Also, on a personal level, I've cried today, I've laughed today, I've said "go 'ed la" with enthusiastic agreement when Barry Devonside refused to accept the SYP apology, I've been angry, sad, optimistic for the future.
It's been an extremely emotional day, not just on a personal level, but across the city of Liverpool.
I went for a little walk earlier and everything just seemed nice and peaceful. The sun was shining. And, it just felt like a huge weight has been lifted off the collective shoulders of the city. We'll still remember those who passed. They'll never be forgotten. But, it feels like a point has been reached where, for want of a better phrase, people can start to move on with their lives. We were looked down on as those moaning Scousers, always complaining, "why don't they just move on?" etc.
It's a trivial point in comparison to the bigger picture, but it's comforting to be the ones who can now do the looking down on others, we were right all along, you were wrong, it's there in black and white - "UNLAWFULLY KILLED" - and Liverpool fans did NOT contribute to causing the disaster. We should actively mock and belittle those who still see a different story. People are entitled to their own opinions. But they're not entitled to their own facts. An opinion based on falsehoods is anything but an opinion; it's a fallacy, a lie, a slur, a malicious or foolish mistake dependant on an individuals motives.
I say this as an outsider, in the sense that I didn't know anybody who died at Hillsborough, but as a vicariously effected Scouser. But, watching that interview with Margaret Aspinall getting upset, I think today has allowed the weight on the families shoulders to be lifted a bit. It was a very sad clip. But, in a strange way, it made me happy too. She's always shown strength and fight in public. To see her cry like that made me see her with her guard down, being herself, suggesting that that particular fight has finally been won and she can start being a human again and living, crying and smiling.
She sure does deserve it.
