I used to believe in censorship. I supported section 31, and was eventually convinced that I was wrong. The truth was that section 31 prevented Sinn Fein from having to become just another political party, which they pretty much are now. As a result, I’ve tended to go the other way. I think, on balance, that censorship is not really in anyone’s long term interest. That doesn’t mean that the state can’t protect children from violent or pornographic images, but that adults should be at least able to make the call themselves.
That’s why I find the actions of this crowd here so objectionable. There’s a curious type of hybrid leftwing fascist (Yes, I know) beginning to emerge in recent times, who believe that they are entitled to decide what arguments other people should be permitted to hear. What’s more interesting is their willingness to ally with people opposed to their core beliefs, like watching LGBT activists marching with Taliban supporters, and their ability to be filled with actual hatred for their opponents. Actual hatred. I disagree with Richard Boyd Barrett, but I don’t hate him. When did irrational anger become so acceptable on the hard left? What happened to reason before passion?
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Speaking of porn, I recently purchased a copy of RTE’s A Week In Politics Guide to Election 2011 and the 31st Dail. Note the title, because it’s important. When you flick through it, it’s very coffee table, full of info-nuggets and pictures and interesting articles, especially Sean Donnelly’s stuff. But see that title? Apparently, we live in a unicameral political system, and there was no Seanad Election 2011. Of course, maybe they were just in a rush to beat the Irish Times’s traditionally posher version. Or maybe they just decided that even political anoraks don’t give that much of a damn about the Seanad. I think they’re wrong, especially as it could be the last Seanad election under the current system. And it’s a bit pricey at €17.99, although the Irish Times version tends to be much steeper. And you practically have to ask the IMF for a dig out if you want to buy a copy of the uber-academic “Ireland Votes 2011”.
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What a load of old nonsense about David Norris. Basically, he’s getting clobbered for having expressed opinions when he was a senator. We’re all stunned, especially as, with many of the candidates, you will struggle to find them having ever expressed an opinion on a political issue. As for the garbage being hinted at about older gay men with younger gay men, what a load of hypocritical guff. There isn’t a pub in Ireland where straight men don’t gather to talk about younger women. This is dressed-up homophobia.
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Tony Blair believes here that we should have an elected EU President. He’s right, and as I said to him (the only time in my life I get to say that) I’d vote for him.
3 thoughts on “Jason’s Diary.”
I disagree that someone who opposes David Norris is automatically a homophobe. My point is that he’s not a paedophile nor a supporter of paedophiles, and that if a heterosexual man had said that he would liked to have lost his virginity to an older woamn, it would not be regarded as a big deal. To equate his opinions with the actions of some (and I stress the some. I know there are plenty of Catholic priests who are as sickened by the actions of some in the church as anyone else) in the Catholic Church is just plain wrong.
I have to agree with Peter here. The circles that are trying to be squared here by so-called liberals is starting to grate. The whole Norris campaign has been about dividing Irish people. The constant, underlying current of his whole campaign to date has been that if you don’t support him, you are some backwoods knuckle-dragging “homophobe”.
An Irish President should bring all Irish people together and act as a symbol of the better aspects of our national character. David Norris has proven himself not to be that symbol.
Jim
P.S. Just to declare, I haven’t decided one way or another who to vote for yet. All the names in the public domain are pretty lacklustre so far.
Unbelievable the contortions that liberals will put themselves through to allow them to continue supporting David Norris. Imagine any Catholic priest or bishop coming out with the crap Norris did and the reaction. Every time any Catholic commentator tried to point out that most abuse wasn’t actually paedophilia but ephobiphilia, what was the reaction? You mention that 81% of abuse was abuse of teenage boys and you get accused of homophobia. It’s truly beyond sickening.
Thankfully there’s a Gay in the race we can vote for and Norris’s chance of a nomination is zilch.
I disagree that someone who opposes David Norris is automatically a homophobe. My point is that he’s not a paedophile nor a supporter of paedophiles, and that if a heterosexual man had said that he would liked to have lost his virginity to an older woamn, it would not be regarded as a big deal. To equate his opinions with the actions of some (and I stress the some. I know there are plenty of Catholic priests who are as sickened by the actions of some in the church as anyone else) in the Catholic Church is just plain wrong.
I have to agree with Peter here. The circles that are trying to be squared here by so-called liberals is starting to grate. The whole Norris campaign has been about dividing Irish people. The constant, underlying current of his whole campaign to date has been that if you don’t support him, you are some backwoods knuckle-dragging “homophobe”.
An Irish President should bring all Irish people together and act as a symbol of the better aspects of our national character. David Norris has proven himself not to be that symbol.
Jim
P.S. Just to declare, I haven’t decided one way or another who to vote for yet. All the names in the public domain are pretty lacklustre so far.
Unbelievable the contortions that liberals will put themselves through to allow them to continue supporting David Norris. Imagine any Catholic priest or bishop coming out with the crap Norris did and the reaction. Every time any Catholic commentator tried to point out that most abuse wasn’t actually paedophilia but ephobiphilia, what was the reaction? You mention that 81% of abuse was abuse of teenage boys and you get accused of homophobia. It’s truly beyond sickening.
Thankfully there’s a Gay in the race we can vote for and Norris’s chance of a nomination is zilch.