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Does Sinn Fein have a social media problem?

  • 19-12-2020 8:41am
    #1
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hot on the heals of Brian Stanley's apology to the Dail this week, the Irish Times this morning has an expose on a secret Facebook group called "Sinn Fein" with around 16,000 supporters as members. The party has had to ask Facebook to have it taken down.

    image.jpg

    There are a couple of worrying aspects of this for the party.
    • The three administrators were party activists, one of whom "campaigned heavily" for Cavan TD Pauline Tully in the general election.
    • Two TDs (Martin Kenny and Violet Anne Wynne) along with multiple councillors were members.
    • Fianna Fail senator Malcolm Byrne flagged the group to Sinn Fein TD Eoin O'Broin earlier this year, but rather than the group being taken down, it was taken private instead (there is no indication that party HQ was aware those behind it had taken it private).

    What's startling is the lack of awareness amongst those running and participating in the group of how bad it was going to look should its contents ever come to light.


«13

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,767 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    It appears to establish that

    Some people who are Sinn Fein supporters are racists and bigots with no more imagination than to offer violence to anything they take a negative notion about.
    Sinn Fein the party are lacking in awareness of how social media works.
    Rather than try and alter the mindset of a significant number of their followers they just tried and failed to remove the evidence. When it went out of sight they were satisfied with that solution.
    They apparently made no attempt to discipline the TDs and officials who were part of the public site.

    On the whole it sounds like any political party 'doing politics'. They are just not very clever about it. Presumably gestures will be made now it is a nine-day wonder, but you only have to look at the US and Trump to see the extent to which expectations dictate acceptance of behaviour.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,332 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    Hot on the heals of Brian Stanley's apology to the Dail this week, the Irish Times this morning has an expose on a secret Facebook group called "Sinn Fein" with around 16,000 supporters as members. The party has had to ask Facebook to have it taken down.

    image.jpg

    There are a couple of worrying aspects of this for the party.
    • The three administrators were party activists, one of whom "campaigned heavily" for Cavan TD Pauline Tully in the general election.
    • Two TDs (Martin Kenny and Violet Anne Wynne) along with multiple councillors were members.
    • Fianna Fail senator Malcolm Byrne flagged the group to Sinn Fein TD Eoin O'Broin earlier this year, but rather than the group being taken down, it was taken private instead (there is no indication that party HQ was aware those behind it had taken it private).

    What's startling is the lack of awareness amongst those running and participating in the group of how bad it was going to look should its contents ever come to light.
    Sorry but I'll have to disagree with you that it's a Sinn Fein problem; it's a general problem. I'm quite certain you could find (if you had the right connections) same groups for most parties with expressing similar extreme views. I've seen police caught out at least twice for example in similar "private" groups talking about court cases and how "they should have shot the god damn n-word etc. The problem is not Sinn Fein; the problem is that the closed groups created (be it Facebook, Whats app or what ever system used) to be a bit of a safe heaven for like minded people and to be able to discuss items of interest without everyone butting in. The problem is it usually creates the mother of all echo chambers as people take one step closer to the line, not being called out on it, egging on someone else to take the next step etc. Suddenly that becomes the new norm and normal in the group and people let rip even further; and because it's not face to face the usual queues on what's appropriate are not there and it keeps spiraling out.

    Of course what they always forget is that no secret group ever remains secret; sooner or later things will spill out one way or the other by a disgruntled member, wrong person invited, a screenshot someone shared as a "haha, look at what they think" etc. And we get another go around of outrage, the group gets shut down and rinse repeat as a new group is setup up instead to discuss with a smaller group. I even see such drama in something simple as raid channels for Pokemon Go where people insist on creating secret sub group channels "because they don't understand what we want" etc. There's the lure of being "special" by being in the secret group combined with the fact as the echo chamber keeps being there people let the mask fall and go more and more extreme over time.

