'Gay counselling' call rejected (Northern Ireland's 'first lady' probed by police)

The BBC ^ | June 6, 2008

[Stoat]

'Gay counselling' call rejected

Iris Robinson said gay people should seek counselling

A gay rights campaigner has rejected a Northern Ireland assembly member's call for homosexuals to seek psychiatric counselling.

David McCartney from the Rainbow Project was responding to comments from Iris Robinson, who is the chair of the Stormont health committee.

Mrs Robinson said with help, gay people could be "turned around".

Mr McCartney said there was "no body of evidence" to support this and asked to meet the MP.

Mrs Robinson made her comments on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show on Friday.

She said she would defend her right to express religious beliefs, while also condemning violence against the gay community.

 

"I have a very lovely psychiatrist who works with me in my offices and his Christian background is that he tries to help homosexuals - trying to turn away from what they are engaged in," she said.

"I'm happy to put any homosexual in touch with this gentleman and I have met people who have turned around and become heterosexuals."

Sinn Féin's Education Minister Catríona Ruane said politicians should be guided by equality legislation.

"There are equality laws in the north of Ireland," she said.

"I think it is really important that politicians play a leadership role and that leadership role should be not to say anything that could possibly inflame the situation or cause further distress."

In a statement the Royal College of Psychiatrists said that homosexuality was not a psychiatric disorder.

(An audio clip from the referenced BBC Radio program is available at this article's web page)

[Stoat]

Also:

Northern Ireland's 'first lady' probed by police over gay hate rant on BBC radio show News This is London

Northern Ireland's 'first lady' probed by police over gay hate rant on BBC radio show

Last updated at 01:15am on 08.06.08

 

Iris Robinson referred to gays as 'disgusting, loathsome and shamefully wicked' during a live phone-in on BBC Radio Ulster

Northern Ireland's first lady is being investigated by police following allegations she committed a hate crime by launching a withering attack on homosexuality.

In an outburst on a live phonein on BBC Radio Ulster on Friday, Iris Robinson, the 57-year-old wife of First Minister Peter Robinson, referred to gays as 'disgusting, loathsome, shamefully wicked and vile.'

She called homosexuality 'an abomination' but said she knew of a cure.

'I have a lovely psychiatrist who works with me and his Christian background is that he tries to help homosexuals - trying to turn them away from what they are engaged in,' she said.

Now Andrew Muir, 31-year-old co-ordinator of the pressure group Gays and Lesbians Across (County) Down, has made a formal complaint to police.

He said last night: 'They were reluctant to pursue the matter until I told them it was covered by the hate crimes legislation and I would not be leaving until they took a statement from me.'

*******************************************

Some reader comments from The Evening Standard:

____________________________________________

Soon it will be a "hate" crime to NOT be gay.
Soon calling thugs, thugs, will be a hate crime.
Soon simply saying "I don't like you" will be a hate crime.

- Trunk, US

This might just be what this country needs, here is where we find out if we really do have the right to free speech.
My guess would be that we haven't so I am keen to see what happens to this lady.

- Pat, Sussex

The article states:

(1) "Iris Robinson referred to gays as 'disgusting, loathsome and shamefully wicked' during a live phone-in on BBC Radio Ulster."

(2) "She called homosexuality 'an abomination' but said she knew of a cure."

Is it not 'free speech' to state her Christian belief, which she gets from the Bible, and knowledge of the world? How can she be charged for a criminal offence, when she states she has a cure?

We must remember that we are part of the EU now, and soon Turkey will be a member. Will every person in Turkey be arrested?

