Congratulating Mr Blair on his GQ Philanthropist of the year award!

Posted 5 Sep 2014 by Walaa Idris

Was surprised, actually very surprised by some of the reactions to Tony Blair winning GQ’s Philanthropist of the year award!

First because he’s one of us, and by ‘us’ I mean a Briton. GQ is an international publication and a Brit winning what we the British pride ourselves of (selflessly giving and helping those less fortunate than us) should be applauded.

Secondly, Blair’s philanthropy is very visible. A simple Google entry will prove my point. Despite his politics, Tony Blair is a successful British Prime Minister with three general elections wins under his belt. And after ten years as the UK’s PM, he went on to devote his life for public service. He runs three charitable foundations that champion inter-faith dialogue, development in Africa and sport in the north-east of England plus he employs hundreds of people. The former Prime Minister, also advices the Kazakhstan government pro bono, and acts as the representative of the international community in Palestine, also for free. Not to mention he donated the entire proceeds of his biography “A Journey” to charity.

Thirdly and most of all, the Iraq war that we all now think was a big mistake, and it was, was not his call alone. The majority of Britain (via our representatives in the House of Commons) voted for the Iraq war. So to now, in hindsight, call him a killer and a war criminal is simply disingenuous.

I too supported the Iraq War based on knowing what we knew then. Today I feel different but that doesn’t mean I should take my disappointment and dismay on Blair, Bush or my MP.

Don’t know if it’s Social Media and its ready availability or something else? But at times it appears we are becoming a posse prepared to fiercely attack those we disagree with and do it viciously at the drop of a hat. And we do it, without any sensibilities, letting anger cloud our judgments while happily brush to one side any common sense. It seems somehow, somewhere along the line we stopped ‘feeling human’ and under the cloak of cyberspace turned into blood thirsty hounds with little or no care for decorum, too at ease with becoming aggressive agents of hate ready to let rip in a flash.

It’s uncivilised, unjust and just plain no good.

Tony Blair is human. And like most humans has made mistakes, but he also achieved many selfless deeds. God knows I don’t agree with everything he did or does, but I do agree that he is a great philanthropist and I am happy to applaud and congratulate him for this award and be very proud that he is one of us.

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