    TLDL; It's not a Sinn Fein problem; it's a problem with private echo chambers in general.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    It's a Sinn Fein problem because many never thought they'd shaken off their paramilitary connections and mentality so this sort of violent reactionary material in black and white is fuel on that fire.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,021 ✭✭✭✭Dempo1


    No it doesn't, to assume it has, based on a few silly tweets, Facebook posts etc is absurd. If it were the case that this was the judgement criteria for any political party, FFG would have far more problems and indeed to crazy independent TD posts are beyond bizzare and the Greens? Well I just leave it at that.

    Perhaps the Real question is does FFG have a problem with SF"S very existence? Clearly they do along with their popularity and Election successes.

    The back and fourth between FG & SF is just becoming tiresome, if they both spent as much time dealing with serious issues, wouldn't we all be in a much better place.

    I vote for neither incidentally

    Is maith an scáthán súil charad.




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 52,198 ✭✭✭✭tayto lover


    You can decommission guns and explosives.
    You cannot decommission psychotic minds.

    Sinn Fein will have to disassociate themselves from this kind of thinking if they want to move on and build trust in their party.

    Can they do that?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    Nody wrote: »
    I'm quite certain you could find (if you had the right connections) same groups for most parties with expressing similar extreme views.

    You would in your hole find FF or FG with a group where people talk about shooting people in the face, cutting people in the throat, or talking anything like those in the image above. Different calibre of people I suppose.


  • Registered Users Posts: 457 ✭✭Serjeant Buzfuz


    Surprise, surprise. The unintended TDs strike again.

    That Sinn Fein election tide rose all boats - those two though, should have been left at the bottom of the sea.

    It seems the official line from Sinn Fein is that everybody’s doing it, let’s talk about social media generally nothing to see here!
    Wonder if any of the posters ever got a friendly knock on the door from the party?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,337 ✭✭✭✭Itssoeasy


    I think it’s a general problem across Irish political parties. There have been some utter head in hands tweets from some parties that would make you wonder did they engage their brains before they hit the button. That’s a problem in general with social media as a whole though as social media gives everyone instant access to give their opinion or take on whatever the hell they want and also gives all utterances equal validity and importance when that’s not the case.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    Itssoeasy wrote: »
    I think it’s a general problem across Irish political parties. There have been some utter head in hands tweets from some parties that would make you wonder did they engage their brains before they hit the button. That’s a problem in general with social media as a whole though as social media gives everyone instant access to give their opinion or take on whatever the hell they want and also gives all utterances equal validity and importance when that’s not the case.

    There have been head in hands moment from all parties but not about killing or threating harm to people. That is unique to 1 party. Back in a minute there's somebody at the door.....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,769 ✭✭✭nuac


    Vile stuff from SF and not for the first time,
    Suepeised that in such a rigidly controlled party that that ths was not dealt withe sooner and more effectively.
    Perhaps this sort of "banter" comes from other parties, but not incietment to mirder erc.
    Hope tue SF heavies wanrned and expelled their more enthusiastic posters


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,769 ✭✭✭nuac


    JHilloss
    Hope are still around after that "visit"


  • Registered Users Posts: 348 ✭✭myfreespirit


    Nody wrote: »
    Sorry but....

    TLDL; It's not a Sinn Fein problem; it's a problem with private echo chambers in general.

    With the utmost respect, this is simply not true.

    Rather, it is the mask slipping on a thoroughly unpleasant organisation masquerading as a democratic political party in this republic.

    Am tempted to go "full Godwin" and say that it is reminiscent of the type of rhetoric typical of some political organisations in the 1920's Weimar republic, but I will refrain.
    Listening to Eoin O'Broin on RTE radio yesterday trying but failing to distance SF from the Facebook private group, confirms that they are not serious about rooting out the cancer of murderous hatred endemic in the party.
    It is good that this underbelly of nastiness is being exposed, showing just how thin a veneer of democracy exists from top to bottom in SF.

