Get her.
On Sunday the 2nd of February LGBT Noise will host an event for the LGBT community and supporters to respond to the recent controversy over comments made by LGBT rights advocate, Rory O’Neill, on the RTE’s Saturday Night Show on January 11th.
The protest will take place at 2pm on South King Street, Dublin outside the Gaiety Theatre
Thanks Buzz
RTE. You so irony.
RTÉ.ie Image of the Day: Love and Laws (RTÉ News)
Pic: Getty Images
Previously: Not Going Away
I submitted a Special Notice Question today in relation to the RTE payout/ #pantigate issue. It was refused. Text to follow. (1/2)
— Catherine Murphy (@CathMurphyTD) January 29, 2014
The apology and payment of damages by the national broadcaster to a private organisation without substantive just cause and… (2/3) — Catherine Murphy (@CathMurphyTD) January 29, 2014
the dangerous precedent for public discourse this action sets.” (3/3)
— Catherine Murphy (@CathMurphyTD) January 29, 2014
Meanwhile…
In an open letter to RTE, Brian Barrington, a legal expert on equality and human Rights, writes:
“…it is now incumbent on RTE to provide clarification on what it will not permit to be stated in other contexts also. RTE should therefore make clear what it will and will not tolerate in the following scenarios:
a. a person states that women should not be allowed to work outside the home. Is it permissible on Irish Television to offer the opinion that the person is a misogynist, even if one makes clear that he or she believes that misogyny includes discrimination against women?
b. a person states that Ireland should have fewer immigrants. Will RTE censor any person who states that the speaker is xenophobic?
c. a Northern Ireland politician objects to an Orange Order march, stating that the Orange Order is sectarian. Will RTE prevent the broadcast of such utterances and provide compensation to leading lights in the Orange Order?
If, however, any of the above is permissible, will RTE explain why it is not equally permissible to state that a group that campaigns against same sex marriage is homophobic?
Full letter here
Meanwhile…
“In its apology to the Iona Institute, RTÉ stated “is an important part of democratic debate that people must be able to hold dissenting views on controversial issues”, in terms presumably agreed in advance with the Iona Institute.
What these words tell us that it isn’t just a definition of marriage or homophobia that the Iona Institute seeks, but the power to enforce definitions that maintain proper order, including the definition of democracy.
According to the idea of democratic debate shared by RTÉ, the Iona Institute and Irish Times columnist Noel Whelan (and many other people), democratic debate doesn’t need to account for inequalities and prejudices enforced by dominant institutions.
It doesn’t need to account for the power to summon lawyers to threaten and prosecute.
It doesn’t need to account for the history of violence perpetrated against oppressed minorities and communities and the social wellsprings of such oppression.
It doesn’t need to account for conflicting interests and motives (‘it is also a very important part of democratic debate that individuals do not constantly have their motives and intentions called into question’)
It doesn’t need to account for the fact that calls for tolerance and respectful debate and liberal persuasion are a great deal easier in these parts when you are invited to speak up on behalf of the oppressive tendencies of the State, not against them.
By Definition (Cunning Hired Knaves)
Hat tip: Gavan Titley and Buzz
Like cash money?
Really?
REALLY
REALLY?
Yes.
Via The Iona Institute
“ON Saturday Night Live (sic) last weekend, presenter Brendan O’Connor read out an apology to Breda O’Brien, The Iona Institute, and writer and broadcaster John Waters after a guest a fortnight before had accused all of the aforementioned parties of being ‘homophobic’.
RTE has also agreed to pay damages to the injured parties.
The apology read: “On the Saturday Night Show on the 11th of January last, comments were made by a guest suggesting that the journalist and broadcaster John Waters, Breda O’Brien and some members of the Iona Institute are homophobic. These are not the views of RTÉ, and we would like to apologise for any upset or distress caused to the individuals named or identified. It is an important part of democratic debate that people must be able to hold dissenting views on controversial issues.”
We might add that it is also a very important part of democratic debate that individuals do not constantly have their motives and intentions called into question.
