Recent Media Untruths

Smirky

I have no wish to perpetuate the recent injustice of the Indo printing what should have been an obviously sensationalist and scurrilous letter on an extremely sensitive tragedy without due diligence on checking its authenticity .....

.... however I work in this industry and even I am aghast at how a National Media can print such stuff unverified, albeit through the letters section, and then bury the retractions once they realise they have been stitched up and the damage is done to the innocent party. Particularly when the timing of such a letter is so sensitive.

I understand that papers have to be sold, but the media has a responsibilty to the public too, at the very least to endevour to verify that it is not the carrier pigeon for pranksters, or stand up and be counted if it fails to do so.

Every other citizen, company & institution has to, so why not the media?

In light of the recent success where we all actually took the time and effort to remind our local constituants that we are in fact the voting public perhaps the Indo should be reminded, by us as a group of individuals and (more importantly to the Indo) consumers, as to how many of us won't support their publication if they condone such underhand behavior.

Perhaps a letter to the Board of the Indo, as opposed to the Editor? Perhaps cc'd to the Editors of the Irish Times, Sunday Business Post, Irish Sun, Today FM, Mirror , 2FM, FM 104, Carlow People, etc etc highlighting how poor a show it is that a credible National & Olympic sport can be so easily misrepresented and discredited at a crucial moment in its history by pure media laziness?

How embarassing for the Indo to be reported in the OTHER National & Local Media as the butt of such a joke and not to make make its best effort to redress the damage or make up for its inadequacy? We (and Sparks) might get an apolgy then, methinks.

I, for one, will be now refusing the Herald AM , that is thrust upon me 5 times each morning, candidly telling the distributor that the Editor needs to tell the truth before I will read his/her publication.

Perhaps we can make a difference in the media too...............

I'm not going to get engaged in debate on this. My point is clear and I have said what I wanted to say on the topic. If people want to follow up on it then maybe we as a legitimate shooting community might be treated with a bit more respect than be compared to psychopaths on other continents and be the victims of juvenile Internet Jokers who won't stop to think about the consequences of their bad taste?

I will be sending my letters to the Media tomorrow. End of rant.

Clare gunner

Send it to the press complaints comission as well.

Our man in Havana

When did the indo print a retraction?

Umiq88

check the thread

Sparks

Actually I got personal apologies from both the Indo and the Examiner and we specifically agreed not to have great big notices printed in there because frankly, it wouldn't get rid of the old letters, it'd just drag them up again. Now they're not being brought back to people's minds and we can point to the official retractions if they're ever mentioned again.

More importantly perhaps, both papers are now aware that firearms owners are being targeted by this kind of thing (both from "pranksters" and from the anonymous sources in the Gardai that led to the front page article in the Examiner last week) and the Examiner editor assures me that they're going to be checking every letter and every source thoroughly before printing.

If that's the end result, I can live with small retraction notices because prevention's better than cure.

Sparks

Meanwhile, it seems that the regional papers haven't been ignored by other anti-gun groups:
The Southern Star:

Virginia shooting
SIR—While the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech University is upsetting, the reality is that there are thousands of people in this country of the same ilk who carry out the same homicidal tendencies but instead of a human target direct their lethal firepower towards wild animals and birds.

One shudders to speculate what would happen if Irish live target shooters were prevented from dishing out fear and death to animals and birds.

A debate needs to take place into the need for the existence of any activity that involves the hunting down and killing of wild animals and birds. Such activities cloak a sickness and an evil virus that lead to tragic events like the Virginia Tech University massacre.

Can it only be a matter of time before such an event happens on Irish soil?Yours sincerely,

John Tierney,
Campaigns Director,
Association of Hunt Saboteurs,
PO Box 4734,
Dublin 1.

Quillo

Hunting animals leads to murdering people.....?

I suppose using a knife to peel an apple leads to stabbing people ?
Or using an axe or saw on trees leads to bath tub dismemberment ?
Or angling leads fishermen to taking slash hooks to each other ?

Hopefully the general public will see this guy for what he is.....

jaycee

Y'KNOW guys and gals ,

Much as this rubbish annoys me ....
I wouldn't give any of them the satisfaction of replying .

Creating attention is what they get their sick jollies from and
newspapers etc seem too gutless or careless to bother doing backround checks on the stuff they publish or have little interest in justice being done.

I reckon ... leave it be , it will just dry up and blow away.

astraboy

I find it strange that the Southern Star would print a letter like that. Its my "local" paper and there are a few very active gun clubs in West Cork, in fact many of the people I speak in my home area have no objection to people hunting, they understand that certain animals and birds can be a nuisance and the need for vermin control. The farmers in my locality make full use of the gun club for vermin control and have a cordial relationship between landowners and shooters.

I think most of the readers of the southern star will see this guy for the idiot he is. What kind of logic is he using? I'm going playing Grand tursimo on the playstation later it must mean I'm going to race around the roads in my own car afterwards?!