    Слава Україн– Glóir don Úcráin



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,191 ✭✭✭RandomViewer


    You can decommission guns and explosives.
    You cannot decommission psychotic minds.

    Sinn Fein will have to disassociate themselves from this kind of thinking if they want to move on and build trust in their party.

    Can they do that?

    FG let Noonan stay ,even made him leader for a while,


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,287 ✭✭✭givyjoe


    The absolute irony of a thread asking do Sinn Fein have a social media problem, considering the absolute sh!t show of FG recently on social media.


  • Registered Users Posts: 348 ✭✭myfreespirit


    givyjoe wrote: »
    The absolute irony of a thread asking do Sinn Fein have a social media problem, considering the absolute sh!t show of FG recently on social media.

    Do tell us about FG supporters on social media suggesting that people should have their throats cut...

    Слава Україн– Glóir don Úcráin



  • Registered Users Posts: 14 marcuslally2


    Do tell us about FG supporters on social media suggesting that people should have their throats cut...

    Be careful, you might get a knock on the door.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭GarIT


    No, any complaints against SF is just a state news smear campaign by FG and FF.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,287 ✭✭✭givyjoe


    Do tell us about FG supporters on social media suggesting that people should have their throats cut...

    There's plenty of scum bags in every section of society, you can pretend there isn't if you wish.. I'm specifically referring to the absolute thicks running FG twitter and young FG accounts. The same can probably be said of the senior members of the party, their PR campaigns are a complete and utter disaster as the current polls show.

    Let me guess, you're a FG supporter? To be clear, I have almost equal contempt for political in parties and politicians, but FG really are outshining everyone with their breathtaking hypocrisy, almost on a daily basis at this stage.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,287 ✭✭✭givyjoe


    Be careful, you might get a knock on the door.

    It's gas how these threads attract a circle jerk of back slapping nonsense when double standards are pointed out.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,287 ✭✭✭givyjoe


    Be careful, you might get a knock on the door.

    That's more FG style it seems.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 348 ✭✭myfreespirit


    givyjoe wrote: »
    There's plenty of scum bags in every section of society....

    You made an assertion that you have not backed up.

    I pose the question again: "Do tell us about FG supporters on social media suggesting that people should have their throats cut"

    Слава Україн– Glóir don Úcráin



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭GarIT


    This is great isn't is, barely a few minutes in and Sinn Fein are here saying "look over there someone else did something"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭GarIT


    givyjoe wrote: »
    That's more FG style it seems.

    Why does something Sinn Fein have admitted to doing, and something there is no claim of FG doing seem like FG style?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭GarIT


    Something must be up at FFG again. Another 'look over there!' propaganda thread.

    Yes Sinn Fein the saints have never done anything wrong. Tis all propaganda.


  • Registered Users Posts: 348 ✭✭myfreespirit


    Something must be up at FFG again. Another 'look over there!' propaganda thread.


    It's difficult to tell if this post is the result of merely blind stupidity, or a deliberate attempt to ignore and play down the horrific contents of the private Facebook group maintained by people close to Pauline Tully TD and contributed to by other elected SF officials.

    Every reasonable person must condemn the vile language and threats that suffuse the SF Facebook private group.

    Слава Україн– Glóir don Úcráin



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,570 ✭✭✭RandomName2


    givyjoe wrote: »
    The absolute irony of a thread asking do Sinn Fein have a social media problem, considering the absolute sh!t show of FG recently on social media.

    Jaysus this is worse than Trump supporters saying

    'This is just the radical left saying "look over there!" with their propaganda because they can't stomach someone outside the political tent who supports middle America against the interests of the Big Bankers. They hate seeing the swamp drained, so Cliden and their landlord supporters will pursue their slanderous campaigns on social media against the only viable option for change.'


