect.
I was planning on keeping it small and respectful, and simply have a plaque commissioned, which will be placed on the wall of a building, close to the site of his death. Then followed by a small laying of wreath and observing a minute's silence.
I have received a positive response from Woolwich Online and a local stonemasons indicated their preparedness to make and install a nice marble plaque, free of charge, which I think is excellent news. I also have support from the Fusiliers and Woolwich Barracks, who have all offered their help and assistance.
I am currently waiting to hear back from the office of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, having asked for permission to erect the memorial in Woolwich and I am hoping he will agree. And maybe, be prepared to place a wreath.
My main issue is that the local MP for woolwich appears to think that it wouldn’t be appropriate to have such a memorial!!! God only knows why, but that is their official stance and I am not sure how I am going to convince them otherwise.
I am hoping that this article will somehow show that there is a lot of support for the idea, and maybe make the Council of the Royal Borough of Greenwich change their mind and give their support.
I am also struggling to be able to contact the Rigby family. I don’t think it would be appropriate to erect any form of memorial to their son without them being in attendance and that is something that I would really like.
I have tried to contact them in writing, on two separate occasions. On one occassion, having it directed to them during the trial at the Old Bailey. On the second occassion, sent it through the Prosecuting Counsel after the verdict. But up to date, I have not got a reply. Now that sentencing has been handed down, I am hoping that I will get a positive response to my requests.
I honestly don’t see how anyone with a heart and a conscience could possibly object to a permanent memorial to Lee in Woolwich, and I am hoping that one will be in place before the first anniversary of his death.
If you want to show support, I have set up a Facebook page called "Lee Rigby Memorial Fund". Please feel free to go and have a look at the Facebook page here >>>[LEE-RIGBY-MEMORIAL-FUND ].
But there is one last thing to say and thats "Rest In Peace, Lee". I hope you are being looked after in Valhalla, and to those two scum-bags, I wish them only one thing and that’s not to rot in hell or to die a slow and painful death. In fact, it is the complete opposite.
I wish them both a long and healthy life where they can sit in their prison cells and fade into oblivion, and be forgotten.
For them, that is their perception of hell and believe me, it will cause them more pain and suffering than any other form of punishment the law could possibly hand down to them.
* Twitter: @ukhistorygirl.
* Twitter: @woolwichonline.
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