That clown from the "Association of Hunt Saboteurs" is clearly a city dweller with a penchant for poking his head into other peoples business and has little concept of how the world, or indeed the countryside outside Dublin 1 works. It sounds like a complete vigilante operation to me. :mad:

Sparks

It sounds like a complete vigilante operation to me.

They're very much like the ICABS, in that they have one or two people who do nothing but write letters to the editors of all the local and national newspapers all the time. As to why those letters get published, my guess would be that it's a mix of paper never refusing ink, newspapers needing to be filled, and editors having to use whatever's on hand when the need arises.

Which is an argument for us to be constantly bombarding them with stuff, you know...

astraboy

Sparks wrote:

They're very much like the ICABS, in that they have one or two people who do nothing but write letters to the editors of all the local and national newspapers all the time. As to why those letters get published, my guess would be that it's a mix of paper never refusing ink, newspapers needing to be filled, and editors having to use whatever's on hand when the need arises.

Which is an argument for us to be constantly bombarding them with stuff, you know...

True that! You know what I reckon though Sparks, the best thing that could happen Irish shooting is do well at the London Olympics. I know its a while off yet but such a PR boost of people representing Ireland cannot do shooting of all types any harm. Even perhaps invite some of the newspapers along to people while they practice, display how much work and effort the process takes and how ye are responsible people and shooters?

Sparks

the best thing that could happen Irish shooting is do well at the London Olympics.

Or Bejing!
C'mon Derek!

dimebag249

Mr. Tierney obviously has a very powerful imagination. most people would probalby need to take a lot of LSD to make the logical jump that 'homicidal' (Latin homicidium, homo human being + caedere to cut, kill) tendancies would prompt someone to hunt. If only we could harness it for a use that wasn't entirelt malignant... these guys really need hobbies of their own.

astraboy

dimebag249 wrote:

these guys really need hobbies of their own.

True, maybe they could take up stamp collecting or something that would not quicken your heart pace too much. The excitement of a hobby involving physical work might be too much!:)

Clare gunner

Note to Mods,all this is factual info and in the public domain,and is verifiable from public accesible information,in house magazines and newspaper articles both here and the UK.Of which I have a lot on the various anti groups in Ireland.Which I will glady publish as proof if needed.

Mr John Tierney is one of the more fanatical antis here in Ireland.He was kicked out of ICABS for advocating radical direct action sabbing tactics,and also for attending some of the more radical anti fieldsport groups both here and in Ireland.He was arrested once in Waterford at a Stephans day hunt for public order offences.He is now the PRO for the Association of Hunt SabsIreland.
Basically a group of 20/30 of various people who occasionally go fox hunt sabbing,if they can get the numbers,protest at all major fieldsport events,the odd hunt ball and make alot of noise.The genuine oral minority:rolleyes: .

Run by a Ms Bernie Wright,who wears many hats and runs the following groups Alliance For Animal Rights,Hunt Sabetours Ireland,Greyhound Action Network,Circus Watch Ireland,and a few others.
Mr Tierney was involved in the Waterford Hunt Sabs as well.Despite AFAR claiming that they are nonviolent,they seem to favour and support direct action by the Animal Liberation Front here in Ireland.As the AFAR website has plenty of their Irish bulletins.Have also brought over to guest speak in Ireland Dr Gerry Vlasak,a notorious anti vivisectionsist and animal rights campainer from the USA,who was banned in Britan for incitement to hatred and as a general undersireable type .
Mostly messing and nothing of a serious nature,but that could change,as things go with fox hunting bans in the UK,NI and Scotland.
Basically any animal issue or from Shooting to circuses or big social event involving field sports is fair game for their comments,gets them printing and mass mailing or faxing all the local and national presses.
Highly emotive wording,incorrect facts,and bordering on the point of incitement to hatred ,somtimes,is the trademark of them.You would have to question the morality of people who would try to profit from a tragedy to push their sick morals on the rest of us.:mad:
As Civdef said dont bother replying..They are a tiny radical minority who have asperations of power.

astraboy

Clare gunner wrote:

Highly emotive wording,incorrect facts,and bordering on the point of incitement to hatred ,somtimes,is the trademark of them.You would have to question the morality of people who would try to profit from a tragedy to push their sick morals on the rest of us.:mad:
As Civdef said dont bother replying..They are a tiny radical minority who have asperations of power.

Seems to sum them up all right CG. It always seems the more entrenched a persons views on these things are then the further away from facts and reality is where they reside. These people have a concrete point of view and will never change it, however I think we outnumber them in an impressive ratio.

Clare gunner

We always did,always will,but have been just too quiet about it.Time to come out of the closet.:)
Just had a read of Mr Tierneys little epistle in the clare people www.clarepeople.com

It is a lot nastier and uneidted than the nationals " Those that kill animals and birds for fun are a viable danger to society." or"then again a human fighting back would add to the buzz of hunting down and killing a moving target."

I am going to see if this is a group libellous statement or if under current law this is classified as incitement to hatred.It is high time a muzzle was put on this little creep!
Also maybe time to flood the Clare people with some letters of protest.

