Thin Skinned Politicians

[NewBroom]

Yesterday we heard that Simon Harris is unhappy about comments made on social media. Today it's about politicians in general, how it puts them off running. Then we have the narrative that so and so won't run for the presidency because it can get hot in the kitchen.

Well you know what, I haven't a shred of sympathy for anyone with that view. If you want to stand for public office then you need to be thick skinned. It goes with the job. Politicians and wannabe politicians all love social media insofar as it allows them to announce how active they are in the community and what they are doing for their electorate etc. What they want to ignore is that social media is a two way street, it facilitates the public to give them valuable feedback.

They want to suck up the likes and the positive comments directed at them. But they don't want to hear from people who disagree with whatever they are doing or not doing. Well sorry, that's not how interaction with the public works. If you wannabe a politician, then you have to take all feedback, good & bad.

Isn't it curious that the complaints about abuse on social media only come from some public representatives. The others read the room and know what the story is, that it's a two edged tool and are thick skinned. I put it that those in the former group who whinge about negative feedback are too thin skinned and simply not suited to public life and should get out.

[NattyO]

It's even more curious that, the moment a FG politician comes under serious pressure, the "far right" helpfully offer anonymous online threats that blanket out the media coverage. See: Helen McEntee, Leo Varadkar, Simon Harris. Astonishing coincidence that, in their hour of greatest need, these threats appeared to help them out. Handy, that.

[Berties_Horse]

The dependable old playbook: "Deny, divert, distract" from critical leadership failings. And resurrect legislation about so-called "hate speech" surreptitiously. Hurt feelings leading to censorship, legitimate criticism stifled & power consolidated. Naturally such a measure would never be put to referendum, the Irish public overwhelmingly against such abuses of privilege.

[Truthslayer]

Threatening to rape and murder the children of a politician isn’t on. That isn’t being thin skinned. The people who make these threats are fascists and should be in prison.

Also, why in the name of Jesus would a hate speech law be put to the people? It’s not a constitutional matter. Read a book.

[NewBroom]

Cormac O'Hara the RTE journalist had a lengthy interview on related matters this afternoon. If Cormac, the D4 gaelgeoir had his way, we'd have widespread censorship across the internet & society to stop people writing things he disapproves of. I used have some time for him but now I increasingly find him intensely annoying and prescriptive.

[NewBroom]

Threatening to rape and murder the children of a politician isn’t on. That isn’t being thin skinned. The people who make these threats are fascists and should be in prison.

Such threats made online are meaningless - the real danger if there is any, will come from people who don't spout on about what they'd like to do. It's only certain politicians that make a deal out of these interactions, for their own reasons no doubt. Either not suited to public life or at least it's a handy way to make a press release and say 'hey look at me'.

I doubt very much if those who engage in online threats are fascists as you put it. How do you define a fascist anyway?

[NattyO]

Such threats made online are meaningless - the real danger if there is any, will come from people who don't spout on about what they'd like to do. It's only certain politicians that make a deal out of these interactions, for their own reasons no doubt. Either not suited to public life or at least it's a handy way to make a press release and say 'hey look at me'.

I doubt very much if those who engage in online threats are fascists as you put it. How do you define a fascist anyway?

Wonder how that poster knows it was a fascist - I mean it’s just as likely they were a communist, or a nihilist, or even, god forbid, a Marxist.

[Berties_Horse]

Cormac O'Hara the RTE journalist had a lengthy interview on related matters this afternoon. If Cormac, the D4 gaelgeoir had his way, we'd have widespread censorship across the internet & society to stop people writing things he disapproves of. I used have some time for him but now I increasingly find him intensely annoying and prescriptive.

Within the past 24 hours, Graham Linehan landed at Heathrow to be greeted & arrested by five armed officers. His crime? Somebody reported a few gender-critical tweets. Apparently three of them that contained "hurty words" of satirical nature. Linehan was then thrown into a cell, hospitalised due to the stress & subsequently bailed under strict provision not to tweet anything. The UK has swiftly devolved into a totalitarian state. For our ideologically challenged friend above, "fascism" is a centralised autocratic structure that forcibly suppresses dissenting opinions. And free speech falls within those parameters. These are rather disturbing times, the complete absurdity of it all.

[Bubblypop]

Anyone who believes that threatening to rape and murder innocent children is perfectly ok, is almost as bad as the one doing the threatening

[NewBroom]

Anyone who believes that threatening to rape and murder innocent children is perfectly ok, is almost as bad as the one doing the threatening

Where has anyone above said that it's perfectly ok to rape and murder innocent children? Don't be trying to put words into others mouths!

