Sinn Féin finds further errors in 2020 election returns: 26th Jan 2023

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017226#Comment_121017226

You're the only one talking about hard policies being proposed by individuals. The point is about SF talking a big game about inclusion and equality, all the while giving a nod and a wink to the far right to try and keep hold of their votes.

His selection is another blatant dog-whistle to try and court the far right votes.

You're just trying to shift the goalposts to deflect from Sinn Fein pushing a candidate who has a well-documented history of homophobia

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017357#Comment_121017357

Far as I can see there is a past article he wrote and subsequently apologised for and that he accepts was wrong. Hardly a committed homopobe.

Apparently he is an active member of the community and member of the GAA.

What other ‘well documented history’ does he have then if he has no hard policies?

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017403#Comment_121017403

The first apology he made was the one Sinn Fein issued this week - which included the lie that he had apologised at the time. What he actually did at the time was threaten legal action against people who criticised him, and to go on Joe Duffy and double down on his bile.

He used the media to try and propagate the age-old trope that homesexuals are paedophiles. He published identifiable photographs of individuals and their car registrations, calling them "perverts" and "paedophiles". But you go on defending him - stay true to form if nothing else.

There really is no low that a SF rep could sink to that the cult-followers won't blindly defend.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017466#Comment_121017466

So other than that incident, which he has apologised for and sees the wrong in, what other 'well documented history of hompobia' is there?

You made the claim, can you back it up?

I am not defending either him or SF on this BTW.

As I said or alluded to, if you did a trawl of all councillors in all parties and applied their beliefs to the main party you would vote for nobody.

You claimed 'dog whistling' above, I wonder would this kind of singling out of councillors be a dog whistle too?

jh79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017541#Comment_121017541

Bit of a summary here so not an isolated incident. SF can't control what members say but the punishments never go far enough.

The latest incident is quite shocking given the extreme nature of what was said.

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/sinn-fein-members-quit-the-party-amid-allegations-of-homophobic-and-racist-slurs/39827800.html

jh79

Probably belongs in a different thread but the same story also made the Pink News

https://www.thepinknews.com/2020/12/06/sinn-fein-brian-stanley-leo-varadkar-racist-homophobic-tweets-sexuality-members-quit-party/

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017541#Comment_121017541

For someone “not defending” him or SF you’re doing quite the vigourous defence. I’m sure SF will be delighted to know you’re around making sure no criticism of the party is ever allowed

I’d say you’d struggle to find any other party, except for the likes of Justin Barrett’s shower, who’d put a candidate forward who’d gone on the record - repeatedly - spreading hate like that. The Lough Lannagh article and his repeated doubling down on it wasn’t the only time his rag of a paper was peddling homophobic bile - just the only time national media picked up on it

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017628#Comment_121017628

Posters will defend him right up to the minute that the boys in Belfast decide that he is drawing too much heat on them and he steps down as a candidate and the posters will then about turn and declare it was the right thing to do, have seen it before with Holohan where that homophobic racist was defended to the death. Only thing is, there are going to be a lot of shady Sinn Fein candidates next time out.

Sinn Fein are clever, they dog-whistle on homophobia, racism and immigration, but you won't see them put any of it in a policy, which is of course why there are shrill calls on you to produce such a policy. MLMD has even been at it, adopting the first tactic - lack of consultation - of all the racist anti-immigrant groups. Won't be long before she is talking about lack of services etc. Pure dog-whistling.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017628#Comment_121017628

It was shocking at the time - 2008.

I am fully aware of the range of opinions among all councillors and that some of them embarrass the main party.

Just a for instance here, I would never link what this councillor said, to Fine Gael in general, he apologised and that would be the end of it for me.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/fine-gael-forced-to-grapple-with-another-internal-row-as-it-investigates-alleged-racist-slur/38287147.html

That is why I asked about the alleged 'well documented history', are there other comments or actions by this SF candidate out there?

blackwhite

Here’s another editorial from the hate-peddler that the SF brigade are going to bat for

‘It seems in this modern day that there are certain groups we simply are not alloyed [sic] to discuss. When we talk about issues of concern with some members of the travelling community, we are immediately labelled as anti-traveller, despite the issues raised being completely true, and of legitimate concern to the public. When we raise some societal challenges being faced due to the sudden influx of foreigners (almost a no-go word in itself), we are accused of being racist. And when we raise issues clearly of concern to our own community concerning a practice among some members of the gay community, we are accused of being anti-gay. In this era of over-the-top political correctness, it seems the only acceptable topic for discussion is the weather, and GAA.’

