Sinn Fein's Paddy Holohan and homophobia

blanch152

https://www.buzz.ie/news/paddy-holohan-under-fire-for-bizarre-leo-varadkar-comments-351209

An extraordinary podcast from a Sinn Fein councillor has just been published. In it he says that "he would like a "family man" and "someone who knows what it's like to have kids" running the country."

"Someone that knows what it’s like to have kids, maybe, hopefully, boys and girls, so when you’re creating policies and stuff that’s going to go on, you’re like: 'right, that makes sense'"

This has yet to be picked up by the national newspapers or RTE, but it is only a matter of time before it comes to prominence. It is hardly a one-off either. Whether it is idiots with Kingsmill bread on their heads, leaders making speeches about how they will get the bastards in relation to unionists, or misogynistic attacks on Mairia Cahill, Sinn Fein have form with this type of political invective.

Homophobic attacks on the Taoiseach are to be expected, but you would have thought they would come from a rural politician with the emotional intelligence of a Healy-Rae, but hearing it from a working-class Sinn Fein councillor is suprising on the face of it. It is a blatant form of homophobia - don't vote for the gay because he doesn't understand families - aimed at those who are less well-educated.

I hope that it is a one-off and not part of the Sinn Fein playbook for this election. With the loss of votes to Aontu, the frequent complaints about Sinn Fein moving away from its core, I can see how this type of nod and wink to more conservative republicans would be designed to keep votes that were drifting, but hopefully this isn't so as it is a complete disgrace. We see the comments on here from many who decry Sinn Fein adopting a liberal agenda and also there are the more insidious references to Varadkar's sexuality which are excused as having the craic.

Let's hope that Mary-Lou gets on top of this, apologises to the Taoiseach for the remarks, and removes this odious man from her party.

marieholmfan

Don't really see what's homophobic about that. Varadkar doesn't have children.
Anyway I don't think the Taoiseach should be a whiny little special snowflake carping about discrimination.

blanch152 wrote: »

https://www.buzz.ie/news/paddy-holohan-under-fire-for-bizarre-leo-varadkar-comments-351209

An extraordinary podcast from a Sinn Fein councillor has just been published. In it he says that "he would like a "family man" and "someone who knows what it's like to have kids" running the country."

"Someone that knows what it’s like to have kids, maybe, hopefully, boys and girls, so when you’re creating policies and stuff that’s going to go on, you’re like: 'right, that makes sense'"

This has yet to be picked up by the national newspapers or RTE, but it is only a matter of time before it comes to prominence. It is hardly a one-off either. Whether it is idiots with Kingsmill bread on their heads, leaders making speeches about how they will get the bastards in relation to unionists, or misogynistic attacks on Mairia Cahill, Sinn Fein have form with this type of political invective.

Homophobic attacks on the Taoiseach are to be expected, but you would have thought they would come from a rural politician with the emotional intelligence of a Healy-Rae, but hearing it from a working-class Sinn Fein councillor is suprising on the face of it. It is a blatant form of homophobia - don't vote for the gay because he doesn't understand families - aimed at those who are less well-educated.

I hope that it is a one-off and not part of the Sinn Fein playbook for this election. With the loss of votes to Aontu, the frequent complaints about Sinn Fein moving away from its core, I can see how this type of nod and wink to more conservative republicans would be designed to keep votes that were drifting, but hopefully this isn't so as it is a complete disgrace. We see the comments on here from many who decry Sinn Fein adopting a liberal agenda and also there are the more insidious references to Varadkar's sexuality which are excused as having the craic.

Let's hope that Mary-Lou gets on top of this, apologises to the Taoiseach for the remarks, and removes this odious man from her party.

Harry Palmr

"Someone that knows what it’s like to have kids, maybe, hopefully, boys and girls, so when you’re creating policies and stuff that’s going to go on, you’re like: 'right, that makes sense'"

So someone who wants a political leader to have at least two children then as well.

Oh dear now I see his wiki I see the problem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_Holohan too many blows to the head.

Ehhh...there are ways for gay people to be parents...

WrenBoy

I don't know the man but playing devils advocate, basically he's expressing - I have a family so I would like someone who shares my views, that would have family and the next generation in mind when advancing certain policies..
Hardly a hateful position.

I think some are a bit too quick to apply nefarious motivations to people words.

ChikiChiki

Twatish OP - Gay people can have kids too you know. If anyone is coming across as homophobic its that article. Obviously a smear on SF.

His words are completely taken out of context and I would question the credibility of a journalist who cannot understand basic comprehension.

jimgoose

blanch152 wrote: »

...Homophobic attacks on the Taoiseach are to be expected...

I grant you that this could be seen as sailing close to the wind these days, but technically this isn't really homophobic. Holohan is still an idiot mind you.

blanch152 wrote: »

...you would have thought they would come from a rural politician with the emotional intelligence of a Healy-Rae...

If this character had a quarter of the emotional intelligence, as we might as well call it, of a Healy-Rae he'd be doing rather well for himself.

blanch152 wrote: »

...aimed at those who are less well-educated...

This is SF's core demographic.

gmisk

Seems like a total idiot best ignored.
Pretty crappy thing to say tbh it was clear what he was hinting at, a bit like Andrea leadsom and her digs at Theresa may for not having kids.

He is also publicising his podcast with Ibrahim halawa....honestly does anyone believe he just decided to take a wee holiday in Egypt? Lol

venusdoom

First thing I thought when I seen the statement was being branded homophobic was pot, kettle, black- so a gay man can't also be a family man? Ridiculous.

