The Iona Institute

Peregrinus · 29-01-2014 6:18am

ewan whose army wrote: »

Irish law is weird somehow, In the UK Iona couldn't be an Institute since it doesn't do peer reviewed scientific research, the closest we have are the Christian Voice (the lot who tried to get the makers of Jerry Springer the opera done under blastphemy laws)

There's nothing magic about the word "institute" in British law; its use is not controlled. Anyone can call themselves an "institute", and there is no requirement to do peer-reviewed scientific research in order to use the title.

Neither the Adam Smith Institute nor the Royal National Lifeboat Institute nor the Keston Institute nor the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music nor the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy conduct peer-reviewed scientific research, yet they are all established in the UK.

Annasopra · 29-01-2014 11:22am

Shakti wrote: »

I'd no idea they were an actual charity what charitable work do they do?

okay so it was ionas video which was suspended by google

Google suspended their account but it was a mistake

ewan whose army · 29-01-2014 12:05pm

mango salsa wrote: »

Google suspended their account but it was a mistake

I think if a video gets a significant number of flags they automatically pull it pending review.

diddlybit · 29-01-2014 1:21pm

Great article on the Institute's rhetoric:

http://oireachtasretort.tumblr.com/post/74874203955/when-will-they-think-of-the-children

Lou.m · 30-01-2014 11:15pm

You know what really gets me about them though?

Not just their stances on LGBT but there betrayal of the ordinary Irish citizen and democratic debate.

They are more loyal to the big foreign bucks than to ordinary citizens. They BUY the debate and dominate it by dictatorship.

The stuff they say on cohabiting straight couples etc could NEVER fly with the majority of Irish people in this day and age and they know it.

There was an article about a Seek Garda being allowed to wear a turbin (they objected to it) that was really nasty.

They have no grass roots movement. Or if they do allow Irish money to fund it.

If Irish people really have these opinions then let their money fund it. I don't want to be dictated to.

And I can see it becoming a feature of Irish politics that we have snide money chasers turning against their own citizens and sucking in the cash from elsewhere.

Lou.m · 30-01-2014 11:23pm

LOOK LOOK!

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Power called on the Minister for Communications to address the Seanad over the recent revelations that RTÉ has made a financial settlement with individuals associated with the Iona Institute.

She makes brilliant points! She speaks brilliantly!

GO GIRL!

Lou.m · 30-01-2014 11:53pm

http://www.her.ie/life/the-saturday-night-show-to-host-a-debate-on-homophobia-this-weekend/

http://www.her.ie/life/the-saturday-night-show-to-host-a-debate-on-homophobia-this-weekend/

???
Um is this a good choice?

31-01-2014 12:10am

Lou.m wrote: »

LOOK LOOK!

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Power called on the Minister for Communications to address the Seanad over the recent revelations that RTÉ has made a financial settlement with individuals associated with the Iona Institute.

She makes brilliant points! She speaks brilliantly!

GO GIRL!

Can't understand why she's in FF; she always comes across like a very decent and capable person but aligning herself with FF will put people off voting for her. I'd like to think she could be part of a "new" Fianna Fáil with more in common with Lemass than with Haughey or Ahern....but I don't wanna be too optimistic either.

J_E · 31-01-2014 12:51am

Lou.m wrote: »

http://www.her.ie/life/the-saturday-night-show-to-host-a-debate-on-homophobia-this-weekend/

http://www.her.ie/life/the-saturday-night-show-to-host-a-debate-on-homophobia-this-weekend/

???
Um is this a good choice?

To be honest this could go anywhere at this stage. I am really not sure what RTE are doing at the moment, seems to be all over the place.

Daith · 31-01-2014 12:48pm

Cydoniac wrote: »

To be honest this could go anywhere at this stage. I am really not sure what RTE are doing at the moment, seems to be all over the place.

I think this is such a knee jerk reaction. They've already paid Iona!

J_E · 31-01-2014 1:13pm

Daith wrote: »

I think this is such a knee jerk reaction. They've already paid Iona!

The sheer arrogance of inviting Pussy Riot on to speak. Presumably about their censorship in Russia.

Lou.m · 31-01-2014 11:43pm

LOL BULLSEYE! BRILLIANT!

Annasopra · 01-02-2014 12:39am

Cydoniac wrote: »

To be honest this could go anywhere at this stage. I am really not sure what RTE are doing at the moment, seems to be all over the place.

It sounds to me like they are going to have David Quinn on claiming he is the victim of internet hate campaigns.

