Táiniste snubs men-only dinner in Georgia

shoos

TÁNAISTE EAMON GILMORE has been criticised for dropping a visit to the US state of Georgia where he would have attended a men-only dinner in the city of Savannah.

Gilmore would have attended an anniversary dinner for the Hibernian Society of Savannah tonight had he visited the city which holds one of the biggest St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the States.

Previous Fianna Fáil ministers have attended the celebrations in Savannah but the Tánaiste told the Irish Times that he would not be going, saying he did not believe in “segregation either on a gender basis or any other basis”.

The Fianna Fáil TD and spokesperson on transport and tourism, Timmy Dooley, said he was disappointed that the Tánaiste had ‘snubbed’ a visit to Savannah in order to avoid the Hibernian dinner.

“I find it very disappointing that in the year of The Gathering, the Tánaiste has snubbed the second largest St Patrick’s Day Parade in the USA because he appears to have personal issues with the Hibernian Society,” Dooley said in a statement today.

More of the article here - http://www.thejournal.ie/eamon-gilmore-all-male-dinner-savannah-834916-Mar2013/?utm_source=facebook

I'm really surprised to hear that he refused, I couldn't have imagined many of the men in the Dáil to give a toss about men-only clubs or dinners. But seeing this, I have to think fair to play to Gilmore!

There's been the usual response of "women have their female only dinners and events all the time", "it's PC gone mad" etc.

But female only events, especially in the field of politics or business, are there because females are a minority. I really don't see the weight behind that argument.

Thoughts?

dissed doc

shoos wrote: »

More of the article here - http://www.thejournal.ie/eamon-gilmore-all-male-dinner-savannah-834916-Mar2013/?utm_source=facebook

I'm really surprised to hear that he refused, I couldn't have imagined many of the men in the Dáil to give a toss about men-only clubs or dinners. But seeing this, I have to think fair to play to Gilmore!

There's been the usual response of "women have their female only dinners and events all the time", "it's PC gone mad" etc.

But female only events, especially in the field of politics or business, are there because females are a minority. I really don't see the weight behind that argument.

Thoughts?

I think it's a sign of massive insecurity. You have to meet people on their terms; the world will not adjust itself to your own personal moral code, no matter how righteous or not it is.

You buy in your language, but you sell in others'. A complete failure and serves only to grandstand political immaturity. Being unable to engage with other people on their terms, while remaining secure in your own stance and beliefs, does not serve long term economic or political advancement.

B0jangles

Would you say the same if it was a whites only event?

dissed doc

B0jangles wrote: »

Would you say the same if it was a whites only event?

That is a very poor rebuttle and nothing to do with the OP; it's a cheap shot to avoid having to confront the lack of political capital in our government.

B0jangles

dissed doc wrote: »

That is a very poor rebuttle and nothing to do with the OP; it's a cheap shot to avoid having to confront the lack of political capital in our government.

I disagree, I think it's a perfectly valid comparison which you are rejecting because you are uncomfortable with the position it puts you in.

cosbloodymick

B0jangles wrote: »

Would you say the same if it was a whites only event?

Women can have women only events and black people can have black only events such as the MOBO awards but if the white male has anything just for himself he is the one who is labelled racist and discriminatory.
Shocking double standards imo.

efb

I fully support our tainiste's decision

B0jangles

cosbloodymick wrote: »

Women can have women only events and black people can have black only events such as the MOBO awards but if the white male has anything just for himself he is the one who is labelled racist and discriminatory.
Shocking double standards imo.

Yes and when's White History Month?!

It's PC gorn MAAAAAD!

im invisible

whenever i hear 'Savannah' i think of this

mikemac1

There's a blast from the past.

Only lasted one season as I remember

The Big Red Button

I respect and support his decision.

It would've been very easy for him to quietly go along with the plans, despite personal misgivings. Nice to see a politician with a moral compass and the guts to follow it, even though it won't be a popular move in political terms.

cosbloodymick

Fluffy Bunny Rabid wrote: »

I respect and support his decision.

It would've been very easy for him to quietly go along with the plans, despite personal misgivings. Nice to see a politician with a moral compass and the guts to follow it, even though it won't be a popular move in political terms.

I think the opposite. He is trying to get some political capital by painting a group of people who are having a dinner together as some sort of mysoginists. If it were a women only group having a dinner he would never snub the invite imo. Moral compass and guts are not 2 words I would associate with Gilmore,as proven when the 1st Lisbon treaty referendum was defeated and he publicly stated to the Irish people that the treaty was dead in the water and there would not be a second vote while at the same time telling a bunch of US diplomats that he would support a second referendum.

Macha

cosbloodymick wrote: »

Women can have women only events and black people can have black only events such as the MOBO awards but if the white male has anything just for himself he is the one who is labelled racist and discriminatory.
Shocking double standards imo.

Quite probably because white men dominate most other structures and don't need to artificially create any.

