Mike Pence Not Welcome in Sligo

JupiterKid · 15-11-2016 05:38AM #1

Sligo County Council have reversed their initial plan to invite the US Vice-President Elect, Mike Pence, to the county as his great grandfather is from Tubercurry. Apparently some LGBT residents of Sligo were unhappy that the homophobic Indiana Governor, who opposes gay rights and has stated his support of electro-shock "conversion therapy" for gay men had been invited to visit Sligo.

Do you think the decision to not now invite Pence was right? Does it show Sligo's solidarity with its LGBT residents or were they just bowing to pressure? We welcomed Obama with open arms to Ireland a few years back, but then Obama is a socially progressive President.

Or should Pence be invited despite his homophobic views? Should we extend a welcome to public figures we personally disagree with?

Thoughts?

FortySeven · 15-11-2016 05:46AM

Just because a minority are offended we should dumb down the rest of the population by censoring who or what they can see or hear?

LGBT need to realise that if they want to demand freedom of expression them it is a two way street. They might not want to negotiate the traffic but that is what adults have to do.

I'm sick of minorities demanding **** under a guise of fear or offence.

Sligo should count itself lucky to have such a powerful visitor. It's hardly a bustling metropolis of any significance.

Clampdown · 15-11-2016 06:00AM

I think it's great they reversed this decision. I was surprised they did considering the way we crawled Obama's hole. And considering that many of his anti-gay, anti pro-choice policies are in line with Catholicism. But the fact they listened and reversed it is a good sign IMO, even five years ago, before the marriage equality vote, they probably wouldn't have considered reversing this decision based on his views on gay people.

Most people here are pretty horrified at Trump's victory and many people in America are still protesting it. If we disagree with the racism, sexism and homophobia of Trump's campaign we should stick to our guns and not start licking arse now that they got into the White House, it's so cringey and embarrassing.

tomwaterford · 15-11-2016 06:00AM

Why would ireland welcome someone who opposes equal rights

Why would anyone support giving a voice/stage to this nonsense.....ECT to fix homosexuality :rolleyes:.....it's the type of bullsht you'd expect out of Saudi Arabia

Sligo did right here.....just because your mildly connected to someone who's powerful is no reason to compromise on ethical grounds to try make a few pounds for yourself

DivingDuck · 15-11-2016 06:10AM

His views are reprehensible— however, he's now an (incoming) elected representative of his country. We have to respect that. What we don't have to do is endorse it.

Surely a balance can be struck between respecting the democratic process by allowing the statesmen of other countries to come here on official business and be treated with decency, and signing off on the policies we disagree with by inviting them here on unnecessary personal errands?

It's the same as being courteous to someone you don't like in work without inviting them to your birthday party at your house. Professional politeness is necessary, personal coziness is not.

Clampdown · 15-11-2016 06:15AM

FortySeven wrote: »

Just because a minority are offended we should dumb down the rest of the population by censoring who or what they can see or hear?

LGBT need to realise that if they want to demand freedom of expression them it is a two way street. They might not want to negotiate the traffic but that is what adults have to do.

I'm sick of minorities demanding **** under a guise of fear or offence.

Sligo should count itself lucky to have such a powerful visitor. It's hardly a bustling metropolis of any significance.

He basically thinks homosexuals are subhuman, and not deserving of equal rights. This opinion was soundly rejected by the MAJORITY of people in this country in the marriage equality vote. Gays may be in the minority, but the majority support them being considered equal in society and that attitudes that consider them as less than equal unacceptable. Should we invite racists and anti semites too?

I think considering him a 'powerful' visitor is a bit OTT. It would do very little for the town, which for it's size, has a pretty strong LGBTQ group who have worked hard to gain acceptance and have their own events in town. They might be in the minority but most people in town probably have at least one friend in that group, and IMO, they are more important than Mike Pence, who probably couldn't even point out Sligo on a map of Ireland.

Peregrinus · 15-11-2016 06:25AM

FortySeven wrote: »

Just because a minority are offended we should dumb down the rest of the population by censoring who or what they can see or hear?

LGBT need to realise that if they want to demand freedom of expression them it is a two way street. They might not want to negotiate the traffic but that is what adults have to do.

Ironic that you should say that, really, when in your first paragraph you equate not extending an invitation to someone with "censoring" them.

Mr. Pence's right to free speech may entitle him to say whatever he likes, should he happen to be in Sligo. It does not entitle him to an official invitation to visit Sligo. Deciding not to invite him is not "censoring" him.

I'm sick of these over-entitled princesses who think that any failure by anyone else to welcome views they disagee with is "censorship".

