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11,000 demand PM reprimands Iris for her outburst about gays
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
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Almost 11,000 people have signed a petition calling on Gordon Brown to reprimand DUP MP Iris Robinson over her controversial remarks about homosexuality.
The e-petition on the 10 Downing Street website states that the First Minister’s wife’s views are “narrow-minded” and “not fitting” of an MLA or MP.
Less than 30 people have signed an opposing petition calling on the Prime Minister to allow the comments to go unreprimanded as a matter of personal opinion and religion.
The petition states “anyone who feels strongly enough in freedom of speech should allow these remarks made about homosexuality to remain unpunished”.
Mrs Robinson is facing calls to resign from public office after the Belfast Telegraph revealed that she told a parliamentary committee homosexuality is “viler” than child sex abuse. The Strangford MP made her comments in front of a committee of MPs during a debate on the management and assessment of sex offenders.
She later clarified her position to the Telegraph stating that the act of homosexuality is “comparable” to child sex abuse. As she came under public pressure to apologise for her comments, however, she carried out an apparent U-turn and said her views had not been accurately reflected in the Hansard publication of the debate and that she “clearly intended to say that child abuse was worse even than homosexuality and sodomy”.
But a Hansard official said that after checking audio recordings she was satisfied the comments were reported accurately.
UUP MLA John McCallister today said he did not accept Mrs Robinson's explanation that her comments had not been accurately reflected and said that it was time the DUP ordered the First Minister’s wife to step down from public office.
“Mrs Robinson had no reason whatsoever to discuss homosexuality during a debate on sex offenders. Unfortunately, because the DUP is the majority party, there is not much we can do to stop her. We are virtually powerless to stop her. It is up to the DUP to tell her she has to go, that this sort of thing is not acceptable,” he said.
“She is an embarrassment to the whole of Northern Ireland. It is frightening to think of the enormous harm she is potentially doing to homosexual people.... She is putting people at serious risk.
“We will hopefully be discussing this as a party to consider the options available to us to pressurise the DUP into accepting that Iris Robinson can no longer continue in public office. Peter Robinson will have to clarify if his wife is reflecting his party’s position and if he agrees that a member of his party is entitled to make such disgraceful comments.
“It is time the DUP listened to the public and the public no longer want Iris in office.”
The Rainbow Project, a group which aims to address the physical, mental and emotional health of gay and bisexual men, said that despite seeing the clear evidence of the damage and hurt which her comments cause, Mrs Robinson “continues to attack a vulnerable group which makes up between 6-10% of the population.”
A spokesman added: “Christian groups and individuals have contacted The Rainbow Project from all over the world to distance themselves from her comments. Closer to home, political and religious leaders have publicly condemned the blatant homophobia and spoken about the levels of crime and harassment that the gay community faces here.
“This misguided politician does not speak for Christianity, rather only for a narrow band of extremists. If further evidence was needed that Mrs Robinson’s role as chair of the Assembly’s Health Committee is untenable, well here it is.”
Iain Dale, a gay member of the Tory party, said on his blog that Mrs Robinson’s comments “reinforces existing prejudices”. He added: “While I am sure Mrs Robinson, being a good Christian, would never condone any form of homophobic attack, she should not be surprised if her remarks give succour to those who perpetrate them.”
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377 Comments
If she had talked about being black in this way she would have been in serious trouble. The fact that she wasn't proves that society and the government are highly homophobic.
Posted by Rich | 26.03.09, 18:25 GMT
I have searched and searched and I have yet to find evidence that Iris Robinson even has a conscious. She is narrow minded and I pity her because she does not stop to think of how her words are affecting people. I am not homosexual but I have many friends that are and I am outraged by her homophobic comments. If she hates them so much. Why doesn't she go live in a hole. Homosexual people are as much a part of the community as heterosexual people and deserve to be treated with respect.
Plus, my best friend Alex is homosexual and her comments cut him deep. Maybe Ms MP should think about what she says before she opens her fat mouth.
Posted by Karoline | 13.11.08, 14:15 GMT
Iris
should learn to say the prayer
Lord help me to keep my big mouth shut until I know what I am talking about
Posted by John | 31.10.08, 10:32 GMT
We were planning a trip to Strangford to stay at the Narrows Hotel, looking forward to seeing such a beautiful place now that peace has returned to NI. After hearing about this woman's views, we won't be coming. We see no reason to contribute to the economy of a society that elects a person like this.
Posted by Sabine | 13.09.08, 10:44 GMT
What do the Scriptures say about majority and minority views? I don't remember reading anywhere that Christ advocated casting out the minority. If he had, it would have been a somewhat self-defeating thing to say in the Graeco-Roman pagan and Jewish world of Iudaea.
In fact, I seem to recollect that the Christ of the Scriptures was quite firm on the principle of non-judgment. When he lost patience, it was usually with those in positions of power who were abusing religious traditions to clothe themselves in the glamour of righteousness, when what they were really doing was preaching fear and hate. In the Gospel according to Matthew, I seem to recall, he says "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."
I think Iris Robinson is watering down the Scriptures to suit herself. I pity her, because she is living in fear and hate.
