Indo published more homophobic tripe. Here's how to complain to the Press Ombudsman

Syth

As you may have seen ( http://www.pantibar.com/blog.aspx?contentid=20886 ) the Indo has published a homophobic "opinion piece" by Kevin Myers. Panti's blog has the details.

There is feck all in this country for reinging in the press, closest we have is a press ombudsman. Here's how to write an offical complaint: http://www.technomancy.org/lgbt/kevin-myers/

ninty9er

I would think it's more a matter for letters to the editor.

Annasopra

ninty9er wrote: »

I would think it's more a matter for letters to the editor.

why not a complaint? his language is deliberately stirring up hatred

actuallylike

So more people have died from Aids than in the Vietnam War therefore da gheys are...wait, what?

I see at the bottom there's an editorial stamp, "Comments that are judged to be defamatory, abusive or tasteless will not be approved and contributors who consistently fall below these criteria will be permanently blacklisted", does that apply to the author?

stephen_n

mango salsa wrote: »

why not a complaint? his language is deliberately stirring up hatred

Which is what Kevin Myers does on every single topic he ever writes about!

Freedom of speech is a hard one to legislate for, Meyers pieces are opinion pieces and not presented as anything else. You know what they say about opinions and Meyers certainly is one. Although his language is deliberately antagonistic and inflamatory he is careful to stay the right side of inciting hatred. Just as much as Panti writing an article or giving comment about LGB issues would be offensive to right wing catholics, Meyers speaks to converted its not likely that his opinions would change anyones world view but by all means complain and feed his ego!

foggy_lad

Getting annoyed about this kind of stuff and making a big public fuss is exactly what is wanted by the author and the paper. Save your energy for something important like enjoying the day or helping someone out for a few minutes etc etc

There is always better things we can be doing instead of entertaining thoughts of this person and his opinions:D

we all know what is right and wrong and this auld hack's opinions are not going to change anything!

stephen_n

Goddamn it now I ended up reading his moronic rantings, something I generally avoid like the plague. Doesn't change anything though he carefully avoids taking responsibility for the more obnoxious points on to the readers who agree with him! Intelligence and ignorance are a really horrible combination but complaints and controversy are probably the only solace for that pathetic little man!

foggy_lad

stephen_n wrote: »

Goddamn it now I ended up reading his moronic rantings, something I generally avoid like the plague. Doesn't change anything though he carefully avoids taking responsibility for the more obnoxious points on to the readers who agree with him! Intelligence and ignorance are a really horrible combination but complaints and controversy are probably the only solace for that pathetic little man!

Ah don't beat yourself up for reading it, it's only words and without substance they are powerless!

Syth

The Irish Independent wants to be held to a higher standard. They are part of the Press Council of Ireland and have signed up to the Code of Practice ( http://www.presscouncil.ie/code-of-practice.10.html ), which includes agreeing to not publish anything that's likely to cause offence or stir up hatred against people based on sexual orientation. They have almost certainly done this.

Everyone can choose what to do with this, getting on with your life, or kicking up a fuss, ignoring it or spreading the world, these are all valid choices. Me, I'm kicking up a fuss.

LegacyUser

Myers is nothing but a stupid troll.

As one blogger said about this fiasco, Myopic, Yobbish, Erroneous, Ridiculous, Scandelous.

I'd be for freedom of speech, but Myers is just abusing it.

stephen_n

Syth wrote: »

The Irish Independent wants to be held to a higher standard. They are part of the Press Council of Ireland and have signed up to the Code of Practice ( http://www.presscouncil.ie/code-of-practice.10.html ), which includes agreeing to not publish anything that's likely to cause offence or stir up hatred against people based on sexual orientation. They have almost certainly done this.

Everyone can choose what to do with this, getting on with your life, or kicking up a fuss, ignoring it or spreading the world, these are all valid choices. Me, I'm kicking up a fuss.

I Fully respect that, I just prefer to ignore him

floggg

While it is truly a horrible piece that relies on misconceptions and distirtions of fact, I don't think complaining to the indo or ombudsman does anything. The indo has set its stall out to peddle gutter journalism to stay controversial and try and increase sales. See for example their recent article on the polish lady in Donegal.

Instead, if you really feel passionately about the issue, why not try and help to undo the damage this sort of crap does by getting involved in the campaigns run by LGBT Noise and Marriage Equality?

Marriage Equality are currently running a campaign to encourage people to visit their TDs to express their support for marriage equality.

See here - http://www.marriagequality.ie/getinvolved/tdcampaign.html

Letting your TD know the importance of the issue will do far more to secure marriage equality than writing a letter about a professional troll like Myers.

Annasopra

floggg wrote: »

While it is truly a horrible piece that relies on misconceptions and distirtions of fact, I don't think complaining to the indo or ombudsman does anything. The indo has set its stall out to peddle gutter journalism to stay controversial and try and increase sales. See for example their recent article on the polish lady in Donegal.

Instead, if you really feel passionately about the issue, why not try and help to undo the damage this sort of crap does by getting involved in the campaigns run by LGBT Noise and Marriage Equality?

Marriage Equality are currently running a campaign to encourage people to visit their TDs to express their support for marriage equality.

See here - http://www.marriagequality.ie/getinvolved/tdcampaign.html

Letting your TD know the importance of the issue will do far more to secure marriage equality than writing a letter about a professional troll like Myers.

The article isn't just about marriage equality though

I found a good response to it

https://www.facebook.com/notes/richard-duffy/a-letter-i-sent-to-the-irish-independent-today-regarding-kevin-myers-latest-offe/10150739760996320

Sir,

I was absolutely disgusted to read Myers article entitled "Every Single Human Decision has a consequence -- So remember that the next time you vote for someone's rights".