- Tom Nicholls, Bournemouth UK

 

*******************************************************

Biography - Iris Robinson

 

	Name:	Iris Robinson
	Party:	Democratic Unionist Party
	Constituency:	Strangford
	Contact Address:	Parliament Buildings Stormont BT4 3XX
	Constituency Office Address:	12 North Street Newtownards Co. Down BT23 4DE
	Telephone Number:	028 9182 7701
	E-Mail Address:	robinsoni@parliament.uk

 

Place and Date of Birth:	Belfast 06.09.1949
Married:	Yes
Family:	2 Sons and 1 Daughter
Education:	Cregagh Primary School Knockbreda Intermediate School Cregagh Technical College
Occupation and brief outline of career:	Private Secretary
Brief outline of public/ political career:	Elected to Castlereagh Borough Council - 1989; First female Mayor 1992 + 1995, 2000; Elected to Northern Ireland forum for Political Dialogue 1996 - 1998; Elected to Northern Ireland Assembly 1998 - 2003 & 2007; Elected to House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Strangford June 2001; Chairman of Assembly Health Committee 2007.
Other memberships/ interests/ achievements/awards:	Long standing campaigner for multiple sclerosis; DUP Spokesperson on Health; Has held many Chairmanships of Council Bodies; UK Award Winner - "Arthritis" Politician of the year 2007. M.S Society - 12 Hour stand out at Forestside Annually.

[the invisib1e hand]

Godspeed, m'am.

***

If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, just imagine how ornery man who wants to be a woman can get. It's gonna be some battle, dealing with homosexuals, their deep-pocket corporate sponsors, and their strong-arm state protectors.

[Stoat]

Northern Ireland's first lady is being investigated by police following allegations she committed a hate crime by launching a withering attack on homosexuality.

[gunnedah]

If they wish to do some real serious probing and I do not mean the Homosexual kind. Let them rant and rave with Muslims,they believe in killing Gays.

[thundrey]

People always wax lyrical about ‘freedom of speech’ in the UK like it’s an American-style constitutional right. It isn’t, and it never has been. The British have never viewed freedom of speech as an absolute right, but as something which must be balanced with the need for public order and the protection of the individual from libel and slander.
That said, I don’t believe she should be criminalised just for expressing an opinion on homosexuality, it should depend on the context, and in this context it is absurd that she is being investigated...

[PatrickF4]

She called homosexuality 'an abomination'

Exactly what the Bible calls it, what the Church calls it, and what most people called up until about 30 years ago.

[thundrey]

And furthermore, there is no ‘first lady’ in the UK, in NI or anywhere else. That is a republican concept, in the UK, the Queen would be the ‘first lady’, and the use of the term to describe any British politician’s wife as such betrays the nascent republicanism that is present at all levels within the BBC...

[Stoat]

Now Andrew Muir, 31-year-old co-ordinator of the pressure group Gays and Lesbians Across (County) Down, has made a formal complaint to police.

[JoJo Gunn]

Northern Ireland's first lady is being investigated by police following allegations she committed a hate crime

Notice how in the Orwellian cesspool of "Great" Britain the phrase "hate crime" is used with such casualness, as if it was as normal as breathing?

[Chode]

filthy disease ridden queers should stop their whining... it's Free!!!

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

Northern Ireland's first lady is being investigated by police following allegations she committed a hate crime by launching a withering attack on homosexuality.

I want to laugh but its too damn insane and scary.

[wagglebee]

Homosexual Agenda Ping

Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the homosexual agenda ping list.

Be sure to click the FreeRepublic homosexual agenda keyword search link for a list of all related articles. We don't ping you to all related articles so be sure to click the previous link to see the latest articles.

Add keywords homosexual agenda to flag FR articles to this ping list.

[Stoat]

Godspeed, m'am.

***

If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, just imagine how ornery man who wants to be a woman can get. It's gonna be some battle, dealing with homosexuals, their deep-pocket corporate sponsors, and their strong-arm state protectors.

Agreed on all counts.  To be fair, the Evening Standard article seems to suggest that the police were not exactly eager to get involved with this, and did so mainly in an effort to get an agitated homosexual activist out of their offices

He said last night: 'They were reluctant to pursue the matter until I told them it was covered by the hate crimes legislation and I would not be leaving until they took a statement from me.'

Let's hope that cooler heads will prevail and that this Lady will not be pilloried for speaking what most healthy people regard as the simple and obvious truth.

