Should the grieving influence policy?

Much has been written surrounding the 10th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence,the victim of an unprovoked racist attack.

This article will be adding to the debate as Brendan O'Neill writing at First Post argues that whilst

We all sympathise with Doreen Lawrence, mother of the murdered black teenager Stephen. does that mean we should kowtow to her views on everything from policing to politics to race relations?

He is refers to a cult of Doreen Lawrence by which he says

The media treat her every utterance as wise and sacrosanct, while London-based politicians rush to be photographed alongside her

In the same way he attacks the influence that Paul Betts and Sara Payne have had on policy concerning drug abuse and the sex offenders register.

He is making a fair point,policy decided by sentiment and emotion is often not the best way forward and whilst people have every sympathy with the hurt that these people have got through,it shouldn't colour our minds when it comes to formulating policy.