The piece was full of bigoted rhetoric and a gross distortion of facts.

I am a father, I am raising my daughter with her mother and we are in a committed relationship. We have many friends who are homosexual. At a large celebration of my daughter's christening last week there were a number of lesbian couples present as they are our friends, and they have been good and kind to us and our daughter.

Were something to happen to myself and my partner I would have no qualms about my daughter being raised by a homosexual couple.

Myers' citing of the lack of a father figure as a cause of criminal lifestyles was quite simply the most blatant twisting of facts to support a neanderthal opinion I have ever seen. It is not the fatherlessness of these homes which is the problem; it is the single parentedness of these homes which exist in a system which does not provide adequate support to single parent homes. I believe two parents is a tremendous aid to the raising of happy individuals (though there are plenty of single parents who do a fantastic job). I do not believe the gender of the parents has any relevence whatsoever. In fact the majority of studies I have encountered show that whether children are raised in heterosexual or homosexual home has absolutely no effect. I have even come across a few studies which show that same-sex homes are better (these are fewer in number than those which show no difference, but greater in number than those which show mixed sex parentage is better).

The most contemptible part of Myers' article was his assertion that "I am not implying any paedophilia here." How did paedophilia even enter the equation

How did that subject come to be mentioned in this article? Myers may as well have said "I'm not implying any genocide here", or even simply, "I'm not implying any interest in sports here." Paedophilia has absolutely no relevence in this article and the sole reason for its presence is a seedy attempt to weasel an association into the mind of the reader between paedophilia and homosexuality. No such association exists.

Finally, Myers states that the "death toll" of homosexual liberation in the United States was 250,000 AIDS deaths. This is like saying that the death toll of the Civil Rights Movement was 250,000 gangland shootings. AIDS is not a symptom of liberation, it is not a symptom of homosexuality, it is not a symptom of promiscuity, it is not a symptom of moral decline. It is a symptom of developed and advanced HIV.

Myers' opinions are offensive in the extreme. They serve only to spread misinformation and bigotry. This article should be the final nail in the coffin of Myers' career. This nation should be ashamed it produced him and your paper should be ashamed at the articles of his you publish. A paper which supports Myers is not just a paper which supports inflammatory opinions and heated debates, it is the mark of a paper which believes in spreading lies. As long as you continue to publish Myers rants, I must assume that any facts and "news" you produce are equally inaccurate and misinterpreted.

Yours,

stephen_n

I missed the bit about paedophillia in the article, Meyers at his most ignorant! That's an excellent reply though!

Azure_sky

That guy is the definition of a professional troll. He should get a time machine and transport himself back to Victorian Britain. Not only could he attempt change history so as that Ireland does not achieve independence, he could also personally prosecute Oscar Wilde. Imagine how happy he'd be!

BattleCorp

Syth wrote: »

( http://www.presscouncil.ie/code-of-practice.10.html ), which includes agreeing to not publish anything that's likely to cause offence or stir up hatred against people based on sexual orientation. They have almost certainly done this.

QUOTE]


I think it is going way too far to accuse him of stirring up hatred.

He has stated his opinion in the article, nothing more, nothing less. Just because u don't agree with him doesn't mean it's encitement to hatred.

stephen_n

BattleCorp wrote: »

Syth wrote: »

( http://www.presscouncil.ie/code-of-practice.10.html ), which includes agreeing to not publish anything that's likely to cause offence or stir up hatred against people based on sexual orientation. They have almost certainly done this.

QUOTE]


I think it is going way too far to accuse him of stirring up hatred.

He has stated his opinion in the article, nothing more, nothing less. Just because u don't agree with him doesn't mean it's encitement to hatred.

To a certain point I would have agreed with had he not drawn the non existent link between paedophiles and homosexuality. Which was a deliberate attempt to incite hatred or at least fear. Also it's not simply an opinion, when he is attempting to support it with supposed facts and studies, even though he is quoting at random to try and support his position! Meyers is not capeable of coherent argument and as a result his opinions are designed to cause controversy, in doing so on this occasion he crossed the line.

Sir Ophiuchus

I would argue that claiming the gay rights movement caused four times the deaths of the Vietnam war would stir up hatred against LGBT people.

Chuchoter

They're on a role this week guys. Not a correct pronoun in the entire article

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/transsexual-worked-as-a-prostitute-to-pay-for-sex-op-3072162.html

wonderfulname

Well that was an, interesting? way of approaching that story. I can't help but wonder what an unbiased version sounds like.

L1011

Press Ombudsman ruling printed in the Indo today, article found to be in breach of two sections of the code.

Annasopra

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/marriage-equality-belongto-youth-services-and-others-and-the-irish-independent-3255604.html?i=1203450790847298

stephen_n

It is interesting that they use the term, decided to uphold rather than the usual upheld. This is a deliberate attempt to undermine the validity of the ruling, by making it out to be a personal decision by the ombudsman, rather than a fact of law!

paulmorro

stephen_n wrote: »

It is interesting that they use the term, decided to uphold rather than the usual upheld. This is a deliberate attempt to undermine the validity of the ruling, by making it out to be a personal decision by the ombudsman, rather than a fact of law!

In their defence (and I won't give them much at all!!) this is how all of the ombudsman's press releases are started...

http://www.pressombudsman.ie/cases-appeals/decided-by-press-ombudsman.301.html

kodoherty93

Did anyone read like a few weeks after Meyers article, Vincent Browes opinion on gay marriage which for a man of his age amazing.

I'm sure it's on the Irish times website how we can't what marriage is on a book(the bible) because of the other stories in the book are merely stories which now know are not true.

Everyone knows the Indo is not the most intelligent paper and often it's difficult to tell whether its a tabloid or a broadsheet.