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,983 ✭✭✭✭expectationlost


    Hot on the heals of Brian Stanley's apology to the Dail this week, the Irish Times this morning has an expose on a secret Facebook group called "Sinn Fein" with around 16,000 supporters as members. The party has had to ask Facebook to have it taken down.

    image.jpg

    There are a couple of worrying aspects of this for the party.
    • The three administrators were party activists, one of whom "campaigned heavily" for Cavan TD Pauline Tully in the general election.
    • Two TDs (Martin Kenny and Violet Anne Wynne) along with multiple councillors were members.
    • Fianna Fail senator Malcolm Byrne flagged the group to Sinn Fein TD Eoin O'Broin earlier this year, but rather than the group being taken down, it was taken private instead (there is no indication that party HQ was aware those behind it had taken it private).

    What's startling is the lack of awareness amongst those running and participating in the group of how bad it was going to look should its contents ever come to light.

    why didn't the Irish Times name the administrators?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,292 ✭✭✭✭blanch152


    https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/mairia-cahill-wins-right-for-candidates-to-keep-home-addresses-hidden-40010738.html


    Another example of the toxic nature of the Sinn Fein social media prescence.

    Because of threats made to her on social media by Sinn Fein members and supporters, Ms. Cahill did not want her address publicised when running for election. As a result, she had to step down as a candidate, in effect bullied out of standing for election.

    Thankfully, the law has since been changed, and she has won a case against the Northern Ireland authorities. While the toxic nature of the Sinn Fein attacks on her won't abate, at least her privacy is protected and she is free to run for election.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,280 ✭✭✭✭Eric Cartman


    I think SF have pulled a master stroke convincing the public thats theres only 1 SF when theres 3.

    You have old school SF, Rebel song singing pint swinging, Up the Ra type rural supporters, would be very socially conservative and usually have no time for immigration, lgbt rights, anti abortion etc... main goal is a united ireland and turfing out anyone not irish. They’d love an all white irish catholic ethnostate.

    You have new school conservative SF, The types that know nothing really about the IRA, watched michael collins once and consider Leo Varadkar a traitor to Ireland, they convince themselves its something to do with policy but deep down they know its because he’s of non irish heritage and gay. They don’t dislike foreigners or the lgbt community, they just don’t want them to be anything more than the village oddity they can gossip about down the pub, certainly not leader. Their main goal is social housing, followed by free almost everything else paid for by ‘rich protestants and foreign companies’ . Usually unemployed or low income, These are the angry social media bullet posters who think Mary Lou was robbed of Taoiseach.

    The greatest stroke the above two groups ever pulled was managing to stay quiet enough in the presence of group 3 to use them as a shield and have them believe everyone is on the same page.

    Group 3 is Nouveau SF, believe the mention of IRA links is a conspiracy to keep mary lou out of power, that SF have become a different party about social liberalism and that with the decimation of Labour and the limited size of the social democrats that this is their home. This is the college students and Millennials who believe SF is about workers rights, social housing, free abortions, free healthcare and that Mary Lou is only failing because FF and FG are brainwashing older people into voting against their own interests. These people think group 2 are just a bit too passionate on social media but are willing to overlook the death threats etc.. for the ‘greater good’ of some sort of utopian Ireland where nobody except apple and google ever pays for anything and we can all live in one happy multi cultural socialist paradise. These people usually just call FG members fascists or bigots, while turning a blind eye to bigotry in their own party. Also rebelling against mummy and daddy who voted FF/FG since their 18th birthday adds cool kid street cred. A great christmas dinner row starting party, who lob zingers at MM in the dail and want to give them a free gaf, that’ll do nicely.

