Stand up to homophobia

Editorial Department • Published 4 Mar 2010 12:54 9 Comments

Share this

Dear Sir, - I'm sure I wasn't the only reader of your paper to be disgusted by the homophobic conntent in the letter from Patrick Maguire in last week's paper.

It is estimated widely that approximately one in ten people are born homosexual and that this ratio is similar pretty much around the world. As a result of widespread hostility and prejudice, many homosexual people suffer from unremitting bullying, isolation and rejection from their families and communities. The situation in Fermanagh is known to be particularly grave in this regard.

Mr Maguire seeks to blame homosexuals for AIDS. Scientific opinion is that it is caused by a virus which can be spread by a number of mechanisms including sexual activity (all types), the injection of drugs, contaminated blood transfusions and through being born to someone suffering from the condition. Blaming homosexuals for AIDS is like blaming Diabetes on Fatty food. It is to infer an absolute causal relationship where none exists.

Mr Maguire seeks to blame homosexuality for suicide and distress whereas any prevalence of these conditions within homosexuals (if true) is more likely to reflect the widespread nature of social prejudice against those born into the LGBT community - a problem likely made all the worse by Mr Maguire's intervention.

Against the backdrop of the recent exposure of how the Catholic Church presided and covered up for a pervasive network of systematic sexual and physical abuse, it is sickening that anyone can, in their name, attack others for their sexuality.

Moreover, the courts have recently heard evidence suggesting that the brutal murder of Shaun Fitzpatrick in Dungannon in 2008 may have been due to his homosexuality; those who peddle homophobia share the blame for the violence that they propagate throughout society. It is the same as for those who peddle racism, sexism or sectarian prejudice.

Working class people need to stand united for change. Any attempt to divide us whether along racial lines, gender, sexuality or religion weakens our abilities to change society for the better.

Yours faithfully,

Domhnall Ó Cobhthaigh

Socialist Party, Fermanagh

This letter appeared in Impartial Reporter 04 Mar 10

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Joker
Unregistered User
Mar 5, 23:36
Report comment

That 10% figure is wack. What a joke. Marky Marxist is gonna have to do better than that!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
******
Mar 6, 22:17
Report comment

This comment has been removed by a moderator
CM
Unregistered User
Mar 7, 04:14
Report comment

THAT IS PAEDOPHILIA ALICE, WAKE UP! Would you be calling in homosexuality in front of a judge if it was your son being molested?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Alice
Unregistered User
Mar 7, 11:30
Report comment

Did you read the article? Most of the sexual abuse, in the USA and Ireland, was committed against teenage boys, not children. The point here is that the abuse was carried out by predatory homosexuals. This is the big elephant in the corner of the room that nobody wants to acknowledge.

If you didn't read it, maybe you might, then read this:

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/jun/020618a.html

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Eoin MacD
Unregistered User
Mar 7, 20:40
Report comment

Where a person is below the age of consent the persons gender is irrelevant. They are CHILDREN until the age of consent, there after they are male or female and the crime is called rape.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Alice
Unregistered User
Mar 7, 22:18
Report comment

Eoin: it's still predatory homosexuality.

The FACT which you seem unwilling to accept, is that most of the abuse was committed by priests against young, adolescent males, not children. Young adolescent males are commonly referred to as young men... Older male homosexuals preying on young males forms the majority of the abuse cases. Therefore, the problem is one of homosexuality, not pedophilia in the majority of cases. Open your mind and read the links I provided in this post and the above comments.

This website is interesting: http://www.traditionalvalues.org/urban/

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Eoin MacD
Unregistered User
Mar 8, 13:55
Report comment

I do accept the possibility that the majority of children abused may have been male. I'm simply saying it's irrelevant. There could be several factors influencing the gender of victims, such as access. The FACT is that very little research has been done investigating the motivation and psychology of paedophiles and for anyone to be attributing such broad sweeping statements to paedophiles based on our limited knowledge base is utter fallacy.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Sola Scriptura
Unregistered User
Mar 8, 20:08
Report comment

Evangelical Christians look to the Bible for wisdom and guidance(on any subject),not the Bible plus tradition plus the Roman Catholic Church(no offence intended).The soc*alist gentleman accused Mr.Maguire of "homophobia" and linked people like Mr.Maguire and (presumably)the Whites,to violent acts against homosexuals.What a disgrace and outrage!A slanderous statement if ever there was one.The soc*alist is trying to silence those who dare to tell the truth about homosexuality and who do so out of compassion, not hate.True Christians are opposed to violence and would not resort to violence.Left-wingers and the "gay" lobby are using the chilling effect and the threat of "hate-speech" penalties to silence and punish anyone who does not toe the Politically Correct line on homosexual conduct.Our soc*alist friend perpetuates the myth that homosexuals make up 10 percent of the population(actually,it's more like 2 percent) and that homosexuals are "born gay".Why then at a "Gay Pride" parade in Belfast some years ago,did the marchers carry a placard which read "10 percent is not enough,Recruit,Recruit,Recruit"?To our soc*alist friend,we say,"Stop your mischief-making!"

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Alice
Unregistered User
Mar 9, 05:10
Report comment

Sola Scriptura: I think Mr Ó Cobhthaigh didn't do his homework and thought any old lies would placate the plebs.

I can see that in the future, all men of goodwill must combine forces to reject the growing culture of death which is currently engulfing our society. The two legs of this demonic stool are abortion and homosexuality. Euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research are other legs.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
john murphy
Unregistered User
Apr 6, 11:28
Report comment

As I've said before the soc*alist and gay lobby is hell bent on reducing the age of consent for any sexual behaviour to 12 years of age or below. Trust me they are determined to get at your children one way or t'other (child protection act?). I would like also to see an independent investigation into the affairs of Dr. Bernardo's in this country and other institutions. This clerical abuse question is just the tip of the iceberg, how could something like this be kept a secret from so many. According to statistics most child abuse takes place in the homes of unfortunate children yet there hasn't been any hysteria about it. Also, you would do well to look out for your elderly neighbour as statistics also show that at least 2000 elderly parents (conservative estimate) are being abused by their children everyday. So if we want to clean up society in this regard I suggest we weed out all types of abuse and not just that recommended by Mr. O'Cobhthaigh's Soc*alist Select Committee.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Opinion archives.