A Long Way to Go Yet....

Davyhal

Twenty years ago this week, Homosexuality was decriminalised here in Ireland. While Ireland has come a long way in this short period of time, and I find that most people have little to no issue with LGBT people, it still saddens me that someone actually tried to use the "Gay Panic" Defense in a case 20 years later.

This man was not mentally well, but his crime was absolutely disgusting. I am glad of the Life Sentence handed down, as it is the most that can be done in this country. I only hope that in this case at least, Life means Life. I am from Ennis, and was familiar with both the victim and the guilty man, and even though the jury decided 11 to 1 that Joe Heffernan is guilty of murder, and the harshest sentence has been imposed, I still feel anger over this issue.


http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/farmer-joe-heffernan-gets-life-1998899


http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/clare-farmer-found-guilty-of-law-student-s-murder-1.1443215

fizzlefozzle

It is interesting how straight men use anti gay remarks. I don't see this happening in woman.

Maybe they are seeing something inside themselves.

Homophobic reactions are interesting. You get to see what people are rejecting inside themselves.

A lot people repress these kind of emotions. Especially among groups of men, using gay slurs so they don't have to acknowledge their own emotions for each other. Surfacing them takes time, but a sudden acknowledgement may create a panic of unconscious stuff.

I think therapy is great, it allows those childhood projections about gay people to slowly emerge, so the person can take more responsibilty for those aspects of themselves.

It is kind of the same for gay people attaching early to that identity...

I am still reading...

lottpaul

I feel such a mixture of utter and bleak sadness for the death of this poor young guy who had so much to look forward to in life, who, from the victim impact statement of his brother, was funny, witty, full of hope and looking forward to a bright future;
and at the same time I am consumed by anger towards the guy who committed the murder, mentally unwell or not, who took upon himself the task of ridding the world of this "devil", as he called him!

For a myriad of reasons I hope that the coverage this will get in the general media will be measured and responsible - and not have the effect of terrifying already nervous young (and not so young) people across the country.

Thankfully the jury decided that this was murder rather than manslaughter and I hope the murderer will have many many years behind bars to reflect on the crime he so freely admitted.

R.I.P. and deepest condolances to his family.