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Terry Waite

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Religious Figure

The Resume

    (May 31, 1939- )
    Born in Bollington, England, United Kingdom
    Assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury and envoy for the Church of England
    Negotiated the release of hostages held in Iran, Libya and Lebanon
    Was himself held hostage by the Islamic Jihad Organization in Lebanon (1987-91)
    President of the charities Y Care International and Emmaus House UK
    Wrote the autobiography 'Taken In Trust' (1993)
    Converted from Anglican to Quaker faith (2008)

Why he might be annoying:

    He joined the Grenadier Guards but had to quit after a few months because he was allergic to the dye in their uniforms.
    Critics accused him of being a self-promoting egotist.
    He boasted, 'I am the Archbishop of Canterbury's Kissinger.'
    Some of the hostages in Lebanon that he was initially credited with freeing had actually been released because the US had traded arms to Iran for them.
    In 'Taken In Trust,' he was evasive about how much he knew concerning the arms for hostages deals.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He survived his first kidnapping in Uganda, shortly after Idi Amin's coup.
    He secured the release of four British hostages from Libya after protracted negotiations and theological debates with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi (1984).
    Even his critics conceded his personal courage in meeting with kidnappers.
    He recalled that one of his rules after being taken hostage was, 'No self pity - don't begin to feel sorry for yourself, there are loads of people who are in worse situations than yourself.'
    His captors blindfolded him, chained him to a radiator, beat him, subjected him to mock executions and transported him to new locations inside a refrigerator.
    He said that four years in solitary confinement 'gave me a unique opportunity to learn how to appreciate being alone, but more importantly how to value silence.'
    He gave a witty and eloquent speech to the waiting media upon his release.
    He founded Hostage UK, an organization to give support to families of hostages.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 17 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 10 Votes: 90.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 20 Votes: 35.00% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 20 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 22 Votes: 59.09% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 82.35% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 54 Votes: 66.67% Annoying