Irish columnist fears for safety after being called 'homophobic'
April 15, 2014
A leading Irish newspaper columnist has reported that he has trouble sleeping, has lost weight, fears for his safety, and may move out of Dublin because of harassment and threats he has suffered since being identified as “homophobic.”
John Waters, who was a regular columnist for the Irish Times from 1991 until recently, was one of several people described as “homophobic” by a prominent drag queen who appeared on an RTE television broadcast. Waters threatened to sue RTE for broadcasting the comment, and eventually received €40,000 in an out-of-court settlement. But the columnist reports that he encounters hostility and threats.
Waters, who has stopped writing for the Irish Times, said that his situation is a test-case for freedom of speech. “It is about the rights of people to speak about what is important without being demonized,” he said.
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Posted by: extremeCatholic -
Apr. 16, 2014 8:20 AM ET USA
I don't often seek out who has the moral authority to declare bigotry in Ireland, but when I do, I look to a prominent drag queen for that.
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Posted by: -
Apr. 15, 2014 6:31 PM ET USA
In the Universal Church of Tolerance, everyone is tolerated and welcome EXCEPT those who don't agree with the High Priests of Tolerance, namely, the political, media and commercial elites. Any dissenter must be harassed, silenced, fined, and if need be jailed or worse.
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Posted by: jg23753479 -
Apr. 15, 2014 4:51 PM ET USA
Why is it that so many countries, once profoundly Catholic like Ireland and Spain, have now become satanic outposts, cesspools of immoral behavior and opinion? My ancestors came from Ireland, but now the mere sight of its flag turns my stomach; I'm too conscious of the filth it stands for these days.
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Posted by: Defender -
Apr. 15, 2014 2:47 PM ET USA
Here it comes, ready or not...
