Kevin Myers writes something repugnant

Teddy_Picker · 10-08-2011 07:15PM #1

Kevin Myers uses the London riots as an excuse to go on another tour of his many prejudices- immigrants, single mums, feminists, liberals and, uh, Michael D. Higgins all get a lick of the Kevin stick!

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/kevin-myers-feral-rioters-all-have-one-thing-in-common-a-lack-of-father-figures-2844058.html

Myers
The duty of journalists is to tell the truth.

...and oddly enough Kevin abandons this completely and wildly speculates!

chin_grin · 10-08-2011 07:17PM

It's the Blackberry's Joe. The bleedin' Blackberry's. Coming over here and taking our smart phone jobs.

GLaDOS · 10-08-2011 07:18PM

And now he gets free advertising, job done tbh.

Kevin Myers: Professional Troll.

lastlaugh · 10-08-2011 07:23PM

Teddy_Picker wrote: »

Kevin Myers uses the London riots as an excuse to go on another tour of his many prejudices- immigrants, single mums, feminists, liberals and, uh, Michael D. Higgins all get a lick of the Kevin stick!

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/kevin-myers-feral-rioters-all-have-one-thing-in-common-a-lack-of-father-figures-2844058.html

...and oddly enough Kevin abandons this completely and wildly speculates!

I don't understand your problem with it.

I think he makes valid points, you seem to have a bee in your bonnet about 'his many prejudices'.

Have you anything better to say than him?

arybvtcw0eolkf · 10-08-2011 07:24PM

I don't disagree with him.

Dangerous Man · 10-08-2011 07:26PM

I actually don't see the point of articles such as these. I don't wholly disagree with anything Myers says but the problem is that 1,000 words is not enough to address this subject in a meaningful way.

If by doing this, Myers is attempting to somehow light the touchpaper for some sort of debate - he probably shouldn't bother. Debates that begin from a starting point such as this attract the loud, the obnoxious and the perenially offended.

It's a waste of time, frankly.

Mahatma coat · 10-08-2011 07:27PM

OK how about the OP counters the Factual Inacuarcies in Myers article

I read it today too, and I have to agree with the man, the Problem stems from Black single parent Familys where the lack of a Father figure and a culture of Handouts has led to these lads believing that they can do whatever they want without fear of serious reprecussions

The Waltzing Consumer · 10-08-2011 07:30PM

Don't agree with Myers a lot, but OP what is repugnant in the article? You have raised the themes he deals with it, but what of them? I don't disagree with what he says, he could well be right in the article.

lastlaugh · 10-08-2011 07:31PM

Dangerous Man wrote: »

I actually don't see the point of articles such as these. I don't wholly disagree with anything Myers says but the problem is that 1,000 words is not enough to address this subject in a meaningful way.

If by doing this, Myers is attempting to somehow light the touchpaper for some sort of debate - he probably shouldn't bother. Debates that begin from a starting point such as this attract the loud, the obnoxious and the perenially offended.

It's a waste of time, frankly.

He is a journalist don't forget.

He is writing his opinion on a topical news story, that's the point I would imagine.

jam_mac_jam · 10-08-2011 07:31PM

I dont know what his problem is with single mothers. Always the nasty single mothers. Those poor little teenagers with their nasty mothers.

Badgermonkey · 10-08-2011 07:33PM

Many journalists covering the unrest have touched on similar themes.

It may be common for Myers to bleat on about his pet issues but that in itself does not render some points made less valid imo.

The Waltzing Consumer · 10-08-2011 07:33PM

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

I dont know what his problem is with single mothers. Always the nasty single mothers. Those poor little teenagers with their nasty mothers.

He gave his view about single mothers, he then picks a group to demonstrate this view, then he backs it up with a statistic to ram home the point.

seems clear to me

mikemac · 10-08-2011 07:33PM

Teddy_Picker wrote: »

...and oddly enough Kevin abandons this completely and wildly speculates!

Are these inaccurate so OP?
I don't know if they are accurate or not, you seem to know

No fewer than 70pc of young offenders in Britain are from single-parent families.

The facts are known: black children of single mothers are twice as likely to commit crime as black children with two parents.

Nearly 60pc of London's Afro-Caribbean mothers are single.

It's worth discussing
I believe Freakonomics covered similar in their book

Chuck Stone · 10-08-2011 07:34PM

The Myers lens tends to focus on those parts of the problem which will court the most controversy (that's how he earns his crust).

The aspects he highlights are very likely to be some of the factors which have contributed to the situation but only some.

4 out of 10

coonecb1 · 10-08-2011 07:35PM

I think Myers is similar in a way to Michael Moore.

People tend to make ad-hominem attacks anytime they come out with a contreversial attacks.

If this article was written by Mary Robinson there wouldn't be as many accusations of racism etc.

I think Myers is a useful reference point and his originality adds to the level of media output in this country.

jam_mac_jam · 10-08-2011 07:37PM

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

He gave his view about single mothers, he then picks a group to demonstrate this view, then he backs it up with a statistic to ram home the point.

seems clear to me

indeed, he seems to give his views about single mothers quite a lot, I am wondering why.

