Your Socialist Paradise Sounds Lovely

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From top: John Connors winning an IFTA  last year; Calls to action against Mr Connors and Terry McMahon from ‘Collective Action’

When I was publicly labeled a “cowardly traitor” by Gemma O’Doherty I received late-night messages from private numbers.

I didn’t blame Gemma O’Doherty for those calls. My number is easy to get and they weren’t so different to any other sad-sack trolls on social media who get to be the hero in their own fantasy.

You could hear subtle breathing but nothing else. It was as if the callers were thinking. Planning. Perhaps fantasizing. One time you could hear somebody urinating. Long and slow. Knowing I was listening.

After that, things escalated. The callers finally found their voices. It was just ridicule, initially. Juvenile insults about my crap writing. My shit films. My horrible voice. But that progressed to declaring I was the enemy. A fraud. A dead wanker walking.

I said nothing to my family. My missus is pregnant and there are enough lunatics to be dealing with in our family already. She doesn’t need to be burdened with any more of my ‘political bollox’ as she aptly describes it.

In truth, the whole thing was kind of embarrassing. I’d backed the wrong horse and understood this was part of the fall-out. So I just deleted the messages and got on with the day-to-day reality of preparing for a beautiful baby.

But I was with a close friend one night when one of the messages was left. We were in his gaff reminiscing over a good single malt when one of the anonymous patriots let rip. My mate was shocked. He was adamant I should call the cops.

But a good single malt with an old friend is too rare to be interrupted by the ravings of some broken soul. It made sense to just pour two more measures. Besides, there was too much pain in their wailing messages.

Like the high-pitch hurt of an ex-lover at 4 in-the-morning who swears to themselves they will never call again. Except one last time. This final time. To say what can only be screamed.

O’Doherty can’t be held responsible for the 4am rage that they feel the need to express from the confused confines of their dank and sweaty bedrooms. There was never any real danger.

It’s the ones who smile directly to your face in daylight that are often the real threat. Or it’s the censorious cowards who insist they have right on their side as they attack with impunity anybody who doesn’t subscribe to their world view.

You know the ones. The new Puritans.

This anonymous group of brave-as-hell soldiers recently declared their intention to name and shame and takedown Ireland’s Right Wing “Fascists.” A noble call if ever there was.

Only problem is, they don’t seem to know what a fascist is. But, courageous as these heroes are, they’re not going to allow silly little facts get in the way of their feels.

The fact that John Connors has done more for disenfranchised people of all socio-economic classes and races than these keyboard warriors combined is irrelevant.

The fact that John Connors has single-handedly rewritten the social contract when it comes to society’s expectations of Travellers is irrelevant.

The fact that John Connors has created more works of film, television and theatre for no money than many of the state-funded companies combined is irrelevant.

The fact that John Connors has won multiple IFTAs and gave an acceptance speech that inspired millions of people is irrelevant.

The fact that John Connors is a young man in his twenties who refuses to be limited by any political doctrine or engage in censoring any opposition is irrelevant.

John Connors did commit one fatal error. The dumb bastard stood by his principles. And, frankly, he wasn’t the most articulate about it. He hurt some folks’ feelings.

Caught up in the national maelstrom of a profoundly divisive referendum John Connors refused to subscribe to the frenzy of Repeal. And, by Christ, for that, he must be punished. No matter how long it takes.

John Connors is a fascist. That’s a fact. He is a fascist because a small band of nameless-faceless self-appointed keyboard warriors feel he is a fascist.

They feel he must be stopped. By any means necessary. And the other sad fact is, some people who should know better have refused to defend him against what could easily become a career annihilating accusation.

Some people who should know how dangerous the weaponising of censorship is have remained silent because John Connors is a mouthy chap who should have learned acquiescent silence as all the other artists did.

John Connors is a man who might have had a different moral position to some people on a life and death issue. He may have articulated it badly. Trying to do the right thing, we’ve all messed up.