Donald Trump · 15-11-2016 06:44AM

JupiterKid wrote: »

Sligo County Council have reversed their initial plan to invite the US Vice-President Elect, Mike Pence, to the county as his great grandfather is from Tubercurry. Apparently some LGBT residents of Sligo were unhappy that the homophobic Indiana Governor, who opposes gay rights and has stated his support of electro-shock "conversion therapy" for gay men had been invited to visit Sligo.

Do you think the decision to not now invite Pence was right? Does it show Sligo's solidarity with its LGBT residents or were they just bowing to pressure? We welcomed Obama with open arms to Ireland a few years back, but then Obama is a socially progressive President.

Or should Pence be invited despite his homophobic views? Should we extend a welcome to public figures we personally disagree with?

Thoughts?

Sligo?
I just had an oul' chat with Mickey-P there about it and we quickly came to the consensus decision that less of a shite could not be given.

Peregrinus · 15-11-2016 07:01AM

FortySeven wrote: »

Sligo should count itself lucky to have such a powerful visitor. It's hardly a bustling metropolis of any significance.

I'm not sure that Vice-Presidents are quite as powerful as you seem to think.

Clampdown · 15-11-2016 07:12AM

Donald Trump wrote: »

Sligo?
I just had an oul' chat with Mickey-P there about it and we quickly came to the consensus decision that less of a shite could not be given.

Yeah, don't you have your hands full with building a wall and getting the majority of the population which did not vote for you to accept that they now have a sociopathic sexual predator as their leader?

Besides, with how hard Sligo was hit by the recession, they hardly need the influence of a serial bankruptcy filer, a man who managed to even run a casino into the ground, despite it being the one business model where the rules are set up to guarantee a profit is made.

Stay in your lane Trump. We're trying to take forward steps in this country, not backwards ones. Even in small towns like Sligo.

Special Circumstances · 15-11-2016 07:24AM

Clampdown wrote: »

Yeah, don't you have your hands full with building a wall and getting the majority of the population which did not vote for you to accept that they now have a sociopathic sexual predator as their leader?

Besides, with how hard Sligo was hit by the recession, they hardly need the influence of a serial bankruptcy filer, a man who managed to even run a casino into the ground, despite it being the one business model where the rules are set up to guarantee a profit is made.

Stay in your lane Trump. We're trying to take forward steps in this country, not backwards ones. Even in small towns like Sligo.

I was a little disappointed that the Irish Times had wound down their marathon "crywank against democracy" but at least there's still afterhours for a laugh.

AnthonyCny · 15-11-2016 09:02AM

Just wondering if the Pope came to Ireland would he not be welcome in sligo?

CINCLANTFLT · 15-11-2016 09:04AM

LBGT Bigots?

jimgoose · 15-11-2016 09:22AM

They should invite Pence, and then allow anyone who disagrees to run around the place upending wheelie-bins and looting phone shops while screaming "Stop triggering meeee!!!" for that night like overgrown five-year-olds. That way, everyone wins. :cool:

CINCLANTFLT · 15-11-2016 09:23AM

jimgoose wrote: »

They should invite Pence, and then allow anyone who disagrees to run around the place upending wheelie-bins and looting phone shops while screaming "Stop triggering meeee!!!" for that night like overgrown five-year-olds. That way, everyone wins. :cool:

Ah now, you've triggered me now... this was my safe space!

GreenFolder2 · 15-11-2016 09:27AM

It's not "fear of offence" in this case.
Have you ever seen what gay conversion therapy involves!!?

You might as well have left handedness conversion therapy and worse.

This guy is supporting unscientific "therapies" that in plenty of cases destroy people's lives and even can lead to suicide.

That's not just a minority being a bit offended - it's a minority trying to flee what amounts to torture.

If Ireland wants to whore itself out go these guys for the sake of ensuring investment, then basically we have no moral fibre whatsoever anymore.

15-11-2016 09:29AM

FortySeven wrote: »

Just because a minority are offended we should dumb down the rest of the population by censoring who or what they can see or hear?

How did you establish it is the "minority" offended by his views?

How is not inviting someone "censoring" anything - let alone what people can see and hear?

How does not inviting a speaker on any topic "dumb down" anybody?

jimgoose · 15-11-2016 09:33AM

GreenFolder2 wrote: »

It's not "fear of offence" in this case.
Have you ever seen what gay conversion therapy involves!!?...

I couldn't agree more. Therefore instead of howling "Hate Speech!!" and all the usual nonsense, let him come and then hold him up to half of Western Europe as the medically misinformed muppet that he is.

GreenFolder2 · 15-11-2016 09:37AM

jimgoose wrote: »

I couldn't agree more. Therefore instead of howling "Hate Speech!!" and all the usual nonsense, let him come and then hold him up to half of Western Europe as the medically misinformed muppet that he is.