Trojan911

Smirky wrote:

.... however I work in this industry and even I am aghast at how a National Media can print such stuff unverified, albeit through the letters section, and then bury the retractions once they realise they have been stitched up and the damage is done to the innocent party.

Then you must be new to the game.... Papers don't give a monkeys who they offend just as long as they sell and make more money..... Papp scum...uggh hate them....

Clare gunner wrote:

" Those that kill animals and birds for fun are a viable danger to society."

Then we have no worries.... I for one do not kill for fun. I shoot animals for farmers so they may yield a good crop or produce good lamb, that is my contribution to the community I live in.... I ignore the animal lib types, we will always hunt & they will never win. So let them jump up and down on their soap boxes, sorry did I say soap, I correct myself, their boxes... They are just a load of wind....

All the best..


TJ911...

Clare gunner

Dont forget that to join the ranks of the Animal Rights Nazis you must be a vegan,and belive animals have full rights equal to Human beings.:rolleyes:
So you are dammed anyway Trojan as a accomplice in the animal cruelty according to mr Tierney and his type of people.:mad: Because you hunt and kill innocent foxy woxys,and eat meat no doubt.So that makes you a "blood Moron" another charming description by another animal nazi on Indymedia about us.
You cant argue with these type of people,reason,rational debate is fruitless,they are as fanatical as Islamistic suicide bombers.The only thing people like that understand is greater force.:(

Trojan911

Clare gunner wrote:

The only thing people like that understand is greater force.:(

Hmmmm.... Like this? http://www.indymedia.ie/article/60126 tut, tut, tut.......



TJ911...

Clare gunner

And the usual Animal Nazi loon rants and raves .
So a three month sentence..criminal record as well...:rolleyes:

Wonder who "lone gunman" is ,or was.Seemed to pi2s off the antis.:)
Seemed to be somone who knew about shooting.

cavan shooter

A couple of years back this chap had a letter in the herald about the first of november approaching and birds getting blasted out of the sky.... I responded couldn't help myself..........anti baiting is a great sport. I always respond with the line "yes I shoot animals and birds and do you now what they taste delicious" argument tends to stop after that one.

If you want a more worrying development look at the green party policies on shooting hunting etc......these boys could have a say in the next governement.


regards

dimebag249

True cavan shooter, those caring envoronMENTALISTS in the Green Party want to ban 'blood sports' and their animal 'rights' agenda states: 'The Party calls for research into alternative methods of animal population management other than killing, and the implementation of these methods.' It doesn't suggest any alternative methods. Training foxes to be vegetarian maybe? Supplying deer with pornography so they can beat off a few knuckle children instead of in-breeding perhaps?

Sparks

Yes, and the best way to deal with that isn't to engage with them and educate them as to how things really work; it's to ridicule them on the eve of an election that may see them making up the next government, in which case they will almost certainly have a Ministerial post in Environmental issues, with the authority to pass legislation in that area. I'm sure that pissing them off instead of working with them is the way to go, I really am.
:rolleyes:

dimebag249

Sorry Sparks, I don't think you you can reason with, work with, or educate someone who thinks target shooters are homicidal, or that hunters should be murdered. I admit most antis aren't quite that crazy, but sometimes you're wasting your time trying to be nice to them. That's just my own opinion, perhaps I haven't the patience and understanding that you do, but I try to avoid these people, period.

Clare gunner

Ditto Dimebag.
You might as well try and convince a Muslim fanatic that a nice ham sandwich wont stop him getting into paradise.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:
These people think with their emotions not their minds.For an arguement to have any sucess both parties must be receptive to each others point of view.These people are not.They have a one world view in where they are morally and intellectully superior to everyone else.Plus I dont agree in talking to people who advocate and use violence to get their point across as a minority group.It's called terrorism.:(

Sparks

I agree with you dime, but I wasn't talking about the ICABS or the Hunt Sabs or that grouping; I was talking about the Green Party. Because, don't forget, they have helped us in the past with parlimentary questions and the like.

civdef

Somehow I really don't think the wider shooting community can count on the Greens for support.

Call it a hunch.

Sparks

Maybe, maybe not - after all, going by McDowell's statements in the Dail a few years back, he was going to be the bestest friend target shooters ever had... and then we had the CJB2004.

dimebag249

Well civdef, I don't know if there's any pro-gun party in Ireland, but the Greens are, from what I can interpret, basically promising to screw hunters. But I think Sparks basically hit the nail there, they'll all ask a few questions in the Dail, make vague promises to us; none of 'em are on our side. They're all just vote whores, looking to do whatever is the most popular thing with the ignorant masses, brainwashed by the media.

Who you calling cynical??:D I'm a realist, born an' bred.

Octopus

http://www.greenparty.ie/en/policies/animal_welfare/animal_welfare_policy

Also - just to go back on J Tierney, his letter was also published in the Evening Herald. Several of Mr. Tierneys letters have been published in the herald over the years, apart from a small gap when he was on 'holidays'.
Thankfully his letter was derided by a hilarious reply a few days later. Can't remember the details now....