Today's Unwelcome Twitter Whirlwind: My View in More Than 140 Characters

My plan this morning was to drop my daughter at pre-school, get some groceries, have a cup of tea and then get on with a bit of sewing. FYI I was going to to make some lavender scented fabric hearts to send to my best friend in San Fransisco.

Unfortunately, as I was drinking the tea, I decided after some thought to reply to the tweet rallying support for a petition in connection with the Hillsborough disaster.

A mother, Anne Williams, who tragically lost her innocent 15-year-old son wants an explanation as to why his time of death was recorded as 3.15pm but a police officer had previously stated that he was alive at 4pm. This is all to do with why ambulances weren't allowed onto the pitch to treat people who might have been saved.
I stated that I did not feel able to sign the petition or further advertise it as I stood by South Yorkshire Police.

I write for a rugby league magazine and in the past have been a journalist in mainstream media so I usually wouldn't wade into such a debate. The only reason I decided to comment on such a controversial subject was that many other, high profile, figures had thrown in their support for the campaign. This surely means I have a right to voice my, albeit different, opinion?

The comment was made to my modest 450ish followership. I hate the word 'followers' by the way. It sounds patronising. But the message was picked up on by a more high profile person and forwarded to his audience of 5900.

I braced myself for the abuse I would inevitably receive and made further elaborative comments to explain my position. These comments have so far not been forwarded by the famous man, despite my suggesting that this would be a fair thing to do.

The thing is I am from Sheffield and my dad was a serving South Yorkshire Police officer for 35 or so years (although a detective so not working at football matches). I feel a loyalty towards the organisation as a whole.
Those who died at Hillsborough were blameless and I cannot bear to think of the pain of this mother.

I do not object to her fight.

I do not object to an inquiry or the search for the truth.

My objection is with the blanket demonisation of the police from that day on, the disregard for other factors which led to this tragedy and the bullying which stops people from voicing this aforementioned view!

That petition is just not one for me to sign.

Now my iPhone is relentlessly buzzing with the news that my original 140 character text is making its way further through Merseyside. I can say that although there is abuse constantly coming back to me on this four hours later none of it is too poisonous or personal.

But it isn't nice to have the strong and aggressive hatred of so many thrust upon you.

If only I had stuck to my original plan today of making those lavender scented fabric hanging hearts. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

And if it were the case that I would know Garry Schofield (the famous retweeter) from Adam if he slapped me around the head with a wet kipper, I would not be handing him a Christmas card come December. Thanks to him I am in contention to be the third most hated person at Anfield after David Duckenfield and Kelvin MacKenzie.