Godspeed, m'am.

***

If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, just imagine how ornery man who wants to be a woman can get. It's gonna be some battle, dealing with homosexuals, their deep-pocket corporate sponsors, and their strong-arm state protectors.

[Stoat]

Thank you (again!) very much for pinging your list  :-)

[the invisib1e hand]

Obviously they hope to accomplish in the court of public opinion what they couldn’t in a just court.

[wagglebee]

You’re quite welcome, thanks for the great threads you’ve posted this weekend!

[Tax-chick]

(Northern) Ireland ping! This lady is welcome in South-Central North Carolina any time!

[B Knotts]

Sinn Féin's Education Minister Catríona Ruane

...demonstrated once again that Sinn Féin is a communist party, not a Catholic organization.

[Stoat]

If they wish to do some real serious probing and I do not mean the Homosexual kind. Let them rant and rave with Muslims,they believe in killing Gays.

An equal focus on Muzzie hate would certainly be welcomed by many.

Church attacks Labour for betraying Christians

The report, commissioned for the Church of England and to be published on Monday, accuses the Government of discriminating against the Christian Churches in favour of other faiths, including Islam.

[PAR35]

So the largest protestant party is for traditional values, and the largest Catholic party is pro homosexual.

[Stoat]

She called homosexuality 'an abomination'

Exactly what the Bible calls it, what the Church calls it, and what most people called up until about 30 years ago.

Many of us continue to call it just that, although nowadays when we do so we tend to be arrested for a "hate speech" offense or beaten bloody in the village square by bands of homosexuals and various and sundry mental defectives, who are then heralded as 'oppressed minorities standing up for themselves' in the Press..

She called homosexuality 'an abomination'

Exactly what the Bible calls it, what the Church calls it, and what most people called up until about 30 years ago.

[Clemenza]

House of Windsor = Well-educated welfare cases.

[Stoat]

the phrase "hate crime" is used with such casualness, as if it was as normal as breathing?

It is indeed frightening, but it is a future that we can also look forward to if we allow our nation to drift much further to the Left.

An Obama Presidency (bite my tongue!) that is ushered in by a groundswell of hysterical self-loathing, white guilt and anti-racist chest-beating could easily drive things to the point of Free Speech becoming little more than a quaint anachronism of a bygone era.

It's already standard practice in academia, where one should never expect a good grade in a course if you dare to submit a paper that embraces Conservative values or challenges Leftist dogma.

[Stoat]

filthy disease ridden queers should stop their whining... it's Free!!!

They've come to understand that hysterical whining = Press coverage = Political Power. 

Sadly, they have no incentive to stop.  :-(

[Stoat]

Northern Ireland's first lady is being investigated by police following allegations she committed a hate crime by launching a withering attack on homosexuality.

I want to laugh but its too damn insane and scary.
 

And it will quite likely be coming to your neighborhood here in the USA under an Obama Presidency (bite my tongue and soak it in vinegar!)

[Morgana]

“Iris Robinson referred to gays as ‘disgusting, loathsome and shamefully wicked’ during a live phone-in on BBC Radio Ulster”

Hey Chode, she just gave us four more adjectives to add to: filthy disease ridden queers.

[Stoat]

Obviously they hope to accomplish in the court of public opinion what they couldn’t in a just court.

Indeed....and they won't rest until the Gay Mafia succeeds in crucifying this Lady on the Altar of Diversity and Tolerance.  Destroying her career will only be the start....they will most likely argue in court that a Hate Speech Criminal such as Mrs. Robinson shouldn't be allowed to retain custody of her children, as they would be subjected to "hate speech" at home and that would be 'child abuse'.

[Stoat]

You’re quite welcome, thanks for the great threads you’ve posted this weekend!