Posted by Duncan | 13.09.08, 10:01 GMT
As a gay Catholic up brings & of Irish desent! I am amazed at what this woman is saying about gays & lesbians. This is the 21st century. Growing up in the 70's & 80 in England life was very hard for people like myself, hard rough secondary school .....i managed to get thru it all keepin myself well back in "the closet" for many years, even though i was meeting men, just because of my background up bringin, IM SO ANGRY THAT A WOMAN LIKE THIS HAS FULL ACSESS TO THE PRESS!
& MAKING STATEMENTS LIKE SHE DID, thank you forlettin me reply anyway, good night
Posted by Jason | 24.08.08, 06:50 GMT
This woman has been living in the dark ages for the past 60 years or so. She should be hung out to dry and made an example of her narrowmindeness.
Posted by Adam JORDAH | 22.08.08, 11:32 GMT
how can anyone compare child abuse to homosexuality?everyone is made in 'God's image' are they not? Iris Robinson needs to keep her judgmental and narrow minded views to herself. seriously who is she to have the right to tell people how to live and what relationships are right and wrong? CONSULT US, DONT INSULT US.
Posted by Christine ^^. | 17.08.08, 02:56 GMT
"I cannot leave my Christian values hanging at the door when I go into politics." she says. Then Iris, you should never have entered politics. Religion and politics do not mix and and are a potent cocktail. Iris must resign from her chair of the NI Assembly Health Committee and apologise to almost 16,000 people who found her comments a disgrace and very hurtful.
Posted by LINDA | 14.08.08, 22:00 GMT
It's exactly this sort of hate preaching that keeps us locked in the dark ages. Get over it love, there isn't a god - religion is the comfort of the weak.
Posted by Bernard | 13.08.08, 23:56 GMT
"The bible, God's Word is accurate. Nothing in the bible has been proven false, ever."
I'm not too sure anything in the Bible has been proven true either. I think they call it faith. And capital B. Please have some respect for your own religion.
Posted by Michael | 07.08.08, 03:32 GMT
I just read Nigels comment, have to say i really feel sorry for you mate. a total lack of imagination from this chap. On a par with the world is flat and massive sea monsters. Curing homosexuals? From what exactly?? Total tosh, i am not homosexual, but really my head is in my hands reading this, i feel really sorry for you! you were obviously not at the front of the queue when God (who you seem to know quite well) wishing dishing out brains!
Posted by Michael | 05.08.08, 14:12 GMT
She's not fit for public anything, least of all office.
Posted by Patrick Ardagh | 05.08.08, 02:10 GMT
terry 15000 is 0.8% of all Northern ireland
but only 0.025% of all of the UK, which is covered by the Prime Minister's e-petition
Posted by Steve nireland | 04.08.08, 13:58 GMT
I think this is a disgrace. That this woman is able to make these comments and get away with it is unbelieveable.
When she was elected as an MP MLA, she was eleced by the community to represent the WHOLE community, by making these remarks she is allowing her beliefs to get in the way of this. This is a sure sign that this woman is not suitable for the job. We need politicians who will put aside thier personal views, no matter how strongly they believe in them, to carry out their role in representing and supporting the community as a whole, in doing so, treating all as equal in both their actions and their words.
Posted by Cara | 04.08.08, 00:49 GMT
Incidentally if any of you "so called" Christians want evidence that there are thousands out there who disagree with Iris you should take a minute to check out the Prime Minister's e-peteition website, where almost 15000 people have signed a petition to have the lady reprimanded....
Posted by Terry | 03.08.08, 18:07 GMT
Dear Nigel! It sounds to me like you need some serious help yourself! You say - "And incidentally a person can be healed of homosexuality because no-one is born that way. They are affected pre and post natally by mum wanting a girl and dressing him in dresses as an infant for example." Well I can tell you as a gay man I was born this way and my mother never dressed me up in girls clothes.... Clearly if this is your belief then your mother must have ranted on about the bible while you were in nappies....
Posted by Terry | 03.08.08, 18:04 GMT
This article does not report that Mrs Robinson said that she hates the sin, not the sinner and is not attacking any person by her comments only their actions. 'A Spokesman' described her as an extremist but it seems to me that she voiced exactly the teachings of the Catholic church on this matter. Homosexuals are active and welcome in the Catholic church but are encouraged to remain celibate and there are numerous Catholic support groups that help them to do this. And incidentally a person can be healed of homosexuality because no-one is born that way. They are affected pre and post natally by mum wanting a girl and dressing him in dresses as an infant for example. These sorts of traumas can be dealt with through specialist counseling and forgiveness. Deal with the issue (the cause) and the manifestation of of that issue is healed. Obviously this is a very simplistic account of a complex process for the sake of this post.
Posted by Nigel | 02.08.08, 20:48 GMT
Iris Robinson is an embarrassment to this country. She represents the narrow-minded views of a significant minority of insular individuals in Northern Ireland who are determined to look backwards into the future. This country needs forward looking individuals to lead us into a future which is not constrained by medieval Biblical rhetoric.
Posted by James | 02.08.08, 19:16 GMT
Homophobia is the same thing as racism.
If she had made racist remarks against black people and then said 'This is just my belief allowed by freedom of speech', she would have been persecuted.
Homophobia needs to be categorised with racism and hate crime, and religion needs to be categorised with mental retardation.
Posted by Bhav | 02.08.08, 12:08 GMT
377 Comments