Forgiveness

The BBC is currently showing a series of programmes on forgiveness. The first one is tonight and covers The Sun Newspaper’s attempt to apologise following its reports of the Hillsborough disaster fifteen years ago. I recall the tragedy clearly – overcrowding combined with fences designed to prevent pitch invasions colluded to cause a crush resulting in 96 deaths. The Sun’s coverage was indeed heartless, claiming that fans picked the pockets of the dead, attacked rescue workers and urinated on police officers. Following this, Merseyside boycotted The Sun and the boycott continues today.

The Sun’s Managing Editor, Graham Dudman has been to Liverpool to try and mend the rift. A national tabloid is attempting to apologise and seek absolution from the aggrieved – make the most of this, it doesn’t happen often. I admire his courage. It takes a brave man indeed to admit a grievous wrong and be prepared to apologise. How mean spirited then of the Hillsborough Support group not to even grant him an audience. They suspect his motives. Okay, but until they hear what he has to say, they are in no position to judge.

Forgiveness is difficult – indeed one of the family members, Margaret Aspinall who lost her son, Justin said:

“Do you forgive Hitler for what he’s done? Does anybody forgive Pol Pot for what they done? We are not God. I cannot forgive people like that. And that Sun newspaper, may God forgive them – not me.”

No, they are not God. They are human and so, too, are the journalists and editors who wrote the original piece and to err is human. The Sun’s editorial team may be tabloid journalists (which perhaps is bad enough) but they are not genocidal mass murderers and comparing them with people who are is unfair and unworthy of the accuser.

Forgiveness may be difficult, but the alternative; harbouring bitterness, hate and anger damages most those who harbour it.