Watching the tail end of tonight’s Crimewatch, in which Kirsty Young talked to the mother of the murdered James Bulger, as well as interviews with some of the survivors of the massacre on the eve of the sentencing of Norwegian mass-murderer Anders Breivik, it was heartening to see that people can pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and move on.
Forgiveness is a powerful emotion. It allows us to take a look at events in a different light and move into a future without bitterness. James Bulger’s mother has accepted that although she can never get her son back, she can honour his short life by giving children of today some happiness through a charity which allows them to take holidays they may otherwise never have.
The people who perpetrate such horrendous crimes are ill. No sane person would entertain the thought of doing such things, so they also deserve our compassion. Living with the results of their actions must be a huge burden and we should all spare a moment’s thought for that.
Life is far too short to carry the emotions of revenge and hate around with us. Forgiveness frees us from those emotions and although it might seem weak to forgive, it does, in fact show a huge amount of inner strength.
The Search For Enlightenment 
Aug 24, 2012 @ 10:02:33
Sorry, disagree about Denise Fergus. Whatever her motivations for setting up the charity; in my opinion she has added nothing to the debate about crime, justice and punishment but pure, unbridled hatred. It may be that is the legacy she gives her son. Hate, revenge, bitterness. It is even more concerning that her hate is focused not on Thompson and Venables the adults but on the only images we have of them – as ten year old children.
I also think it is a bit rich for someone to complain about media intrusion when, just months after the murder of her son, she did a front page spread for Hello magazine.
About time she faced a bit of public backlash.
Aug 24, 2012 @ 10:49:48
Whilst I can see your POV regarding Ms Fergus, I wonder what effect such a personal disaster would have upon me. I would like to think that I could eventually move on from it, but it is much easier to say than to do.
Namaste,
Anupadin
Aug 25, 2012 @ 08:50:57
Denise Fergus has no ability to forgive. Gandhi said that forgiveness is something only the strong can do. She prefers to hold onto the hate and have the rest of her life defined by it. That is her choice of course, but it isn’t her child’s killers that hate is hurting.
I once saw a quote – which went along the lines of ‘when we forgive, we set a prisoner free; only to realise the prisoner was ourselves’.
Denise Fergus is now a prisoner of her own hatred and desire for revenge. And this is down to her – she has chosen that path. Other people who have lost loved ones have chosen a more productive and healing path. Their lives will be the better for it.
Indeed, she complains about the new IDs Thompson and Venables have but doesn’t seem to understand that she is probably one of the main reasons they were given them! When they were coming up for release,some of her interviews showed a really disturbing bloodlust.