Mahatma coat · 10-08-2011 07:37PM

But, the problem is the Single parent Children, they have had no discipline, no authority figure in their lives, who's fault is it that the children grow up to be antisocial?? I say its the parents, unless you think that raising children is someone elses job.

also, and history bears this out
If the mother was a Tramp who opened her legs for any passing stranger to knock her up You can bet that the Daughter wil be as bad

Ronin247 · 10-08-2011 07:37PM

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

I dont know what his problem is with single mothers. Always the nasty single mothers. Those poor little teenagers with their nasty mothers.

When he says 60% of Londons Afro Carribbean mothers are single that doesn't mean that there is no father figure,just that they are working the system and claiming single mothers allowances.

lastlaugh · 10-08-2011 07:40PM

coonecb1 wrote: »

I think Myers is similar in a way to Michael Moore.

In what way exactly?

hatz7 · 10-08-2011 07:42PM

Teddy_Picker wrote: »

Kevin Myers uses the London riots as an excuse to go on another tour of his many prejudices- immigrants, single mums, feminists, liberals and, uh, Michael D. Higgins all get a lick of the Kevin stick!

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/kevin-myers-feral-rioters-all-have-one-thing-in-common-a-lack-of-father-figures-2844058.html

...and oddly enough Kevin abandons this completely and wildly speculates!

OP, I'll just throw this out here, I doubt you like KM, in general.

There is nothing wrong with his article, it was a great read. With many valid points.

What is your problem with the article???????????????????????????????????

Dearest OP when you start a thread, please offer an opinion yourself.

marcsignal · 10-08-2011 07:42PM

Mahatma coat wrote: »

OK how about the OP counters the Factual Inacuarcies in Myers article

Well said Mahatma

Mahatma coat wrote: »

I read it today too, and I have to agree with the man, the Problem stems from Black single parent Familys where the lack of a Father figure and a culture of Handouts has led to these lads believing that they can do whatever they want without fear of serious reprecussions

Quite true, but all race issues aside, I know if I had done anything as a youngster, that resulted in the police calling to the house, I would have been in big trouble with my old man.

In these cases, with daddy gone AWOL, what most of these feral brats have been lacking is a puck in the snot and a kick up the hole, when necessary, end of.

.

tricky D · 10-08-2011 07:43PM

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

I dont know what his problem is with single mothers. Always the nasty single mothers. Those poor little teenagers with their nasty mothers.

He doesn't really have a problem with single mothers, they make great material for him. Much easier for him to troll about them than about absent fathers.

7sr2z3fely84g5 · 10-08-2011 07:44PM

Jaysus you cant write or say anything that will cause offence.

No wonder laziness in parenting and general authority set itself in.

coonecb1 · 10-08-2011 07:47PM

lastlaugh wrote: »

In what way exactly?

Well, both Myers and Moore articulate a certain political viewpoint.

They both present their articles / movies in a way that REALLY gets under the skin of the opposing side to the debate.

Their opponents usually resort to ad-hominem attacks without ever getting into too many details as regards where they think they are wrong.

St.Spodo · 10-08-2011 07:50PM

This article is certainly not repugnant, OP. Yes, absent fathers should bare the brunt of the criticism but the point about patriarchy is quite a sound one.

Dr_H.Lecter_ · 10-08-2011 07:50PM

Kevin Myers - Is he the little fatso in the Indo who regulary spurts absolute bollox ?

He's a c*nt.

(searched google - no i was thinking of someone else - the little tubby guy dressed in black, calls himself mr spy or something, pic in his column of him looking up like he's just realised how much of a ar53hole he is)

sock puppet · 10-08-2011 07:58PM

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

He gave his view about single mothers, he then picks a group to demonstrate this view, then he backs it up with a statistic to ram home the point.

seems clear to me

It's a completely meaningless statistic unless adjusted for other factors. So no he has nothing to back up his opinion that children of single mothers are more likely to be delinquant.

edit: well they are clearly more likely to be delinquant I suppose. However he's presented no evidence that there's any link between the two.

TomD101 · 10-08-2011 07:58PM

Dr_H.Lecter_ wrote: »

Kevin Myers - Is he the little fatso in the Indo who regulary spurts absolute bollox ?

He's a c*nt.

(searched google - no i was thinking of someone else - the little tubby guy dressed in black, calls himself mr spy or something, pic in his column of him looking up like he's just realised how much of a ar53hole he is)

That is Ian O'Doherty - another douche. Easily confused

sambuka41 · 10-08-2011 08:01PM

I think Myers has a point about the absent father thing, but what he missed is that the police have acted in exactly the same way. They should have squashed this on at least the second night, and given the little s**ts this kick up the hole their fathers would have if they bothered to hang around.

the police have been hanging back instead of showing them that their behaviour is out of order. Absent father figures all round I'd say.

lastlaugh · 10-08-2011 08:02PM

coonecb1 wrote: »

Well, both Myers and Moore articulate a certain political viewpoint.

They both present their articles / movies in a way that REALLY gets under the skin of the opposing side to the debate.

Their opponents usually resort to ad-hominem attacks without ever getting into too many details as regards where they think they are wrong.

Whatever about Myers irritating people, I think it unfair to compare him to Moore who chops and edits material to portray his point.

mackg · 10-08-2011 08:04PM

Dr_H.Lecter_ wrote: »

Kevin Myers - Is he the little fatso in the Indo who regulary spurts absolute bollox ?

He's a c*nt.

(searched google - no i was thinking of someone else - the little tubby guy dressed in black, calls himself mr spy or something, pic in his column of him looking up like he's just realised how much of a ar53hole he is)

lol

Kevin Myers writes something repugnant

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