The self-appointed moral guardians of a so-called ‘Antifa’ group publicly naming and shaming John Connors as a fascist is one thing but the fact that many people would rather watch a good man hang because of a difference in opinion than stand up for a larger principle is the real reveal here.

When will it be your turn to be publicly named-and-shamed for refusing to subscribe to the teachings of the New Puritans?

The moronic stench of the screaming poseurs is to be expected but the increasingly common silence of decent people gives too much breath to the frightening idea that, in our new political landscape, when it comes to to the cancer of censorship, feeling truly is the new fact.

Update: ‘Collective Action’s  response to this post was to call for a personal boycott and publicly label me a:

“Neo-nazi, racist, homophobic, transphobic, right-wing, hatred-inciting wanker.”

I mean I can take most of those insults but, come on, labeling me a wanker really is a step too far.

Terry McMahon is a filmmaker and can be found on Twitter @terrymcmahon69

Previously: Terry McMahon on Broadsheet

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97 thoughts on “Your Socialist Paradise Sounds Lovely

    1. jeremy kyle

      That other lad seems like a bit an eejit. Can you imagine watching 40 minutes of that and then giving out about echo chambers.

    2. some old queen

      Croft has more Botox than the average diesel launder’s wife- who knows- maybe he is a diesel launder’s wife?

      Nope- response from the up and coming diesel launder’s dinner dance in castleblayney (vegan options available in advance) is that he is has alternative funding.

  1. millie st murderlark

    Nicely done Terry. I enjoyed that one. Especially the tongue in cheek comment at the end.

  2. Clampers Outside

    “Someone with such a public profile should not and will not be allowed endorse… *whatever* …”

    Excuse me, but… who, which ones, are the Nazis again?

    The complete lack of self awareness, and blinding self righteousness is off the scale!

    Shurrrrrup Collective Action you shower of authoritarian/fascist muppets.

    1. McVitty

      And it’s not like the conversation they had wasn’t interesting – the way the travelers were duped into welfare by a govt program that ought to settle them, and from there you can steer the conversation to the current suppression of our memes (see Dawkins’ definition)…the only thing that survived the occupation of the English and domination of the church here.

      It’s nothing but projection to call this stuff fascist and the use of “Tan Torino” shows some double standard. Slander would appear to be their go-to tactic.

      Fair play to Terry McMahon for calling them on it.

  3. Clampers Outside

    Go far enough Left you mingle with fascists, act like them, make declarations like those above, and you become a real fascist, just like these Collective Action numpties.

    It is that simple.

      1. Clampers Outside

        That’s another way of putting it, yes.

        (Left and Right are not literal positions pertaining to any geographical point.
        I’m sure I didn’t have to clarify that, but am doing so anyway).

  4. Antifa

    I don’t see John Connors or yourself Terry being accused of being fascists, yous were called out for your actions and deeds, but don’t let that get in the way of your little story, blood drama queen, also if collective action was so wrong then why is the lefties not comming to your defense?

  5. Brendan Madigan

    This is the Big Brother that George Orwell warned us about. If you’ve ever told an off colour joke, no matter how long ago, wore a dodgy Halloween costume, voted for, had your photo taken with, liked, retweeted… etc, etc, the list goes on. These are the new puritanicals, these are the equivalent of the 1950s catholic priests, this is the new inquisition They are among us, they are here, they are coming for you.

    However, I’d warn you to be afraid, but Collective Action are just a couple of numpties, sitting then in their jocks, in a bedroom in their Ma’s, waiting for next week’s dole to drop.

    1. some old queen

      Perhaps you could clarify this comment- they are either big brother watching your every move or- a couple of unemployed young fellas sitting in their jock straps?

  6. Cú Chulainn

    Ah, I was only thinking about you and your recent lack of posts this morning Terry. I then had to have a good look at myself and ask why. It was for selfish and wrong reasons. It’s good to see you haven’t lost it. Best of luck.