Seriously this isn't rocket science.

clairefontaine

Macha wrote: »

Quite probably because white men dominate most other structures and don't need to artificially create any.

Seriously this isn't rocket science.

Yes but Catholics don't. Makes it more complicated in Georigia.

drunkmonkey

He can make his way to every crack pot frindge gathering and support things a majority of the country disagree with yet when it comes to supporting us abroad he insults a long standing Irish community on some delusional equal rights high ground.
Seriously time he resigned he's let Ireland down bad this time. Disgraceful conduct.
Is he going to boycott ladies day in Galway this year? Twirp.

CiDeRmAn

Fair play to him.
One to many of these stupid lodges of old and entirely made up traditions.
And, we always hear those trumpeting about the "injustice" of it all, that's nonsense.
White wealthy men, particularly in such organisations organisations, are ultimately representing a social division maintained by this class, dividing us into those who are entitled and those who are there to serve, a complete anethema to Labour's ethos and position.
Small wonder then that Fianna Fail express such shock, given that since the formation of the state they have supported, with relish, the maintenance of a landed merchant class, and those who serve them too.

So, well done Mr Gilmore, somewhere O'Casey is shedding a tear....

flutered

he does what he thinks will get him the most kudos, usually they get him flack, pillock

drunkmonkey

He aims directly for the feminist vote, I don't get it, does he think all Irish women are feminists? I think most Irish women are level headed enough to not see any harm in it, what's his end game does he want to see the ICA renamed the Irish country women and men's association?

moany

Its a bit late of him to be taken the moral high ground is'nt it.Particulary since he sold himself down the river a long time ago .

meeeeh

I'm sure it has nothing to do with Labour's position in opinion pools. After all we are talking about a party which signed any pledge they could get their hands on before the last election. Cynic in me believes it was a PR stunt and I think that the cynic is right. Not that anybody would know about the dinner before but it makes news when he doesn't attend (and the genius from FF is nicely playing along). Wake me up when he actually takes a stand in the way that matters.

Woodward

Macha wrote: »

Quite probably because white men dominate most other structures and don't need to artificially create any.

Seriously this isn't rocket science.

You are assuming that they act in the interest of white men. It isnt like the Stonecutters where they all sit around drinking beer and plot world domination

Macha

Woodward wrote: »

You are assuming that they act in the interest of white men. It isnt like the Stonecutters where they all sit around drinking beer and plot world domination

I don't really care if they're the stone cutters or some sort of benign brotherhood looking out for what they think are the best interests of minorities (which always sounds weird when taking about women, given we are half the population).

It's about having our own seat at the table.

And to point out the blindingly obvious, quite often women's rights have progressed alongside women's participation in public life and representation in public office.

Fiery mutant

Strange how the Tanaiste doesn't seem to mind playing golf in Portmarnock when it suits him. Portmarnock being a men only members club. But sure then he wouldn't be able to hang with the well heeled would he, when of course snubbing a dinner in the states will help to make him look like he is standing on the moral high ground won't it.

Double standards of the man is sickening.

bette

Next he'll be cribbing about the Ladies Mini Marathon in Dublin. That's another story that is!

bette

Fiery mutant wrote: »

Strange how the Tanaiste doesn't seem to mind playing golf in Portmarnock when it suits him. Portmarnock being a men only members club. But sure then he wouldn't be able to hang with the well heeled would he, when of course snubbing a dinner in the states will help to make him look like he is standing on the moral high ground won't it.

Double standards of the man is sickening.

More sickening than his double chin?

hattoncracker

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Mayor-snubbed-from-St-Patricks-Day-celebrations-due-to-Hibernian-Society-male-only-rules-143038926.html?mob-ua=Y


He was right not to go.. They're eejits!

He's dead right, I'm sure all the members of his party in the Seanad do the same thing when they have the opportunity to attend gender-segregated events. I'll let you look that up yourselves.

Fiery mutant

bette wrote: »

More sickening than his double chin?

Ok, you win.

The Big Red Button

It's kind of a 'Damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation.

Whatever his motives for going or not going, if he had gone to it, there'd be people giving out about it too and saying that he's sexist and shouldn't have gone.

cosbloodymick

Macha wrote: »

Quite probably because white men dominate most other structures and don't need to artificially create any.

Seriously this isn't rocket science.

You're right, its not rocket science its double standards.

Systemic Risk

I am a bit conflicted on this one. For disclosure purposes im an irish male. I think everyone should be entitled to set up their own cultural and networking groups. Why should irish males be any different.

However i can see an issue if this is a large demographic who use the society for business purposes and favour members of the society for contracts etc, especially if this causes monopolies for the society/ difficulties for non members to operate in certain markets.

Also if public officials are members and favour other members of the society for public contracts then that is wrong. Not saying this is what happens though.

The funny part of the story however is that the society came out and said they were surprised by the comments as Gilmore hadn't been invited to the event. Sounds like political point scoring to me.