Awwww....   ((((BLUSHING)))

Thank you so much for your kind, gracious and complimentary words   :-)

Here's a nice piece of cheesecake for you  :-)

 

 

[Stoat]

Thank you very much for pinging your list  :-)

(North Carolina keeps sounding nicer and nicer all the time....."sigh")

[thundrey]

Yawn. That comment belies your ignorance of the role of the senior royals, in particular Her Majesty the Queen fulfill to earn their keep (which is considerably less than the revenue which the Crown Estates turn over to the government btw). The Queen is in her 80s now and she still works performing official duties, going on state visits, reading and signing legislation, advising her ministers etc etc whilst other people her age have long since retired.
I know you are a republican by inclination, but if you’re going to slag off the monarchy, the least you could do is make a constructive argument against it instead of throwing out clueless soundbites typical of you’re average rabble-rousing left-wing imbecile....

[Stoat]

Sinn Féin's Education Minister Catríona Ruane

...demonstrated once again that Sinn Féin is a communist party, not a Catholic organization.

You can dress up a Marxist in a nice suit and give him a fancy title but that hammer and sickle will be poking through the clothing in short order, every time.

 

 

Sinn Féin's Education Minister Catríona Ruane

...demonstrated once again that Sinn Féin is a communist party, not a Catholic organization.

[BenLurkin]

You'd think someone who had the urge to do such vile things would want to seek out treatment.

[dennisw]

Well stated.

[Stoat]

You'd think someone who had the urge to do such vile things would want to seek out treatment.

More proof that it is indeed a mental disorder, despite the politically-correct posturing of the American Psychiatric Association.

 

[Chode]

i especially like the Shamefully Wicked part... 8^) but they are shameless.

[torchthemummy]

That said, I don’t believe she should be criminalised just for expressing an opinion on homosexuality, it should depend on the context, and in this context it is absurd that she is being investigated...

I have to nitpick and say that the "context" to be criminal should be only in the realm of crying "Fire" in a theater or inciting a riot.

[AFA-Michigan]

The choice we’ll soon face here in America as well, as early as next year if Obama is elected:

The homosexual agenda, or individual freedom of speech and of religion.

You can’t have both.

[thundrey]

That is more or less what I am talking about in criminal terms. Although I would extend it beyond merely starting a riot, and suggest that people like Mohammad Hamza who go around preaching that the infidel kuffar is evil and subhuman and uses speech to brainwash people into acts of violence, should be prevented from doing so. And whines about ‘freedom of speech!’ fall on deaf ears with me when it comes to things like that.
In civil terms regarding libel and slander, I believe the burden of proof should lie upon the accuser, not on the accused, to prove what he says is not bulls**t, which is the difference between libel law in the US and the UK, where in the US, a person slandered will often have to try and prove a negative in order to win a libel case, whilst the newspaper or magazine can print more or less whatever it wants and ruin somebody else’s life under the protection of the First Amendment......

[wagglebee]

See this BB?!

Stoat doesn’t even need prompting!

[wagglebee]

What are you talking about?

[BykrBayb]

Cut that out, Stoat. You're going to spoil him.

Here you go, Wagglebee. Have a piece of soy cheese cake.

Recipe

[wagglebee]

That’s DISGUSTING!

Soy has ONE USE ONLY and that is for soy sauce to put on Japanese food!

Stoat’s cheesecake looks appetizing, yours looks like what they serve in school cafeterias.

[BykrBayb]

Just trying to keep you from getting too spoiled.

Þ

[wagglebee]

The PURPOSE of cheesecake is to spoil yourself!

[BykrBayb]

And that’s why I don’t give it to you EVERY time you ask.

Þ

[BykrBayb]

You know, I actually did a google search for cheesecake, and looked for the nastiest picture I could find. When I saw that one, I honestly expected it to be peanut butter cheesecake. The fact that it turned out to be soy was just a bonus.

Þ

[BykrBayb]

Okay, I've had my fun. Here's the cheesecake you really deserve. Enjoy!

Þ

[BykrBayb]

I forgot to include the recipe for the good cheesecake. I like this recipe. It includes a couple bottles of wine (none of which goes into the cake), and a nap. My kind of recipe!

the cheesecake that makes everything better