  7. class wario

    The framing of this story in terms of a few facebook posts by a group with sub 800 ‘likes’ on the platform is a bit odd. The cynical side of me would almost go as far as to suggest that this is done to group in ‘legitimate criticism of views and actions taken by somebody’ with ‘the censorious left trying to silence somebody!!!’ for the purposes of pushing the latter.

  8. george

    John Connors talking to an anti-immigrant extremist about boxing the head off people who criticise him? I know, awful stuff.

      1. postmanpat

        Only Terry may use bad language. So sayith our Broadsheet overlords. Its for the greater good..the greater good…

      2. Bertie Theodore Alphege Blenkinsop

        It’s nonsense Broadsheet that you’re selectively editing posts, irritating and boring.

          1. Bodger

            Sorry, Bertie, you’re right. It is a double standard. We just feel seeing a blizzard of swearing in the comments section can be off-putting and a little intimidating to some.

          2. Bertie Theodore Alphege Blenkinsop

            Bodger, I have a 7 year old.
            I don’t swear much.
            I don’t swear much on here as a rule.

            Terry mentioned the word w***** in his post, that’s why I thought it would be funny (and, arguably, accurate) to call him a w*****.

            When you butcher posts like that it’s irritating in the extreme.
            I’m not looking for a full on swearfest but maybe just look at the context in future?

          3. Cú Chulainn

            This is the good look at myself I was referring to Bertie. Replying to Terry, well it was only going to bring out the worst in me. That’s why I stopped. It’s like an addiction. He pops up with some nonsense and I have to hit it. But not today. I am resolute and strong. I shall not mock the weak and feeble minded.

          4. postmanpat

            ya cant say anything about music “gods” having relations with underage kids either , even when admitted (bragged) by the deity themselves when alive and its all pubic record anyway. The same with certain DJs who still have a tent named after him in Glastonbury.

          5. Bodger

            postmanpat, you might have to take that up with Chompsky. I don’t recall deleting criminal behaviour by the ‘gods’.

          6. jeremy kyle

            I think we will have to individually petition for permission to swear.

            I am requesting an allowance – 5 uses of “boop-boop-a-doo” per year and 1 use of “lovely english twinky-pants”.

            Thanks.

          7. deluded

            An argument about swearing appears to be the highlight of this. I’m bored of swearing, I work in a sweary business.
            I can understand though how some of you wound-up buttoned-down desk jockeys and George Carlin fans might like to cut loose but I doubt it will make the commentary more readable; the yield of diamonds in the rough is low enough without adding more rough!

      1. Capt. McCallister

        The problem with cutting off the end is that it allows Terry to completely mischaracterise it. He claims the post labels him a number of things, but it doesn’t – it’s pointing out that he supports people they lebel.

          1. Capt. McCallister

            Termagant – They’re associating him with them because he has associated with them, it’s not very complicated.

            Thanks Bodger.

  9. Ian-O

    Seriously, can we create a play pen for these collective action morons and Terry, John, Gemtrails & Croft?

    A nice remote one in say, Siberia, mid winter?

    How on Earth did we get to the point where nobodies having an argument online is news worthy?

      1. Ian-O

        You’re right of course, we didn’t, I don’t.

        The real question now is why I am still posting on this – not like I don’t have 1001 other more important things I might be doing like attempting to chew my toe nails down or washing my spigots.

        Also, I’d be interested in knowing what single malt he was drinking?

  10. Capt. McCallister

    Ah Terry, always with the self victomhood drama. The post didn’t actually label you a “Neo-nazi, racist, homophobic, transphobic, right-wing, hatred-inciting wanker” but it’s hilarious that you wish it had.

  11. White Dove

    Thank you Terry, you are very brave to publish this.

