Iris Robinson,homophobic skank, will not get told off for hate crime comments
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Robinson-Gay – epetition response
We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to reprimand MP Iris Robinson on her recent comments about Homosexuality.”
Details of Petition:
“MP for Strangford has recently suggested that all homosexuals should receive psychiatric treatment to help “cure” them. These comments are not fitting of a MLA let alone an MP. They show narrow minded views and the belief that in Northern Ireland that bigotry is acceptable.”
Read the Government’s response
There is no constitutional role for the Prime Minister to reprimand individual Members of Parliament who are accountable to their electorate for their own comments.
The Government is committed to strong equality legislation in Northern Ireland and citizens in Northern Ireland are protected against discrimination on grounds of race, religious belief or political opinion, gender, sexual orientation, age or because of a disability. If anyone in Northern Ireland believes that they have been discriminated against on any of these grounds they may be able to bring a complaint to a tribunal or to a county court. Further details are available from the Equality Commission whose website is at www.equalityni.org.
In respect of sexual orientation specifically, the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 make it unlawful for employers and others to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation in the areas of employment, vocational training and further and higher education. The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (NI) 2006 extend the protection against discrimination to the provision of goods, facilities and services, the management and disposal of land or premises and the provision of education in schools.
In addition, section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires designated public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between 9 different groups: religious belief; political opinion; race or ethnic group; age; marital status; sexual orientation; gender; disability; and persons with dependants.
The Government’s vision is an equal, inclusive society in Northern Ireland, where everyone is treated with respect and where opportunity for all remains a priority.
Iris Robinson had every right to express her opinion about homosexuality, and those views express the views of all Christians who take the Bible as the Word of God.
There is no such concept as “homophobia” which is bogus. It is not a word found in the English dictionaries and not an offence under British law.
That being the case she has every right under Articles 8-10 of the Hyman Rights Act to hold and express such an opinion.
If objectors do not like these rights then clearly they need to consider whether living in the UK . a free society, is the best option for them.
Graham Wood
Mr G Wood
August 14, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Iris Robinson had every right to express her opinion about homosexuality, and those views express the views of all Christians who take the Bible as the Word of God.
There is no such concept as “homophobia” which is bogus. It is not a word found in the English dictionaries and not an offence under British law.
That being the case she has every right under Articles 8-10 of the Human Rights Act to hold and express such an opinion.
If objectors do not like these rights then clearly they need to consider whether living in the UK . a free society, is the best option for them.
Graham Wood
Mr G Wood
August 14, 2008 at 2:57 pm
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, which I believe is the gold standard:
homophobia
• noun an extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexuals.
— DERIVATIVES homophobe noun homophobic adjective.
Graham, you only serve to highlight the stupidity which is the bedfellow to ignorance. By your assertion of Articles 8-10 of the HYMAN rights act (see the first comment- Freudian slip huh? Albeit a malapropism) I too have the right to criticise Iris Robinson for what is currently being investigated as inciting homophobic hatred. An offense. Now, in the words of the great Jesus himself, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. I firmly believe those who holler their hateful diatribe against gays are the very people who harbor homosexual urges. Under articles 8-10, I am free and able to assert my views.
badwordsalad
August 14, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Mr.Wood should piss off and live somewhere else
John
August 16, 2008 at 11:52 am
Mr Wood’s views of all Christians who take the Bible as the Word of God is a joke. A christian god is a man made phantom created to protect cowards such as Mr Wood who have no personality or humanity to make a path for themself in this one off existance. He may choose to exist in a world formed by biblical fear, christian damnation and hate – stop pushing those views onto sane people. No wonder the ancients fed you to the lions!
LA
October 7, 2008 at 12:37 pm