Ogra Fianna Fail Cumman chair retracts remarks on homosexuals

CorkPride

http://www.irishexaminer.com/election/analysis/ogra-ff-chair-retracts-remarks-on-homosexuals-147187.html

To quote the article... 'THE incoming chairperson of Ogra Fianna Fáil’s largest third-level cumann has apologised for suggesting gay adoption would be “detrimental” to the country and the “lifestyles engaged by the majority of those who have homosexuality...” was something he would never accept. In an blog dated February 27, 2010, Eoin Furlong — who was elected chairman of the Donogh O’Malley Cumann in University College Cork on Tuesday — wrote that “as a proud member of Fianna Fáil, and Ógra, this is one piece of policy that I simply cannot support”.'

What do people think of think of this? Is this the future of Fianna Fail? And why haven't the LGBT commented on it?

azezil

I believe he's in the right party for him and his views? *shrugs*

Annasopra

I think it's funny

KnifeWRENCH

I have friends that are involved in Donogh O'Malley Cumann and have met this guy before once or twice. I was aware that he had "interesting" views but he seemed like a pretty nice, normal guy to chat to.

“How can those people expect the majority of people in this country to take them seriously if they insist on prancing around half naked, sporting a tutu and sprinkling fairy dust around the country.”

That quote really does sound like he was just taking the piss. I reckon it was more an ill-judged attempt at humour than homophobic prejudice.

I wouldn't worry too much about this. He may be a traditionalist, but he's only one member. Ógra FF in general is much more progressive on gay rights than it's parent party.

BanzaiBk

I always lol at "lifestyles".

Aishae

BanzaiBk wrote: »

I always lol at "lifestyles".

brings to mind sportswear and footballs!

perhaps theyre worried about alienating the community a lá lucinda...
its a thought anyway

ninty9er

I know Eoin. He's one of our more conservative members...I'd put him in the top 1%.

That said, I don't think he would have intentionally said anything negative about gay people.

They're quite the conservative bunch in UCC really.

Annasopra

ninty9er wrote: »

That said, I don't think he would have intentionally said anything negative about gay people.

was his blog not intentional?

ninty9er

Johnnymcg wrote: »

was his blog not intentional?

I never said it wasn't. I doubt the intent was to offend.

edwinkane

CorkPride wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/election/analysis/ogra-ff-chair-retracts-remarks-on-homosexuals-147187.html

To quote the article... 'THE incoming chairperson of Ogra Fianna Fáil’s largest third-level cumann has apologised for suggesting gay adoption would be “detrimental” to the country and the “lifestyles engaged by the majority of those who have homosexuality...” was something he would never accept. In an blog dated February 27, 2010, Eoin Furlong — who was elected chairman of the Donogh O’Malley Cumann in University College Cork on Tuesday — wrote that “as a proud member of Fianna Fáil, and Ógra, this is one piece of policy that I simply cannot support”.'

What do people think of think of this? Is this the future of Fianna Fail? And why haven't the LGBT commented on it?

Does Fianna Fail have a future?

One of the most amazing stats from the last election was that nearly 1 on 5 of the electorate voted for FF. Thats much more depressing that what some unknown chairman of so bit of FF has to say about anything much.

Azure_sky

They're looking to the future to rebuild the party and are willing to compromise, or at least make promises to compromise, their personal social values to gain potential votes. It's pretty obvious.

oisindoyle

ninty9er wrote: »

I know Eoin. He's one of our more conservative members...I'd put him in the top 1%.

That said, I don't think he would have intentionally said anything negative about gay people.

They're quite the conservative bunch in UCC really.

Nah thats a kop out .The person knew exactly what he said and it was clearly offensive to gay people.The only thing is he was caught out .
Hes not the first ogra fianna failer who made comments like that.

hotmail.com

oisindoyle wrote: »

Nah thats a kop out .The person knew exactly what he said and it was clearly offensive to gay people.The only thing is he was caught out .
Hes not the first ogra fianna failer who made comments like that.

Exactly caught out - It shows some societal progression that he had to retract the views, years ago these views would be seen as acceptable.

stephen_n

Panti was talking about this on the last word yesterday and the qualifying remark made (not an excuse) was that this guy had never really had any interaction with gay people at the point that he posted that and seemingly has done an about turn on his views since going to college. If so it was just plain old ignorance on his behalf, seemingly and maybe some of the earlier posters from Cork could confirm this, he now has gay friends and is all for equality?

Annasopra

that's what the newspaper article says yes

ninty9er

Azure_sky wrote: »

They're looking to the future to rebuild the party and are willing to compromise, or at least make promises to compromise, their personal social values to gain potential votes. It's pretty obvious.

