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Dammit, that old chestnut again [message #67159]

Thu, 08 November 2012 22:37

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13751

This blog post expresses it far better than I can. The major subject of this investigation is a sleazebag DJ who abused girls. So why does the UK's Prime Minister talk about witch hunts against gay men?

[Updated on: Thu, 08 November 2012 22:40]

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

Re: Dammit, that old chestnut again [message #67161 is a reply to message #67159]

Fri, 09 November 2012 09:30

Kitzyma

Likes it here

Registered: March 2012
Messages: 215

Now, I'm certainly not a fan of the PM, but as I understand it, he wasn't supporting the misconception that there is a link between paedophilia and homosexuality. A more charitable interpretation of the PM's statement is that he was, rather ineptly, actually trying to counteract the that misconception, and there may possibly be some reasoning behind his mention of gay men.

Apparently, a lot of the names of alleged child abusers being posted around the web (and possibly some of those on that list handed to the PM on TV) were those of gay men, possibly politicians, who were or are in the closet. The alleged 'reasoning' (note quotation marks) behind the posts seems to be this: certain politicians and senior civil servants are alleged to have abused children; certain politicians and senior civil servants have hidden (or tried to hide) their sexuality; if those people were hiding their sexuality, maybe they were also hiding child abuse.

The misconceived link between paedophilia and homosexuality was, therefore, in the minds of the posters, not in the mind of the PM. Unfortunately, it seemed he was confronted by the list unexpectedly and didn't have time to choose his words well.

Re: Dammit, that old chestnut again [message #67162 is a reply to message #67161]

Fri, 09 November 2012 10:33

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13751

I understand what you say and I understood it that way too, but his words were entirely capable of misinterpretation. Those who choose to misinterpret them have already started to do so. Had he not added those six words then that misinterpretation would not have ben possible.

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

Re: Dammit, that old chestnut again [message #67163 is a reply to message #67162]

Fri, 09 November 2012 11:19

Kitzyma

Likes it here

Registered: March 2012
Messages: 215

The PM was apparently taken by surprise, and certainly his choice of words was unwise. Those who choose to misinterpret them had it made easy for them. However, those people would probably have found a way to interpret anything he said in the way that suited themselves. In fact, even if he'd remained silent for too long while considering his words, they would probably have interpreted that as an attempt at a cover-up! Smile

Last week I discovered a word that may be relevant - Agnotology (formerly agnatology) is the study of culturally induced ignorance or doubt. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnotology)

No matter how much data is presented to show that homosexuality and paedophilia are not linked, some people will refuse to believe it and will choose instead their own belief system. There is probably little that can be done to change those people. However, hopefully children and the more open minded adults can be educated to accept reality and thereby the majority of society will eventually realise that those who believe in the link are in the same category as those who believe that the Earth is flat or that the universe was created literally in just six days.

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