Coming up on The Saturday Night Show this week, Pussy Riot’s Nadja and Masha will be in to tell us about their two years in a Russian prison and Constantin Gurgiev will be in with them. We’ll be talking about homophobia, internet hate campaigns and freedom of speech. Marty Whelan will be talking about his new head of hair and the confidence it’s brought him. Strictly Come Dancing’s Vincent and Flavia are going to give us a special tango and there will be a great performance from Cavan singer songwriter Lisa O’Neill. Tune in at 10.05pm and enjoy!

Annasopra · 01-02-2014 11:32am

The Iona Institute are exceptionally good at PR and media messaging. It is now really fascinating to watch what is going on. Their message is now "we are victims"

Exhibit A: Iona's mailing list email disclosing the payment of monies by RTÉ. The second half of that email made much of those nasty emails, with the emphasis on being victims.

- Exhibit B: Their supporters; Jim Walsh in the Seanad claiming victimhood on their behalf, John McGuirk (self declared expert on everything) is shifting the emphasis of his discussion on twitter to abusive correspondence allegedly sent to his mother and their solicitor Kevin Brophy made a long statement claiming defamation etc

- Exhibit C: David Quinn's column in the Indo, again on the topic of abusive emails, and emphasising victimhood and being subjected to "hate."

- Exhibit

The Saturday Night Show announced on Thursday plans to have a debate on homophobia. This changed to "a discussion on homophobia, twitter hate campaigns and freedom of expression,"

Daith · 01-02-2014 11:40am

It's the fact that RTE paid out gives Iona all their ammunition.

Do we even know who's on the panel?

Annasopra · 01-02-2014 1:50pm

Daith wrote: »

It's the fact that RTE paid out gives Iona all their ammunition.

Do we even know who's on the panel?

According to twitter tonights pannelists are

Noel Whelan
Susan Philips

Averil Power
Colm O'Gorman

Daith · 01-02-2014 2:05pm

mango salsa wrote: »

According to twitter tonights pannelists are

Noel Whelan
Susan Philips

Averil Power
Colm O'Gorman

Thanks for that. I like both Colm and Averil but can not stand Susan Philips. I'll be in Pantibar!

Emzer92 · 03-02-2014 3:50pm

Looks like RTÉ has largely funded Iona's anti-equal marriage campaign for the Referendum

Vivisectus · 03-02-2014 4:18pm

I wonder if I can sue RTE for calling the BNP extreme-rightwing?

diddlybit · 03-02-2014 5:51pm

Vivisectus wrote: »

I wonder if I can sue RTE for calling the BNP extreme-rightwing?

Are you a member of the BNP?

Lou.m · 03-02-2014 11:19pm

Panti in the Huffington Post and Iownya Institute called out for what they are under parliamentary privilege. :-)

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getVod.do?mode=unit&language=EN&vodId=1391456569218

MEP Paul Murphy names known people as homophobes under parliamentary privilege.

feardeas · 04-02-2014 3:11am

Wouldn't be a fan of Murphy in general but fair play to him.

The debate on marriage equality was never going to be a picnic. There will be heavy pounding on both sides. This is just the opening skirmish.

At the end of the day we have to trust that people will listen to calm and reasoned argument and vote to move us along.

Vivisectus · 04-02-2014 9:19am

diddlybit wrote: »

Are you a member of the BNP?

Hell no

I am just saying that if calling the Iona Institute homophobic is potentially lawsuit-worthy, then what the hell does it take before you can call a group extreme rightwing or racist?

The KKK also has their apologists, claiming they are not against anyone, but are just protecting the "rights and culture" of white people. I assume that saying that their publications are sometimes venues where people are mean about black people now constitutes libel according to RTE and the Iona group?

What a shameful, spineless display.

ewan whose army · 09-02-2014 1:39pm

Vivisectus wrote: »

I wonder if I can sue RTE for calling the BNP extreme-rightwing?

I doubt it would be, the BNP have no money Nick Griffin is bust thank god, when I see them I am ashamed to be English

The BNP are openly far-right, it can't be slander.

If Iona were to say they are Homophobic then they can't be done for slander, its happened in the US with these groups like Family Research Council, they admitted they are opposed to homosexuality and see it as a "pervesion" or a mental illness so they can't sue for slander if they have admitted to being homophobic themselves.

Iona have been clever they have said just below what would make them to admit to being homophobic.

Vivisectus · 11-02-2014 9:03am

ewan whose army wrote: »

I doubt it would be, the BNP have no money Nick Griffin is bust thank god, when I see them I am ashamed to be English

The BNP are openly far-right, it can't be slander.