    The disproportionate behaviour of the people you write about is anti-free speech and has ruined twitter for a lot of people

    They are quite happy to be aggressive and rude to people on twitter, and to engage in Stasi-type behaviour doxing and complaining about people and businesses who don’t following their line, but they object if the same thing is done to themselves.

    A boycott is something that should only be used in very extreme and exceptional circumstances, and asserting one’s own right to free speech necessarily involves allowing the opinions of those who may disagree with you even when you find them offensive.

    Just look at the nonsense they have tweeted about Broadsheet, and yourself! Why would Broadsheet apologise to them? Do they think they own it or something? They are very much mistaken.

    I very much disagree with Gemma’s policy on immigrants and many other things but I strongly disagree with the boycotting of businesses who choose to host her functions and the doxing of her supporters, or indeed her perceived supporters.

    Keep going and remember that reasonable minded people greatly admire your courage and that of Broadsheet.

  12. James Doyle

    More self pitying tripe from Mr McMahon, trying to place himself and John Connors together in the haypenny place, ostracized by those nasty lefties for being – in his case, naive and wide eyed in his support for O Doherty – and in Connors case, brave in his resistance to the repeal movement.

    Absolute nonsense. And I’ll put some questions here which I put to Terry, which he refused to answer, instead fobbing them off with the same superciliousness he so naturally displays in this regurgitation of his Facebook post:

    Why is John Connors giving his support to a man like Hermann Kelly, who not a year ago was tweeting his support for Peter Casey and his “courage” in “telling the truth”, and when at the very same time, Connors was so upset at Casey’s tactics he was threatening to leave Ireland because all it took to win votes was attack travellers?

    Why is Connors, who not even a year ago was telling stories of how being called “knacker” and “pikey” damaged him, his self esteem, and his family, now tweeting that, though he hates the words, “he defends the right to say them?”.

    Why is he aligning himself with men like Kelly and Croft who have supported Matteo Salvini in Italy, even when Salvini launched a brutal crackdown on Roma in Italy?

    (Connors own answer to this, when asked about it by a traveller nonetheless was to comment that “do you even know who you are? Irish travellers aren’t Gypsys”. The implication is probably clear)

    It no doubts suits McMahon to spread this fiction that Connors is being “attacked for his courage”, but it is, and remains, absolute nonsense. Connors is being criticized for his Damascene conversion to the Catholic Far Right fringe of Irish politics. Not anything more or less. His being anti-choice, like McMahon himself, has nothing at all to do with this. His alignment with the right-wing fringe of Irish politics is the one and only reason for this criticism.

    And should he not be criticized for it?

    1. missred

      Good points there. I haven’t forgotten any of the good things John Connors has done or achieved and I don’t think people here have either (nor do we appreciate being treated like idiots who apparently need a reminder). People who do good things can be capable of making silly errors and consorting with the wrong people. This is what people are bringing up about him, not his artistic endeavours or social activism.

  13. some old queen

    We have very poor hate speech laws in this country and what we have is not enforced- that is the reality and when clowns then wrap themselves in the victim-hood of ‘free speech’- I just go “whatever”- if you were elsewhere you wouldn’t be able to even say what you are saying now.

    Step up Belfast city hall with a megaphone and see how long you last there lads- make no mistake, the same is coming here- and rightly so.

    And there is no point is saying that words do not incite- they do- Paisley was a master of it. But oh no that’s different. No it bloody well ins’t- he incited others to kill and maim and just because he was clever enough to not get his own hands dirty does not exonerate him from responsibility.

    1. some old queen

      Could broadsheet stop amending my grammar please?

      Also- by email if needed- explain why I am not allowed to post links. If something is legally questionable then surely a link helps?

      Otherwise you just don’t my taste in music in which case- your loss.

      1. Bodger

        some old queen, no idea why you can’t post links. I don’t think anyone else is experiencing this issue. Also, Vanessa does not moderate comments on this site. Please stop accusing her. She has nothing to do with the site beyond her column writing.