As of this morning, it appears that a presumably disgruntled woman was behind the comments directed at Mr.Harris.

I have little doubt but that other politicians receive similar communications from the public, but do they make a big deal out of them? No it's the likes of our Simon who is wont to exploit these matters and keep his name in the news cycle. SOP for FG these days, with all the carryon over their internal presidential nominations. Which of course has turned into a damp squib.

[NewBroom]

Within the past 24 hours, Graham Linehan landed at Heathrow to be greeted & arrested by five armed officers. His crime? Somebody reported a few gender-critical tweets. Apparently three of them that contained "hurty words" of satirical nature. Linehan was then thrown into a cell, hospitalised due to the stress & subsequently bailed under strict provision not to tweet anything. The UK has swiftly devolved into a totalitarian state. For our ideologically challenged friend above, "fascism" is a centralised autocratic structure that forcibly suppresses dissenting opinions. And free speech falls within those parameters. These are rather disturbing times, the complete absurdity of it all.

Indeed but what I found disturbing about the RTE interview was the enthusiasm of O'Hara, supposedly a journalist, to have social media companies controlling any negative commentary. Even the people he was interviewing, politician and NGO rep, were taken aback and muttering about 'freedom of expression'. But not our Cormac - watch that man in RTE, all the hallmarks of an authoritarian ideologue.

[NattyO]

I wonder did the woman who allegedly threatened Harris have a child who died or is dying of a treatable disease.

[Bubblypop]

I wonder did the woman who allegedly threatened Harris have a child who died or is dying of a treatable disease.

That would make it perfectly ok then to threaten to rape and murder an innocent child

[Bubblypop]

Where has anyone above said that it's perfectly ok to rape and murder innocent children? Don't be trying to put words into others mouths!

As of this morning, it appears that a presumably disgruntled woman was behind the comments directed at Mr.Harris.

I have little doubt but that other politicians receive similar communications from the public, but do they make a big deal out of them? No it's the likes of our Simon who is wont to exploit these matters and keep his name in the news cycle. SOP for FG these days, with all the carryon over their internal presidential nominations. Which of course has turned into a damp squib.

I would be fairly confident that any parent anywhere, no matter what their profession would 'make a big deal ' out of someone threatening to rape and murder their child.

[NattyO]

That would make it perfectly ok then to threaten to rape and murder an innocent child

Do you think so? I wouldn't agree. It would make it understandable, but I still wouldn't agree with it.

Good to see you back btw, busy times.

[NattyO]

Well, the woman in question has been released without charge:

https://www.thejournal.ie/simon-harris- ... op-stories

So presumably she isn't the terrifying danger that some were making her out to be. At least Simon has gotten out from under the pressure of not having done what he promised to the parents of Harvey Morrison Sherratt while this played out. Every cloud and all that.

[Bubblypop]

Do you think so? I wouldn't agree. It would make it understandable, but I still wouldn't agree with it.

Good to see you back btw, busy times.

It wouldn't make it understandable to me at all, if anything it would surely make one more protective of children

[Jequ0n]

What exactly is this person supposed to have posted?

[NattyO]

It wouldn't make it understandable to me at all, if anything it would surely make one more protective of children

People sometimes react badly to devasting tragedies in their lives, they don't always think the way you would like them to, or think they should.

[Bubblypop]

People sometimes react badly to devasting tragedies in their lives, they don't always think the way you would like them to, or think they should.

Yeah, threatening children because of a devastating tragedy in your own life is hardly understandable

[NattyO]

Yeah, threatening children because of a devastating tragedy in your own life is hardly understandable

This confirms what I've suspected from a lot of your posts - you've led a very sheltered life.

[Bubblypop]

This confirms what I've suspected from a lot of your posts - you've led a very sheltered life.

Quite the opposite! But threatening children wouldn't be something I could understand. Most people are the same I think.

[NattyO]

Quite the opposite! But threatening children wouldn't be something I could understand. Most people are the same I think.

Hopefully you'll never have enough life experience to know.

[Bubblypop]

Hopefully you'll never have enough life experience to know.

Oh right, your life experience allows you to threaten to rape and murder children does it?
Not sure at all why you are arguing this, noone agrees that it is ok or understandable

[Jequ0n]

Oh right, your life experience allows you to threaten to rape and murder children does it?
Not sure at all why you are arguing this, noone agrees that it is ok or understandable

Have you never threatened or intimidated someone in a moment of red mist? At the end of the day it’s just words