Reads like a copy and paste from the National Party website

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017856#Comment_121017856

Do they do any vetting at all?

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017834#Comment_121017834

If you think that using outdated and racist turns of phrase is the same as publishing multiple articles and going on national radio spreading conspiracy theories that gay people are paedophiles then you need to take a very long hard look at yourself

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017881#Comment_121017881

That FG fella appears to be a hasbeen, a relic of the past, an old man raging at the moon. Not anywhere near as dangerous as a current local election candidate and from what I hear, was likely to be the Rose's running mate in the general election.

Not surprised either that there has been a desperate attempt to take the Whataboutery levels to a new high. On a SF thread, do we need to discuss FG candidates? Is it not just enough to conclude that the man isn't suitable as a candidate for next year's local elections?

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017856#Comment_121017856

You are helping me prove the point I made. All parties the same. This lassie is quite senior and wheeled out as a spokesperson.

Again, I'd be entirely happy that it isn't FG policy.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30963937.html

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121017881#Comment_121017881

Where did he say on Joe Duffy that 'gay people are paedophiles'?

Max exaggeration has been reached.

He was wrong in what he published, what more can I say?

He accepts it was and has apologised.

I posted the other (and there are zillions more) examples of people saying the wrong thing to illustrate the point I made.

blackwhite

The desperation in the whataboutery is pretty evident.

He didn’t apologise at the time, and he still hasn’t apologised for spreading homophobic conspiracy theories, for publishing peoples photographs and car regs, or for the number ours false allegations he made.

He only apologised for the “language and tone” and for causing offence. No apology for the actual content, and his current statement lies about having previously apologised for anything.

He’s straight from the Justin Barrett school, but because he happens to have a SF badge on him the acolytes will defend anything and everything. Not surprising given the various depravities by SF members we’ve seen defended here before

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018102#Comment_121018102

Are you going to back up any of your claims at all?

How do you know he didn't apologise at the time?

Where did he say 'gay people are paedophiles'?

Where is the rest of this 'well documented history'?

I didn't 'defend' what he published, stop exaggerating.

I said I accept his apology and admission that he was wrong. If that view turns up in SF's or any other party they won't get a vote from me.

blackwhite

I’ve provided links to what he’s said. There’s a link to his Liveline melt-down on the Mayo Echo Wikipedia page. He, on multiple occasions, including his Joe Duffy appearance, pushed the innuendo that the gay men meeting up at Lough Lanagh were paedos because….. reasons. The usual homophobic hate-speech peddled by far right groups.

Of course you play dumb to pretend it isn’t there - it’s the usual from you whenever SF have a problem.

BTW - if you accept his apology I’m sure you can provide a link to where he actually apologised for spreading homophobic hate speech (and not just a non-apology that refers to tone and language, or the victim-blaming “any offence caused”)

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018229#Comment_121018229

So he didn't say 'gay people are paedophiles'.

All he did was use 'language and tone' wrongly and he apologised for it and accepts that was wrong.

Politicians have to issue apologies all the time. It's within your gift to accept them or not.

Any sign of the rest of this 'well documented history of homophobia'. All I see is one incident.

*I haven't played dumb at all. I have criticised his publication and what he said.

blackwhite

All he did was use 'language and tone' wrongly

Wow - just wow

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018315#Comment_121018315

What does that mean?

He ‘wrote’ and ‘said’ things.

i.e. he used language and tone.

He accepts what he said was wrong and apologised for it.

I presume he no longer holds those views.

What is it he was supposed to have apologised for?

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018325#Comment_121018325

You let the mask slip badly there

He published photographs showing peoples faces and car regs, and made claims that they were “drooling perverts getting off whilst watching children.”

He has never apologised for making false allegations of paedophilia against those men.

For you to try and downplay that is incredible - even by your standards

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018335#Comment_121018335

He apologised for the language and tone.

The ‘language’ he used, which included what you referenced. ‘It was wrong’. His ‘language’.

p.s. ‘My standards? I criticised what he said.