Accusations of ‘homophobia’, which are made with great regularity in the debate about same-sex marriage and adoption, are precisely an attempt to demonise and impute the worst of motives to those who believe that marriage is the sexual and emotional union of a man and a woman by definition, and that children deserve the love of both a mother and a father whenever possible.
The accusations are an attempt to bring the debate to an end.
It is similar to what sometimes happens in the abortion debate when extremists on both sides attribute nothing but the worst possible motives to their opponents.
It should be noted that no-one can ever point to a quote from The Iona Institute that can be any stretch be called genuinely abusive or ‘homophobic’.
The problem is that merely believing that marriage is the sexual union of a man and a woman, and that children deserve the love of both a mother and a father whenever possible is automatically deemed to be ‘homophobic’ by those wishing to close down this debate.
Apart from accusations of ‘homophobia’, The Iona Institute also receives abusive and even threatening phone calls and emails from those opposed to our point of view.
Yesterday, for example, we received an email which said: ‘Please, if you are reading this, kill yourself.”
The email added: “I will put it to you this way, if I had met anyone from your institute I would not think twice about kicking their f**king face in.”
During the various national debates on abortion there are always calls for a ‘calm and reasonable’ debate.
We must also have a calm and reasonable debate about same-sex marriage and adoption.
The RTE apology is an extremely valuable and important contribution to having such a debate.”
Hardcore.
RTE Apologises to Iona Institute (Iona Institute)
Meanwhile,
John Waters’ replacement on the Broadcasting Authority.
The Cabinet has approved the appointment of former Irish Times journalist Séamus Martin to the board of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
You’ll know de brother.
Journalist Séamus Martin appointed to Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (Irish Times)
“Now on the Saturday Night Show two weeks ago, comments were made by a guest [Miss Panti Bliss, Rory O’Neill] suggesting that the journalist and broadcaster John Waters, Breda O’Brien and some members of the Iona Institute are homophobic. These are not the views of RTE and we would like to apologise for any upset or distress caused to the individuals named or identified. It’s an important part of democratic debate that people must be able to hold dissenting views on controversial issues…
…Now, coming up in part two, could you cope if society collapsed? And we’ll see the cream of upcoming Irish craft design.”
Brendan O’Connor, Saturday Night Show this evening.
Fuppin’ groupthink.
Watch in full here.
Previously: Panti’s Back On
In fairness.
Sean, from Loft-based damn hipster, after-school hangout ‘elev8’ [weekdays on RTE 1 at 4pm] pathethically clutches manfully wrestles an alligator.
elv8 are also looking for a mini-reporter…
Squee!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OirA7MO5Y7M
Contemporary dance followed by that look.
Magluby writes:
“n in news blooper on tonight’s [RTE] Six One..”
Needs more Holly.
And finally…
Fred Murray writes:
Female Tennis Eugenie Bouchard on Six One this eve tells the Melbourne crowd who she’d like to date most in the world… Dobbo and Shazza loved this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIuXE63zUGM&feature=youtu.be&t=32s
They should abduct all the journalists and let Amber go. #amber
— Frank Coughlan (@fmcomment) January 20, 2014
Now reporters interview minors without parental consent!! Jesus Christ! #amber #get real
— Conor Feehan (@conor_feehan) January 20, 2014
All journalists are mean & nasty the end. #Amber
— June Shannon (@juneshannon) January 20, 2014
I think I just heard a journalist-type in #Amber ask an editor-type if she can have “an advance” for the story she is working on. Hilarious!
— Laura Slattery (@LauraSlattery) January 20, 2014
Some disquiet on the tweet machine with regard to the depiction of Maeve the journalist (Justine Mitchell) in the rather excellent ‘Amber’ currently showing on RTÉ One.
Some clatter, in fairness.
Previously: 2014 Broadsheet Trailer Park Awards
The speed at which news is now brought to the public can be both frightening and dangerous. The rush to be first cannot and must not be at the expense of old-school basics and values. Speed is no substitute for accuracy, and we will continue to try to provide the most comprehensive and trusted news service that we can.
They think they’re great.
With their desks.