His personal social values don't matter in a party context. The party has policies, he can have input and agree or disagree, but his view is not the party's.

I still don't believe he made the comments to be intentionally offensive. Like I say he's one of the more conservative people in Ógra. I can't speak for them still being his views or not. I don't know him well enough.

The thread title is also quite misleading as he is the Chair of a cumann (and not the biggest or second biggest either), not the Chair of Ógra Fianna Fáil. Thomas Byrne, former Meath East TD is the Chair.

Annasopra

thread title edited

LegacyUser

BanzaiBk wrote: »

I always lol at "lifestyles".

I'm not gay, but I always have to laugh when I hear this word, lifestyles are things that are available in Argos, no?

pirateninja

stephen_n wrote: »

Panti was talking about this on the last word yesterday and the qualifying remark made (not an excuse) was that this guy had never really had any interaction with gay people at the point that he posted that and seemingly has done an about turn on his views since going to college. If so it was just plain old ignorance on his behalf, seemingly and maybe some of the earlier posters from Cork could confirm this, he now has gay friends and is all for equality?

Hi, I've been posting on the UCC forum and didn't realise there was another thread going on here. I know Eoin, and just want to clear up a few things. Firstly the blog post was written over a year ago, when he had barely turned 19. Secondly, what he wrote was ignorant, hurtful and any other name you wish to call it but he does not feel the same way anymore.

Since the blog was written he has converted to atheism and several of his close friends have come out. I can say he has been nothing but supportive.

I obviously do not condone what he wrote in anyway, but I would like to say that I think it shows how effective college LGBT societies and the learning experience in college itself can help people change their views. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but everyone also has the entitlement to change that view (especially when their only 20 and still developing their viewpoint on the world)

edwinkane

oisindoyle wrote: »

Nah thats a kop out .The person knew exactly what he said and it was clearly offensive to gay people.The only thing is he was caught out .
Hes not the first ogra fianna failer who made comments like that.

No gay people I know took the least offence at this.

I make it a golden rule not to find offence where none is intended, and to not take offence where it is intended.

Killer Pigeon

ninty9er wrote: »

I know Eoin. He's one of our more conservative members...I'd put him in the top 1%.

That said, I don't think he would have intentionally said anything negative about gay people.

They're quite the conservative bunch in UCC really.

Killer Pigeon

pirateninja wrote: »

Firstly the blog post was written over a year ago, when he had barely turned 19.

...

(especially when their only 20 and still developing their viewpoint on the world)

Totally irrelevant. I'm 19 and I know better than release such comments especially if I were in a position like his.

fat__tony

Pricks like him should be taken out and shot.

"Proud member of Fianna Fail" indeed.

Wanker.

ninty9er

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Totally irrelevant. I'm 19 and I know better than release such comments especially if I were in a position like his.

What position was that??

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Don't look down your nose at me:D

Also, what gets me (I haven't seen the article) is how it is national front page news that a chair of a college society with, I dunno, less than 500 members, sad something over a year ago?

Killer Pigeon

ninty9er wrote: »

What position was that??


Don't look down your nose at me:D

Also, what gets me (I haven't seen the article) is how it is national front page news that a chair of a college society with, I dunno, less than 500 members, sad something over a year ago?

He posted this remark in a blog post, right? Presumably it was in some sort of article he wrote a year ago where he was addressing political issues, right?

I know myself, that one needs to work their way up to the position of chair in a college society, so I presume that last year he would have been vice-chair. I also know that in political societies, people who occupy committee positions are usually members of the main party. They also represent the national youth wing of the party in their respective college. This was his position - member of the FF party and also vice-chair of UCC Ógra, right?

So he held a position like this, even though it's relatively insignificant, while being a member of the Fianna Fáil party and then turned around and wrote a horrible blog post that was politically motivated and didn't expect any repercussions?

I know people in college political parties who nearly faced expulsion from their respective political parties for making comments that haven't been as bad as this.

ninty9er

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

He posted this remark in a blog post, right? Presumably it was in some sort of article he wrote a year ago where he was addressing political issues, right?

I know myself, that one needs to work their way up to the position of chair in a college society, so I presume that last year he would have been vice-chair. I also know that in political societies, people who occupy committee positions are usually members of the main party. They also represent the national youth wing of the party in their respective college. This was his position - member of the FF party and also vice-chair of UCC Ógra, right?

So he held a position like this, even though it's relatively insignificant, while being a member of the Fianna Fáil party and then turned around and wrote a horrible blog post that was politically motivated and didn't expect any repercussions?

I know people in college political parties who nearly faced expulsion from their respective political parties for making comments that haven't been as bad as this.

Politically motivated?