    Its like having a building with 3 distinct meeting halls, 3 pastors giving 3 different cermons and calling it a broad church because it shares a logo and a front door. As long as the first two groups know who not to speak infront of , they’ll hoodwink group 3 into putting them in power. The most frightening thing is if they were ever to get power , what groups ideology would they actually represent , With Mary Lou at the helm its most likely to be a 70/30 blend of group 1 & 2


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,659 ✭✭✭quokula


    I wouldn't say they see it as a social media problem. Without the ability to spread unchallenged propaganda on social media and whip up their supporters by telling different groups different things that they want to hear, the party would be absolutely nowhere electorally. It's the exact same pattern that led to Brexit and Trump, with the exact same unsavoury element of flag waving nationalist bigots present when you look beneath the surface.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,292 ✭✭✭✭blanch152


    quokula wrote: »
    I wouldn't say they see it as a social media problem. Without the ability to spread unchallenged propaganda on social media and whip up their supporters by telling different groups different things that they want to hear, the party would be absolutely nowhere electorally. It's the exact same pattern that led to Brexit and Trump, with the exact same unsavoury element of flag waving nationalist bigots present when you look beneath the surface.

    Yes, when you think of it from a Sinn Fein perspective, that the hatred and bile promulgated by its supporters on social media has led to electoral success, then it isn't a problem.

    For the ordinary, decent onlooker, there might be a different view.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Yes they do.
    And always will.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,246 ✭✭✭friendlyfun


    I don't think it's entirely fair to see Sinn Fein are Trumpian, I mean it was young FG who had delegates at the right wing Turning Point USA two years ago and Leo Varadkar agreeing with Trump's media comments.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,292 ✭✭✭✭blanch152


    I don't think it's entirely fair to see Sinn Fein are Trumpian, I mean it was young FG who had delegates at the right wing Turning Point USA two years ago and Leo Varadkar agreeing with Trump's media comments.

    That is just a "look-over-there" comment that doesn't address the real issue.

    It is not about whether Sinn Fein, Trump and Brexiteers share a political ideology in a left/right sense, it is about their political tactics, their aggressive social media presence, their nasty exclusionary nationalism which can be left or right, their anti-intellectualism, their populism, their bullyboy tactics within their own party etc..

    There are plenty of right-wing politicians and political activists who are far from Trumpian, ditto left-wing, it is the other things that identify it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,615 ✭✭✭✭mariaalice


    The foundation of the Irish state was extremely bloody, numerous heroes of 1916 were court marshaled and executed by the state in the early 1920s Erskin Childers, Liam Mellows to name two there were 81 overall.

    That fact seems to have escaped Irish conscientiousness, it's all let's celebrate 1916 and gloss over the bumpy messy bits of the foundation of the state.

    The political parties we have in Ireland today originate from the political party that ordered those court marshals.

    Not a of fan of SF but they are a political party that has emerged from blood sacrifice republicism and that is one factor in the sort of social media support they attract.

    If SF gets their turn in government and there are no guarantees, after a short honeymooned period, they will be savaged via social media as what happens when the heroes of those social media posters get into power, and minimal changes happen? their heroes are part of the establishment now.

    He who rides a tiger finds it difficult to dismount.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,461 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    If you take up arms against the democratically elected government, why on earth would you NOT be court-martialled?

    The rules are always different during times of civil insurrection, national emergency or war and that's still in our constitution today

    Nonetheless the anti-treaty IRA were in most cases treated a lot more leniently than they would have been in other countries with civil wars.

    BTW there is only one party in existence today which is descended from pro-treaty SF (two, if you count Renua as still going)

    The simplistic jingoism in 2016 made me retch. We've now moved on to an altogether darker phase of events 100 years ago and it's no coincidence that all is quiet on that front, I think after the "Tan" debacle they'll just try to forget the civil war ever happened at this stage

    Scrap the cap!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,292 ✭✭✭✭blanch152


    https://www.thejournal.ie/belfast-grafitti-leo-varadkar-5344817-Feb2021/


    I see that social media issues have got another airing today in the Journal.