I didn’t invent stuff that I couldn’t back up, to exaggerate.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018373#Comment_121018373

Everything has been backed up - you denying it and playing dumb because it might hurt Sinn Fein doesn’t change that.

You trying to play semantics to defend someone as vile as Geraghty is pretty disgusting - and even then you can’t seem to that - claiming that “language and tone” covers publishing photos is particularly idiotic - but keep going, it shows everyone exactly what you’re at here

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018404#Comment_121018404

I didn’t defend for a second what he published.

You didn’t back where he said ‘gays are paedophiles’

and barring this publication you have not backed up a ‘well documented history of homophobia’.

blackwhite

The Mayo Echo was published for 5 years. This wasn’t the only time he let his views be known. That he went bust and let the website die is on him. No doubt he still has an archive of printed copies somewhere if you want to contact him via the local cumann and see exactly the sort of nasty stuff he used to spout.

Those of us with family in Castlebar are all too familiar with the bile that regularly filled it’s pages.

Keep lying that he actually apologised and keep lying that he didn’t push the “gays are paedos” line. He pushed the paedo allegations with zero evidence other than they were gay men. You feigning ignorance to defend that is sickening - but not particularly surprising

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018456#Comment_121018456

So I have to contact him to get back up for something you claimed? Hmmmm

Paedophilia occurs throughout all strata of society including among gay men.

That is NOT the same thing as saying 'gay people are paedophiles'. You made up that quote.

He has apologised for the offence his publication caused. I take that to include publishing the photo etc

“Approximately 15 years ago I was the editor of a local newspaper in Mayo that published an article about men frequenting a local lake in the town. The tone and language were offensive to the LGBTQ community, and unhelpful to those who feared coming out to friends and family. I took full responsibility for publishing the article.

“I apologised at the time for the tone and language, and for the offence that was caused, and I do so again. It was a mistake, it was wrong, and I learned from it. I can only promise in the future to try hard to use language that is inclusive, and non-offensive, and I will do my very best to do so.

“I am glad that the Ireland of today is a more inclusive society than it was then, and I am committed to protecting our LGBTQ community from all forms of prejudice and discrimination”.

That's as fulsome an apology as any political one I have read.

I have accepted apologies from many politicians, even a few in this government term. As long as there is no repeat of what they did or said, I don't know what else can be done.

blackwhite

Apologising “for offence caused” is a victim-blaming non-apology. He doesn’t apologise for his actions - just for the feelings it might have caused. No apology for potentially outing people, no apology for publishing photos and alleging they were targeting children. He’s a vile piece of work.

He’s lying about apologising at the time - his reaction at the time was to ring into Joe Duffy and repeat his bile. The lie shows exactly how genuine the rest of his statement is

We all know there isn’t any form of BS from an SF politician that you wouldn’t swallow, and thank them for afterwards for it. Claiming that you “accept his apology” is nonsense , unless of course you were one of the men he outed?

And BTW - I didn’t attribute a quote to him - I stated that he was pushing the “gays are paedos” conspiracy. It’s exactly what he was doing and all media coverage at the time pointed that out too. You trying to deny that is the typical disingenuous rubbish you keep peddling to defend your cult

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018624#Comment_121018624

But he didn’t push any conspiracy that I can see. He claimed that ‘some’ of the men were peadophiles. That is NOT saying ‘gay people are’.

What is this victim blaming about? He accepts what he wrote was wrong and for any offence caused. He accepts the damage he did to the LGBT community -the victims of what did. How is that victim blaming?

What else could he have done? Did you want him to go through the publication sentence by sentence?

re: accepting any bullshit from SF. I criticised what he published as I have criticised other party’s councillors and TD’s.

I vote for SF currently, no secret there and accept this apology. If there is a reoccurrence then I will judge how it is handled by SF and act accordingly. Not sure what else you were expecting.

I am not the one doing the, by now expected, exaggerating and making stuff up.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121018699#Comment_121018699

You keep defending the indefensible - everyone else is always wrong and SF are always right, no matter what.

Can’t take back this one….

All he did was use 'language and tone' wrongly

He published photos of identifiable people and their car regs - and inferred they were paedos with no basis, other than them being gay. He has never apologised for this.

You've made it very clear that you see nothing wrong with this - as the above shows. Stay classy Francie - you show your true colours every now and again