Dyr

I remember before Varadker became Taoiseach he listed what FG were about: Free Markets, Europe and Managed Migrations

All European priorities and Ireland not mentioned, so yeah, I do have to wonder if he acts in our interests.

gibgodsman

How is this homophobic? Honestly it just seems the snowflake OP would moan at anything now. Omg, family man wants family man in government, WOW! So if a woman says she wants to see another woman in government she is sexist?

CrankyHaus

Not much time for Holohan but he's being wilfully misrepresented here.

Parents face real challenges, just look at the creche crisis. If a mother made the point he did nobody would bat an eyelid here.

The Satanist

I don't want a billionaire as Taoiseach, I'd rather someone on a normal wage of normal means.

Is that offensive?

Odyssey 2005

MMA.
Ibrahim Halawa
Sinn Fein

I'm out.

2020Vision

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

• MMA.
  
• Ibrahim Halawa
  
• Sinn Fein

I'm out.

• Popular among the SF demographic
  
• Well, Lynn lost her seat
  
• Populist

I'm out too.

buried

The heat is on in Bluebot HQ.

Next week "How can anyone who isn't a house talk about housing"

Or something

kingbhome

1million percent nothing wrong with what he has said. It's his opinion a d not once did he mention anything about Leo being gay! Anyone thinks different needs their head looked at.

Wrongway1985

Thread title could well read Noel Rock uses his leaders sexual preference as fuel for his own campaign. As pointed out people in the gay community can and do raise children.

dobby896

Sinn Féin do seem to be on a huge "woke path" as of late, therefore, I'm actually quite surprised by his comments. However, I do believe he has been misrepresented, his comments can be manipulated in multiple ways to fit a rhetoric. Inference will get us nowhere.

Leaving sexuality aside, I actually found it funny that he referred to a "family man", when the leader of his own party, and a potential candidate for Taoiseach, is female.

Overall, it was a nonsensical comment.

JohnnyFlash

I’d say the lad is thick as pigshït. No more than that.

marieholmfan

ChikiChiki wrote: »

Twatish OP - Gay people can have kids too you know. If anyone is coming across as homophobic its that article. Obviously a smear on SF.

His words are completely taken out of context and I would question the credibility of a journalist who cannot understand basic comprehension.

It's deliberate misinterpretation by the FG spinners.

super_furry

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I’d say the lad is thick as pigshït. No more than that.

Yep, been punched in the head a few too many times.

Any gob****e can have kids - I'm proof of that - it doesn't qualify anyone to run the country.

osarusan

You can make the argument that a person with kids has a particular insight into aspects of life in Ireland that a person without kids does not have, but you could make that argument about many other aspects of life too.

Do we need previously homeless politicians for their insight into homelessness, former drug addicts for their understanding of addiction, etc.

Everybody has numerous perspectives that add value, while lacking numerous other perspectives.

I don't think it's much of an argument really.

ChikiChiki

Thread title is interesting. It's a blatent smear, no more, no less.

The usual suspects are active in the thread. Keep at, people are not as stupid as you think.

gmisk

He also made comments about him not being a true Irish man as "his blood obviously runs to India"...maybe he could join up with Gemma O Doherty?

https://twitter.com/StephenBrowne4/status/1217491863919308800?s=09

marieholmfan

gmisk wrote: »

He also made comments about him not being a true Irish man as "his blood obviously runs to India"...maybe he could join up with Gemma O Doherty?

Maybe Leo could join Gemma as well considering he wants to pay immigrants to leave Ireland. At least that's what he said in 2008.


The problem with Leo isn't that he's gay or that he's a half Indian or that he's a Protestant it's that he's a sociopath.

gmisk

marieholmfan wrote: »

Maybe Leo could join Gemma as well considering he wants to pay immigrants to leave Ireland. At least that's what he said in 2008.


The problem with Leo isn't that he's gay or that he's a half Indian or that he's a Protestant it's that he's a sociopath.

I honestly have no clue about the first part of your response. However I don't think Gemma and Leo would get on...the fact he is gay and of Indian heritage wouldn't help....

Attack him on his policies and the lack of action on homelessness etc then? Why go for the fact he is gay and has Indian heritage?

CrankyHaus

gmisk wrote: »

He also made comments about him not being a true Irish man as "his blood obviously runs to India"...maybe he could join up with Gemma O Doherty?

https://twitter.com/StephenBrowne4/status/1217491863919308800?s=09

Again that's wilfully misrepresenting what he said.

seamus

If we want to give him the benefit of the doubt, it still doesn't look that much better for him. He's still saying that someone who doesn't have kids (or perhaps isn't a "family" person) isn't fit to be leader of the country. There's a whole swathe of the country excluded right there.

However, given his clear racism, it does seem more likely that he was using "family man" in the context of "not a gay man". Bigotry rarely focusses itself on a single facet.

Plumbthedepths

blanch152 wrote: »

https://www.buzz.ie/news/paddy-holohan-under-fire-for-bizarre-leo-varadkar-comments-351209


This has yet to be picked up by the national newspapers or RTE, but it is only a matter of time before it comes to prominence.

I doubt it tbh, seems more hope on your part. Most posters here see your post exactly for what it is.

gmisk

CrankyHaus wrote: »

Again that's wilfully misrepresenting what he said.

I literally posted the words he said...so how so?