The death of Dom Mintoff was followed, as expected, by a flurry of contrasting emotions. I see nothing wrong in that. Mintoff was a controversial personality and it is very natural that you would find both pro and con comments.

There was, though, a follow up that is worrying in the extreme. I refer to the expressions of very strong sentiments, of blinding and uncontrollable anger and, I dare say, hate together. Vulgar and obscene language was accompanied by threats of violence which peppered many a comment on the social networks. This reaction showed an aspect of our national psyche which most had thought (or vainly hoped) that it was dead and buried. We now know that this dark side of our national personality is still alive though till now it was not kicking. Just as coal on a BBQ gives you the feeling that it is spent but flares up at the lightest breeze so it seems is our temperament. Will the flames be extinguished or will they just subside till the next outburst?

Putting things under the collective carpet does not work. The demons (as well of the angels) of the past have to be faced and discussed before we have closure. But they have to be discussed in a calm and serene attitude.

For many people Mintoff meant the welfare state and a chance to escape the poverty trap. For others Mintoff meant the violent 1980s. The former say that Mintoff is nothing but the welfare state. The others say that he is nothing but violence and oppression. Both give a partial view of the man and of the history of this period. Both views can be partially correct. Quite naturally one has then to strike a balance and draw a comprehensive assessment. All the plusses and the minuses have to be considered. It is quite natural that some would strike it one way while the others would strike it in a totally opposite way. Life is different than mathematics; isn't it?

These binary positions are followed by utter disrespect and intolerance to the opposing views and to the persons making them. Insults are traded; threats are made. Awful! Instead of a proper discussion verbal tirades are fired outdoing a machine gun in speed and intensity. People talk without listening. Nay people scream without listening. They do not care. They are in the right. The others are totally wrong. And if you try to make your point a little bit more forceful the screaming pitches and violence is hinted at.

In my regular column in The Sunday Times (26/08/12) I tackled some aspects of the decades-long career of Dom Mintoff which I think should be discussed and reflected upon much more. I tried to use a slightly humorous mode so that the "medicine" could go down in a nicer way. In my commentary to The Sunday Times I touched upon a particular aspect of Mintoff's very long career, that is his relationship to the Church. I said that the period has to be studied more while making a different assessment of the position of Mintoff in the 1960s with his position in the late 1970s and 1980s. My assessment of one position differs from the assessment of the other. I think that my assessment is a correct one; but I am ready to listen to others and be enlightened by their views. They will surely see things that I do not comprehend.

Experience shows that there are no black and white realities; there are always shades of grey.

So let it be with Mintoff.