Sacred Cows (people no one dares criticise)

The Kennedy Family were worshiped without question in Ireland back in the day. The Dad Joe Kennedy's activities in the 20s and 30s are rarely spoken about, his bootlegging operation and Hollywood film Studio business which he used as a base to extort and strong arm other studios to give over money to an up and coming Sam Giancana in the 'Chicago Outfit' (The Italian Mafia in Chicago which Al Capone ruled up untill 1929).

Any good political buff will notice the name Giancana come up again in 1960, when Joe is trying to get his boy into office.

When the Sun Hits wrote: »

It's too late for me to get into a massive debate, and you always drag me into defending falsities and making long paragraphs with, what is (and no offence intended), merely whataboutery on your part a lot of the time. Genuinely, not trying to be a dick when I say that. :P I'll probably be unable to prevent myself from responding with something longer tomorrow when I'm more awake.

...


Finally, regardless of experience, someone at that age should not be put in that position by a national broadcaster. Which was my main point, I thought it was totally wrong and exploitative. You may not be aware, but in TV guides and other forms of media at the time it was described as him discussing depression, not just young people. So, whether this was unintentional or not it became a subject about depression and was seen as one.

Man, I'm out for tonight. A spiel of a post, as per usual when I talk to you. And I was trying to keep it brief. :P

I'll keep it brief then - Donal Walsh was by no means protected from vilification. He was as entitled as you or I to express his opinion in the national media and get his message out there using whatever means possible. He did so and I admire him for that. Some people don't, and some people blame the media for exploiting him.

Cold War Kid wrote: »

What's with the Obama mentions? I've seen people actually call him a nazi, not simply compare him to one but deem him one. He's so little of a sacred cow that people who don't even know what they're criticising, criticise him. He is one of the most fashionable public figures to criticise

Yeah, his insight into theoretical physics is just... talking "through his arse". Quite.

I was wondering how long it would take before a hawking worshiper came along.

dirtyden wrote: »

No it goes back into facilities in clubs around the country and into games development.

Some of it

When the Sun Hits wrote: »

He surely did. Was called out for it on here though, if I recall. Nothing gets past us boardsies.

Sad case of exploitation really. Sad in many other ways, obviously. He did a lot of great work raising money and that was what should have been focused on. Totally RTE's fault IMO, he was too young to fully understand the effects of depression, nevermind be given the medium to talk about it to thousands of people. Someone involved in production should have stepped up and prevented it.

I honestly don't understand what he's supposed to have done from the 20 posts about it in this thread?

martyos121 wrote: »

Paul O'Connell, mostly out of pure fear.

About the only name proffered so far that is entitled to be treated as a sacred cow. His honesty, endeavour, commitment, application, lack of ego, etc, while putting his health - both short and long term - on the line for Ireland, Munster and the Lions ,is beyond reproach. I am always of the opinion that with him, you always get what you see. Never met the man but there is something about him. For that matter have met with none of the rest either

Greenpeace.

Field east wrote: »

About the only name proffered so far that is entitled to be treated as a sacred cow. His honesty, endeavour, commitment, application, lack of ego, etc, while putting his health - both short and long term - on the line for Ireland, Munster and the Lions ,is beyond reproach. I am always of the opinion that with him, you always get what you see. Never met the man but there is something about him. For that matter have met with none of the rest either

Not arguing that by any means, but I just never heard a bad word said about him. He is an absolute hero as far as I'm concerned.

Bressie attains temporary Sonic-the-Hedgehog-esque invulnerability for a few days after talking about his mental health issues on the national airwaves (even if the main purpose of the interview was to promote his latest terrible show/album)

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I'll keep it brief then - Donal Walsh was by no means protected from vilification. He was as entitled as you or I to express his opinion in the national media and get his message out there using whatever means possible. He did so and I admire him for that. Some people don't, and some people blame the media for exploiting him.

I don't remember any vile or abusive posts or comments directed at him, so I'm not sure where you're getting this "vilification" from? Perhaps nasty posts were deleted by mods, I don't know. But strongly disagreeing with him is not vilification. You are right in that he is entitled to his opinion, and with that he let his opinions open for criticism. It was certainly taboo to criticise his beliefs publicly, in fact, it was generally greeted with a pretty defensive and aggressive response. Hence him being mentioned in this "sacred cow" thread.

Freedom in general is something I'm an advocate for, annoyingly and possibly unfeasibly so at times. I would never deny his right to express his opinion, as damaging I think they may have been. With freedom comes responsibility however, and RTE failed in theirs by allowing a young terminally ill boy talk about a sensitive and controversial issue on a form of media that reached the entire country and beyond.

We probably won't see eye to eye on it, tbh. Just a difference in opinions I guess. Arguing over whether it had a positive effect on more people than it had a negative effect is pointless. We don't know, and have no way of ever knowing.

Kurt cobain.

steddyeddy wrote: »

Muslim women covered head to toe and the husband walking uncovered beside her. Sorry but that is unacceptable in this day and age.

This is something regularly and openly criticised.