If Iona were to say they are Homophobic then they can't be done for slander, its happened in the US with these groups like Family Research Council, they admitted they are opposed to homosexuality and see it as a "pervesion" or a mental illness so they can't sue for slander if they have admitted to being homophobic themselves.

Iona have been clever they have said just below what would make them to admit to being homophobic.

Not really. They base a lot of their opposition on the Catholic stance, which states explicitly that it views homosexuality as "disordered". In their opinion pieces one of these people openly stated that he believes that gay people just want the right to marry in order to "destroy marriage", which again is an openly homophobic stance: it attributes malicious motives to an entire tranche of the population without any rational reason to do so.

This is why I am so amazed that RTE rolled over on this. Even if the opinions of a guest (!) on their show constituted slander on their part, the statements are very clearly not slanderous!

MicraBoy · 11-02-2014 6:22pm

Vivisectus wrote: »

This is why I am so amazed that RTE rolled over on this. Even if the opinions of a guest (!) on their show constituted slander on their part, the statements are very clearly not slanderous!

They rolled over because Brendan O'Connor messed up. He should never have asked outright for names. Complete fail on his part and hence RTE's.

Lou.m · 11-02-2014 9:06pm

MicraBoy wrote: »

They rolled over because Brendan O'Connor messed up. He should never have asked outright for names. Complete fail on his part and hence RTE's.

Rory was not actually forthcoming with them until he was actually asked outright.

It is partially Brendan's blunder that has Rory and RTE in the position they are in.

I don't think Panti should be blamed for giving the answer to a question posed to him by RTÉ.

If RTÉ asked the question and airs the answer they are responsible.

He 'apologized' for a truthful answer by Rory to a question he himself asked. And to be honest if he is in Broadcasting he would have known what names were going to come out anyway.

RTE has had three fairly recent libel suits due to it's own incompetence.

Philomena Porter

Irish public broadcaster RTE has issued a clarification in its libel settlement with a County Cork, Ireland woman named Mary Philomena Porter, the Irish Times reported.

Porter, a "nursing home owner," sued over RTE's Prime Time Investigates Dec. 7, 2009 story on "social welfare fraud." According to the Irish Times, "No details of the settlement were disclosed in court, but it was confirmed that RTE had agreed to pay Ms Porter’s full costs."

RTE's clarification over the matter, sent to iMediaEthics by RTE's Carolyn Fisher reads:

"In its Prime Time Investigates programme of 7 December 2009 RTÉ addressed the important issue of Social Welfare Fraud – a matter of significant public interest. For purposes of explanation of a serious and substantial fraud committed by another person, the programme referred to Mary Philomena Porter. RTÉ is happy to state that it did not suggest nor does it suggest that Mary Philomena Porter was a participant in or guilty of that fraud or any fraud and RTÉ is happy to acknowledge her good reputation in her community."

The Irish Independent noted that the clarification isn't labeled "an apology."

Irish Catholic priest Father Kevin Reynolds. Serious libel.

Sean Gallagher ( the infamous tweet during the presidential elections). MOre serious libel.

Brendan made a huge error.

Nevertheless I don't think Rory went near to defamation and it's the truth.
They jumped the gun and got scared and they know it.

What annoys me most is that I keep hearing 'Poor RTE they have six lawsuits against them etc etc' 'We are protecting the Taxpayer etc'.

Rory has 5 lawsuits against him because he was asked on the show was brought down that path of conversation and baited by Brendan and was specifically asked for names outright. Rory is one man experiencing what RTE was moaning and playing the victim card about. Rory has no vast state organization to defend him financially against what RTE was protecting taxpayers from. He is just one guy.

The reason he was asked and baited in that way was because the interviewer was incredulous about there being homophobic opinions in Ireland.

Rory was not making commentary he was answering a direct question from Brendan who would have known it was the identities he was asking for. He had heard the previous conversation. Infact I think it was Brendan who actually said the word homophobe. I am not sure.

But Brendan is the broadcaster supposedly in control of the situation and is in the know about broadcasting matters etc etc. Rory was not he was the guest.

:mad:

I wish there was more Team Panti could do for Rory.

Ten of Swords · 13-06-2014 1:40pm

The BAI have rejected all complaints in relation to RTEs apology

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/bai-rejects-all-complaints-on-saturday-night-show-pantigate-apology-30352405.html

J_E · 13-06-2014 2:45pm

Of course they did. For better or worse though, the damage has been done now. I think it backfired on Iona more spectacularly than they thought.

periodictable · 13-06-2014 11:50pm

Here's one for the homophobes

The Iona Institute

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