My guess is that the policy he was referring to is http://issuu.com/ografiannafail/docs/marriage_equality so to shout about Fianna Fáil and bigotry is ill informed.

I never made a national front page for anything I said when I was chair of a Fianna Fáil cumann. And I'm sure there were some opinions that would have given opportunity, particularly the shouting in favour of fees and the underfunding of third level.

Killer Pigeon

ninty9er wrote: »

Politically motivated?

Yes, a comment that expression ones views on a politically sensitive would be politically motivated - albeit his own political opinions.

ninty9er wrote: »

so to shout about Fianna Fáil and bigotry is ill informed.

I wasn't.

ninty9er wrote: »

I never made a national front page for anything I said when I was chair of a Fianna Fáil cumann. And I'm sure there were some opinions that would have given opportunity, particularly the shouting in favour of fees and the underfunding of third level.

The whole fees argument isn't as politically sensitive as gay rights. I'm sure if you had posted such comments on a blog post that could be read by all then you would have come under fire too - no matter what political party you were associated with.

ixoy

fat__tony wrote: »

Pricks like him should be taken out and shot.

"Proud member of Fianna Fail" indeed.

Wanker.

Less of that vitrol okay? Rise above it.

BanzaiBk

Ah look, Eoin is genuinely a nice guy but he does represent a fairly conservative cumman (imo). Just like the Creighton furore his views are his own. I'd be surprised if people weren't offended though, he did an awful lot of tarring with the same brush.

Monty Burnz

CorkPride wrote: »

the “lifestyles engaged by the majority of those who have homosexuality...”

:rolleyes:

mikemac

If offence was caused maybe bombard his facebook or the cumann facebook page and shout him down

You know, as was done when Lucinda Creighton who expressed her own views...

Monty Burnz

feelingstressed wrote: »

If offence was caused maybe bombard his facebook or the cumann facebook page and shout him down

You know, as was done when Lucinda Creighton who expressed her own views...

I don't see that happening as the election is over. Also, presumably the guy isn't a public representative...

vetinari

Am I missing something here? This guy made a homophobic remark a year ago and has now retracted it. In addition he appears to have made friends with several gay people and openly admits that his previous remarks were totally wrong. Yet people here are still bashing him??

Not exactly the most tolerant view...

hotmail.com

vetinari wrote: »

Am I missing something here? This guy made a homophobic remark a year ago and has now retracted it. In addition he appears to have made friends with several gay people and openly admits that his previous remarks were totally wrong. Yet people here are still bashing him??

Not exactly the most tolerant view...

He retracted them because he got caught.

And he's not being bashed.

ninty9er

hotmail.com wrote: »

And he's not being bashed.

The view that's presented would suggest that not only has he been called a wanker here, but also is just an ordinary 20 year old kid who has been castigated by a national "broadsheet" newspaper.

If that's what counts for journalism these days no wonder the country is in **** given the influence of the media on the ignorant masses who let the papers do their thinking for them.

Annasopra

Hang on - only 1 poster called him a wanker and was reprimanded for doing so. Please don't make it seem like we are all calling him a wanker.

ninty9er

Johnnymcg wrote: »

Hang on - only 1 poster called him a wanker and was reprimanded for doing so. Please don't make it seem like we are all calling him a wanker.

On any other forum a yellow card would have been issued. Good people standing idly by and all that politicians have been accused of recently. double standards IMO.

Not everyone did it, but one person said it, and another thanked the post. I've seen examples of this where even the thanker was banned for a week.

Dr. Baltar

ninty9er wrote: »

20 year old kid

An oxymoron if I ever heard one.

Azure_sky

Dr. Baltar wrote: »

An oxymoron if I ever heard one.

High school never ends for some people.

Azure_sky

ninty9er wrote: »

On any other forum a yellow card would have been issued. Good people standing idly by and all that politicians have been accused of recently. double standards IMO.

Not everyone did it, but one person said it, and another thanked the post. I've seen examples of this where even the thanker was banned for a week.

Different sub forums of boards have different moderation philosophies. Compare the Christianity forum to the Islamic forum in terms of censorship.

Annasopra

Folks - discussing moderation is off topic as per the forum charter

hotmail.com

ninty9er wrote: »

The view that's presented would suggest that not only has he been called a wanker here, but also is just an ordinary 20 year old kid who has been castigated by a national "broadsheet" newspaper.

If that's what counts for journalism these days no wonder the country is in **** given the influence of the media on the ignorant masses who let the papers do their thinking for them.

Where does a 20 year old come up with these views! Most kids I know are quite open to gay people.

L1011

hotmail.com wrote: »

Where does a 20 year old come up with these views! Most kids I know are quite open to gay people.

Religion, parents, internalised homophobia, pick one. Might not be but that'd be the general three.