The All New Northern Ireland

[TG]

The problem is evangelical/fundamental Christianity.

When they try to force it on others, particularly.

I got a rather twisted pleasure out of upsetting two such God-botherers who came to my door last week, who I listened to rather patiently until the point that they mentioned "the sin of homosexuality" in the midst of a whole list of "bad things" I rather enjoy.

Let's just say, I've never seen a black woman turn purple before. Telling her my boyfriend and I were about to defile then sacrifice a live goat in the back garden did it!

I'm all for people having religion if it keeps them happy. But, NOT if it is foisted upon myself or anyone else who isn't interested, or if it'd just downright bigoted. May these "Christian" people go to hell themselves for wishing ill on others "unlike" themselves - they're no better than the extremists found in other religions...

[marksi]

There's now a petition on the Downing Street website condemning Iris Robinson's actions of the past few days.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Robinson-Gay/

Outrage! is calling for people to publically out any members of the DUP who they know are gay.

[Sput]

Have I missed something that makes this OK? Is it "out people in the same party to show what a hypocrite she is but thereby ruin the lives of those they DO out to prove a point"?

[cdd]

Hmm... reprimanding or firing her would simply martyr her to her cause. Is the sensible thing to do not to ignore her comments for the rubbish they are?

[marksi]

Have I missed something that makes this OK? Is it "out people in the same party to show what a hypocrite she is but thereby ruin the lives of those they DO out to prove a point"?

I think the point is that any member of the DUP who is gay but remains silent is the hypocrite. The issue is bigger than just her comments in that the party appears to be supporting her. Ian Paisley Junior made similar comments in an interview last year, while occupying the role of a Junior Minister in the department responsible for equality.

There was a controversy in the party a number of years ago where a young party member and MLA, Paul Berry, was accused by a local newspaper of indulging in gay sex with a masseur. He was, and still is as far as I know, married (to a woman). He said he had met the masseur for a "sports massage" following injury.

He was suspended from the party and they instigated disciplinary proceedings against him. He resigned from the party and subsequently lost the next Assembly election when he stood as an independent.

While he did threaten to, he never did take any legal action against the newspaper which published the claims.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Berry

The party control over its members is such that a while back it was reported that the then leader, Rev Ian Paisley, required all members to sign letters of resignation which he held unopened. If he then at any time wanted rid of them he could simply open the letter and accept the contents.

[Col]

The petition is now up to almost 400 signatures.

[marksi]

In some ways it is a pointless exercise; the PM has no power of censure over any MP. It will do no harm though to raise the issue at a national political level, and it is possible that the petition could be passed to more relevant Westminster authorities.

The timing is poor in the short term, Gordon Brown will be doing nothing to annoy the DUP until after the 42 day detention vote. They are pivotal in which way the voting will go.

[Nick Harvey]

Gordon Brown will be doing nothing to annoy the DUP until after the 42 day detention vote.

That's tomorrow evening, though, isn't it?

So Thursday could, potentially, see a change of heart.

[nidave]

I doubt Gordon Brown cares - he has enough to worry about - if the Tanker Driver strike goes ahead he will probably be blamed

I know the shouting will probably do nothing but will at least get people in mainland UK what its like in 50's Northern Ireland. NI has come such a long way recently and its a shame to see things like this show how small minded compared to the rest of the UK. You would bet no mainland MP would say such a thing in public.

[marksi]

The "Let's tell Iris Robinson where to stick it" Facebook group has got 530 members since yesterday, which is nice.

It is a very sad situation that it is acceptable for an MP in any part of the UK to say what Iris Robinson did. NI was the first part of the UK to legalise gay marriage, after being the last part of the UK to decriminalise homosexuality. I thought we were making progress, but then it's not long since people stopped fighting a war that started in 1690.

I wrote to Iris today at her Westminster address. Being used to keeping things short and to the point, I felt that one paragraph was enough.

Dear Iris,

If a vulnerable and confused gay teenager, already having difficulty coming to terms with the unchangeable sexuality that God has given him or her was to have been listening to your comments of the last few days and decided that you were right and that they were indeed an abomination, and went on to commit suicide, how would you feel?

Yours sincerely,

[marksi]

It would appear that Gordon Brown now owes the homophobes of the DUP something.

They voted with the Government, if they hadn't he would have lost the vote on the 42 day detention amendment.