    It seems that there is no let-up from the usual sources. Just go on to Twitter and see the hate and bile that pours forth from every second account that has a tricolour motif somewhere on its profile.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,490 ✭✭✭stefanovich


    nuac wrote: »
    Vile stuff from SF and not for the first time,
    Suepeised that in such a rigidly controlled party that that ths was not dealt withe sooner and more effectively.
    Perhaps this sort of "banter" comes from other parties, but not incietment to mirder erc.
    Hope tue SF heavies wanrned and expelled their more enthusiastic posters

    Irish republicans have a history of punishing people with big mouths.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,397 ✭✭✭✭FreudianSlippers


    You don't have to look much further than boards.ie to see the SF social media team in action - posters and mods - continually posting really vile things, deflecting from any negative SF news by attacking anyone who dares question them, and then met with the lightest-touch moderation compared to anyone who dares speak out about SF.

    Not this forum luckily, although it has had its problems in the past, but very clear on other areas of the site. Makes me wonder if it's policy from the top brass or if it's just overlooked?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,135 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    You don't have to look much further than boards.ie to see the SF social media team in action - posters and mods - continually posting really vile things, deflecting from any negative SF news by attacking anyone who dares question them, and then met with the lightest-touch moderation compared to anyone who dares speak out about SF.

    Not this forum luckily, although it has had its problems in the past, but very clear on other areas of the site. Makes me wonder if it's policy from the top brass or if it's just overlooked?

    The different forum charters vary massively, by design.

    I made the mistake of thinking that the Current Affairs forum was some generalised variant of Politics, only to discover that you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. It's like a grim version of After Hours in which people take their own disgusting opinions seriously. And sure enough, according to the charter that's pretty much what it is supposed to be.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,722 ✭✭✭✭Brendan Bendar


    Lumen wrote: »
    The different forum charters vary massively, by design.

    I made the mistake of thinking that the Current Affairs forum was some generalised variant of Politics, only to discover that you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. It's like a grim version of After Hours in which people take their own disgusting opinions seriously. And sure enough, according to the charter that's pretty much what it is supposed to be.

    Bit harsh there?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 39,536 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Mod: Please don't discuss other Boards.ie fora here. Any feedback should be taken to the feedback forum. Thanks.

    The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

    Leviticus 19:34



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,203 ✭✭✭✭StringerBell


    Does sinn Fein have a social media problem? Yeah, most of them do tbf. Social media and political parties are new to each other, and the "establishment" that will make up the leadership and controlling members of long time political parties are often of an older generation who may not be fully aware of how it all actually works.

    Do all sections of the electorate contain some absolute loopers and scumbags? Yeah from what I can see, for sure.

    Does Sinn Fein seem to have more of them? Maybe, it certainly looks like they have some of the more stupid ones who aren't clever enough to keep things behind closed doors.

    Sinn Fein is far from a perfect party, still resembles a paramilitary organisation in many ways but I do think they are on a path to typical Irish political party, just slower than a lot would hope.

    I share alot of ideological views of the party, but at the minute I wouldn't want them anywhere near power because I think they would bankrupt the country and that they simply don't have policies to successfully enact the populist retoric, it's easy to be outside the tent pissing in.

    I am not on Facebook so haven't seen any of the content of this group but I wouldn't be surprised to hear anything, we all hear stuff said in "private" surely that we know people would never say in public/good society? Don't interpret that as any excuse for some of the idiots who espouse racist/offensive in whatever way the views were, views. It is not that, I do feel that whenever something comes out that can be used to tarnish SF it gets a magnifying glass put on it, but that's politics I guess.

    To compare it to the US, the likes of fox will always look to portray something a Democrat does as an absolute scandal regardless, and MSNBC would be the same on the other side. It loses some of its impact that way imo

    Sorry for the ramble

    "People say ‘go with the flow’ but do you know what goes with the flow? Dead fish."



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,490 ✭✭✭stefanovich


    why didn't the Irish Times name the administrators?