He won't be held up though.
If he comes over I guarantee you it would be an embarrassing case of unquestioning, sycophantic red carpet treatment because of his position and nothing else.

I bet you'll have some nonsense about him finding his roofs and using Ireland as a big old poster opportunity to ensure he looks like a man of the Irish community and so on.

A part of the Irish community is gay and I'm not really seeing why that integral part of who we are shouldn't be stood up for.

If he took a similar attitude to let's say Irish people generally, and wanted us say converted through bogus psychotherapy into "proper people" I'm sure he'd be most unwelcome.

I don't see much difference. You don't invite someone like that because if you do, you're basically giving them a signal that their position is being supported and vindicated.

Rainman16 · 15-11-2016 09:40AM

I thought it was LGBTQ now? Right?

Anyway I don't think Mike Pence gives a sh1t about Sligo. He's got allot of work to do in Washington for the next few months.

If he does want to come, I believe he should be welcomed. We have invited far more deplorable people to this country. Catholic church leaders, who despise homosexuals and ran an international child sex ring.

Peregrinus · 15-11-2016 09:43AM

jimgoose wrote: »

I couldn't agree more. Therefore instead of howling "Hate Speech!!" and all the usual nonsense, let him come and then hold him up to half of Western Europe as the medically misinformed muppet that he is.

Nobody's stopping him coming, Jim. There's just a few entitled princesses on the right who feel that if he's not specially invited to come by the County Council, that's "censorship".

GreenFolder2 · 15-11-2016 09:44AM

That's precisely my point - we have a long history of spineless sucking up to power and shoving our supposed values under the carpet while we ensure we cozy up to the man with the money or the influence.

We allowed crazy stuff to go on with the catholic church. I thought we had grown a backbone ...since those days when we were like the shy little nation that was always desperately seeking attention and approval from power ?!

There's no reason to endorse this man by inviting him anywhere. That's not censorship it's simply not inviting someome you don't like to an event which would make it look like Sligo endorsed his views ....

Incidentally, I never saw anyone rushing to invite Margaret Thatcher to Kerry despite her great grandmother coming from there ...

RobertKK · 15-11-2016 09:49AM

Barack Obama has given the go ahead that killed hundreds of children with his drone strikes.
In his first three days, a drone strike he agreed to killed 4 children and he had idiots waving American flags for him, and the liberal media falling over themselves in their hypocrisy.

There is a lot of double standards going on, some wrongs are fine, other wrongs are ignored.

GreenFolder2 · 15-11-2016 09:51AM

No, we just named a motorway services station after him ; not really sure that's much of a complement lol

padd b1975 · 15-11-2016 09:52AM

jimgoose wrote: »

I couldn't agree more. Therefore instead of howling "Hate Speech!!" and all the usual nonsense, let him come and then hold him up to half of Western Europe as the medically misinformed muppet that he is.

Yep.

It's classic virtue signalling.
Everyone gets to feel good about themselves and "on message".

MRnotlob606 · 15-11-2016 09:54AM

I welcome that we decline him if wants to visit. Why should we accept some reactionary right wing nutjob. He is an embarrassment. He can come on his own accord, but nobody should make him feel welcome.

CINCLANTFLT · 15-11-2016 10:00AM

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

I welcome that we decline him if wants to visit. Why should we accept some reactionary right wing nutjob. He is an embarrassment. He can come on his own accord, but nobody should make him feel welcome.

Bigot

15-11-2016 10:03AM

There are very important considerations coming up in relation to Irish migrants, the undocumented etc.

You'd think they could have used the chance of a USA Vice President elect returning to the place his ancestors left to remind him of that issue.

Manach · 15-11-2016 10:08AM

Given the Left's foaming rage at anyone who opposes their unique worldview of tolerance for all who agree with them. perhaps Mr Pence has better items in his agenda than visit there.

Special Circumstances · 15-11-2016 10:10AM

jimgoose wrote: »

They should invite Pence, and then allow anyone who disagrees to run around the place upending wheelie-bins and looting phone shops while screaming "Stop triggering meeee!!!" for that night like overgrown five-year-olds. That way, everyone wins. :cool:

Irish Times runs a special waterproof coversheet for a week before and after full of crywanky opinion pieces.

Allinall · 15-11-2016 10:10AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

There are very important considerations coming up in relation to Irish migrants, the undocumented etc.

You'd think they could have used the chance of a USA Vice President elect returning to the place his ancestors left to remind him of that issue.

Na.

Getting offended outweighs pragmatism.

Mike Pence Not Welcome in Sligo

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