  14. Mr.Fart

    like the part where Terry says people forget that Connors is in actual films, so regardless of what he said about productive rights being genocide and everyones a baby murderer, you should keep it to yourself because.. hes in films. bow yee before the great film man. none of you were in a film were you? but he was. and might be in more. regardless of them all being terrible tripe. a film is a film and if you’re in one your word is infallible.

  15. A Person

    Terry, you almost made it – a whole article that didn’t feature yourself. And then you it ruined at the end. Also, how can any grown person not expect critics online (of all places) when they make public statements.

  16. Daisy Chainsaw

    Terry must have a portable old fashioned tape recorder answering machine that records the message aloud (just like in the movies).

    But, y’know, he makes films like his friend John, so that makes him so much better than the rest of us.

    1. Mr.Fart

      john connors: repealing the 8th amendment is genocide. you’re all baby killers.
      the sane portion of the public: thats a horrendous thing to say, and incorrect.
      terry mcmahon: woa woa woa .. this man .. was is in FILMS. You cannot talk to someone like that who was .. in FILMS!

        1. Daisy Chainsaw

          I know people who were in Oscar winning films. I think that makes me better than both of them because these films won proper awards.

    1. Fearganainm

      There may be certain people who enjoy calls like that – I wouldn’t be surprised if there were fee-charging services providing such specialised ‘entertainment’. The advertising of such services might be hard to monitor as I doubt very much that Golden Pages would carry ads for that kind of thing.

        1. Fearganainm

          ‘Tis said that some of them are frauds too – they make the call and then pour tea from a pot held eighteen inches above the cup. Apparently that fools the desperate and gullible.

  17. Skylark

    I put a reply on Terry McMahons post and asked him where precisely he or John Connors was being called a racist. The response for what was surely a perfectly reasonable request, “show me the evidence of your claims” met with no answer. Lots of colourful writing and loads of graphics to make a point. All based on a false premise. A master of spin.
    In future we’ll take what he says with more than a grain of salt. Fact is Terry told me he didnt even read the post to the end. Fact is the good friend whos hes rushing to defend was not called a fascist and neither was he.

    Fact is Conors was being called out for being an aider and abettor of fascism nothing more and the FACTS show that . Whether he intended to be or not is by the by. Charleton or fool the effect is the same, and has the same consequences.
    If John Connors wants to have tea and biscuits with fascists he can. Was he aware though, as someone who claims to be a champion of travellers rights, that Torino is a major supporter of the far right Malvini in Italy currently engaging in a reign of terror on the roma there? Is he really so naive to think that fascists know or care less about the difference between Irish Travellors and Roma?

    In his interview with Torino he says that because of his pro life views he was isolated by the liberal elite and blocked from saying the many other things he had to say. Turning to a nazi snake in the grass whos telling them what he wants to hear so he can use him to promote his show is really not the way to go.
    Id say to John Connors promote fascists if you will but remember the old saying. Those who sup with the Devil need a long spoon.

  18. MaryLou's ArmaLite

    Why don’t left wing loons see they are just and dangerous and corrosive as right wing loons?

    1. James Doyle

      Loons? Maybe. But McMahon, much like Connors himself, are quite obviously erecting scarecrows with this one small group, and a Facebook group to boot, to avoid very real questions over their respective relationships with (in McMahons case) the counter repeal movement (which I can only assume he imagine works I complete contrast to trh “hysterical” zealots of the Repeal movement) and in Connors case, full blown right wing nationalists.

      Never mind the very hypocrisy of McMahon’s assertions in this piece, wherein his feelings and intuition for O Doherty were valid reasons for his supporting her, even though he was asked by “people he knew” to examine this support… But if a leftist Facebook group dares call attention to this support, they are being “screaming stalinists”.

    1. some old queen

      I’d love to see Conor McGregor and Panti Bliss on the next series of Dancing with the Stars- real rock ‘n roll.

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