    That’d be too much information for us plebs.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,490 ✭✭✭stefanovich


    quokula wrote: »
    I wouldn't say they see it as a social media problem. Without the ability to spread unchallenged propaganda on social media and whip up their supporters by telling different groups different things that they want to hear, the party would be absolutely nowhere electorally. It's the exact same pattern that led to Brexit and Trump, with the exact same unsavoury element of flag waving nationalist bigots present when you look beneath the surface.
    Partially agree with you except on the Brexit and Trump point. There was propaganda on both sides but social media were only engaged in the suppression of right wing political speech.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 61 ✭✭whysobecause


    No homphobia please.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 945 ✭✭✭Colonel Claptrap


    Theres a facebook page known as Call for a revolution in Ireland. It was set up around the time of the water protests. Now it posts anti-establishment, populist, pro-SF content.

    What's most striking is not the content. It's the comments from it's legion of tri-colour/Palestine flag waving knuckledraggers.

    Don't believe me?
    Here's a selection from the past few days.



    "Get of scot free slimy slithering corrupt bastards the lot of ff fg vermin rats we should hang these ***** to the lampposts joke this **** this wanker will probably get another pay rise out of this and a big compensation pay out for being bullied by us folk online your a rat 🀠pure vermin tick tock posh boy plenty of rope with your name on it"

    "Leo will have no problems dropping the soap in the showers in the Joy 🀣🀣🀣🀣🀣🀣"

    "Kick this **** stabbing dope out of Ireland nothing but a sellout💯💯💯"

    "Once Pearce is minister for finance he will reveal the books to the public all the corruption
    Any money mehole will do a Bertie he will get out before the **** hit the fan some other poor bolix in FF will sink with the ship"

    "Rotten tan"

    "Retard"

    "Bender"

    "Terrible racist comments....to be fair"

    "What a ****en TRAITOR to the Irish people Dragging a Republican party to bed with Blueshirt Black&Tans you disgusting piece of ****e and the rest of your FF,, Yes minister,, colleagues after being castarated
    Party needs disbanding,, to a few with BALLS AND VISION, 🀬🀬🀬⁉️"

    "I can't wait for the day when Mary Lou sits in her new office and asks the heads of Rte , times, independent at al into government buildings for a chat . Change is coming"

    "You are a disgrace you ****ing black n tan traitor to the Irish nation,,,thank God for the IRA hero's protecting the national people of Ireland against Death Squads Colluders including Agent Harris MI5,,,shame on you bailed out rogue banks using Irish taxpayers money you criminal bastard,,how dare you corrupt to the core muttering fool,,,,NOT OUR TAOISEACH NOT ELECTED BY PEOPLE,,,WANTING TO COMMERATE MURDERING BLACK N TANS YOU AND YOUR BLUESHIRT TRAITORS,,,,STEP DOWN YOU MORON THIS IS STILL OUR ISLAND OF IRELAND."

    "Ryan has a great jaw for a slap of a hurley
    Preferably one that would not brake. I would love to administer it."

    "One empty headed ****"

    "What I would love to do to that fkr is beyond my pacifist stance now.
    That slimy bastard has none, and will never have children, so he cares fk all about any of us.
    Honestly I want to smash his head in along with that fkn ratfaced bastard of a teashock. Grrr..."


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,445 ✭✭✭Rodney Bathgate


    Sickening but hardly surprising.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,461 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    Snipped post.

    He's not wrong.

    There's already been an MP murdered in the UK over it.

    Scrap the cap!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,615 ✭✭✭✭mariaalice


    If and it is a big if, they even get into government a lot of it would fall away, it's easy for the online SF supporter to project any fantasy on to SF while they have no power.

    To the online supporter, they can be a socialist party, an old-style republican party, or modern republican party, the party of the working class replacing labor, the party of the middle class replacing the 'corrupt cronyism' of the present set up, they will sort out the 'corrupt' biased media, abolish the special criminal courts and so on.


    Plus a certain amount of it must be mental health issues that is not an excuse though.


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