But Martyn Turner is a Cartoonist which is entertainment which people viewing his work have clear knowledge of, the RTE Evening News is not a satirical programme, its an important broadcast which the majority of people in this Country who view news programmes view. Badly painted 'portraits' illegally placed on the walls of Galleries which are supported by our taxes are news to a point but only to the point of "how did you allow this to happen, do you have proper security measures?" or maybe "if you have gained some without noticing, is it possible you have lost some too?" The report was unpleasant and gratuitious in its tone, presentation and content to both the viewer and the person they were attempting to ridicule in an underhand manner, and they did the usual post-colonial Irish thing in the middle of it, ask a German Tourist what his opinion on the matter was. If they have the required credentials as Journalists why don't they have Cowan or any other Senior Politician on and ask them the questions which need answers?
RTE News apologise for reporting about Cowen caricature
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But Martyn Turner is a Cartoonist which is entertainment which people viewing his work have clear knowledge of, the RTE Evening News is not a satirical programme, its an important broadcast which the majority of people in this Country who view news programmes view. Badly painted 'portraits' illegally placed on the walls of Galleries which are supported by our taxes are news to a point but only to the point of "how did you allow this to happen, do you have proper security measures?" or maybe "if you have gained some without noticing, is it possible you have lost some too?" The report was unpleasant and gratuitious in its tone, presentation and content to both the viewer and the person they were attempting to ridicule in an underhand manner, and they did the usual post-colonial Irish thing in the middle of it, ask a German Tourist what his opinion on the matter was. If they have the required credentials as Journalists why don't they have Cowan or any other Senior Politician on and ask them the questions which need answers?
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Ceist Beag
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My thoughts exactly. The representative from the gallery was embarassing with her attitude when the obvious question she should have been asked was how did you let this happen and are you not mortified that it was so easy - instead she chose to snigger at the portrait itself.
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Imagine if John Major had tried to close down Private Eye over their longterm showing of him wearing a nappy over his trousers. Did anyone hear the guy from the Boston Globe yesterday? The gist was - that Dublin had a bigger homicide rate than most US cities and the cops are busting a Radio station over this. Drugs and guns imported by the container load, murder a mayhem on the streets and the Gardai are chasing a cartoonist. Whoever ordered this probe should be severely carpeted. Or at least have their salary halved 
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Do you need your satire to be clearly labelled as such before you accept its validity? Do you need to know something is satire in advance in order to know how to react to it?
Some of the best satire works precisely because of its ambiguity. In any case, my point isn't whether the particular works are good, or important, or intrinsically valuable artistic or political commentary; it's that we should have that freedom of artistic and political expression. When we have constitutionally guaranteed freedoms we do not get to pick and choose who benefits from them on the basis of how good we think it is or isn't.
I confess I didn't see the RTE report, but there is room for light-hearted pieces on the news. And people are not so stupid as to be unable to distinguish between a fairly trivial news news report and the serious issues.
As for "usual post-colonial Irish thing"
A penny
So was he called a gombeen man or are you simply calling me a gombeen man?
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Yup HE was. I only read about his spat with the Sunday Times (I ived in a far-away land in those days) and as far as I gather he was awarded the derisory sum of one penny. This, he labelled a victory (the costs were astronomical), but didn't say of which Phyrric type. After all his 'memory' was pretty dodgy there also and 2300 years was stretching it a bit.
The title of the article was 'Goodbye Gombeen Man' and it referred to him as a Mr. Fixit who's career had been brought down by a fib or something along those lines, but I think he won his case both here (but without compensation for the legal costs) and the UK.
Which was the courts' way of saying that while he had a case, he really should just grow up, get a thicker skin, and rise above that kind of name-calling. Something our current tantrum-throwing Taoiseach should keep in mind.
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Now if BIFFO was a HIPPO
You'd confuse him with Mary Harney.Now if BIFFO was a HIPPO
As for "usual post-colonial Irish thing"
If you saw the News Report you are pontificating support for you wouldn't either need to ask or feel confused!
I'm not "pontificating support" for anything; my comments were primarily about the political and official response which appears to have been startlingly heavy-handed and, in my personal opinion, inappropriate.
And I genuinely don't know what you mean by "usual post-colonial Irish thing". What in the world is "post-colonial" about asking a German tourist for his opinion? It might be silly - but why invoke some sort of post-colonial syndrome for something so trivial?
I know, I know - I shall go find the footage and if I suddenly have an epiphany regarding our post-colonial vox-popping I'll report back...
But if you feel that he is the cause or at the root of our current problems why can't that be that, why the need for childish name calling and sneering. I'm talking about the general 'you' I'm not havin a go, its just that it does bug me that this type of bullying is accepted as long as we are all in on it. Just look at the Biffo - Hippo post and the remark pointing at Mary Harneys size it really does make me wonder sometimes.
his people might be very good at cleaning up his mess but the fact that it didn't make massive news in the first place would suggest that people do not want to burst the Obama bubble too soon. Many people I have spoken too weren't even aware that he made the quip.
The bottom line I suppose is that this harmless prank goaded the government into letting their mantle slip, and what peeped out was not a pretty sight. Given a chance, this arrogant gang that surrounds the elite core of government would legislate on what we were allowed to think, not to mind what we were allowed to say. I found the entire episode frightening in a way; it just goes to show how fragile a thing is democracy and freedom of speech. If they got any encouragement, the jackboots would be on, and on our backs.
They've been there too long, and now they think that we are their servants, not their masters. We need to remind them as to whose country this is, and the sooner the better.
They've been there too long, and now they think that we are their servants, not their masters. We need to remind them as to whose country this is, and the sooner the better.
I agree that the lack of concern the woman from RHA displayed about a serious breach of security in her gallery was frightening. However, Brian Cowan must learn that respect must be earned. The reason he has no respect among the populace is that he comes across as craven and cowardly. Whining and moaning about how nobody understands the depth of the trouble we are in but refusing to answer even basic questions about the country's finances. He talks about making tough decisions but balks at everyone of them. All the while denying he or his party had any part to play in leading the country into the fiscal abyss.
But he wasn't jeered because he commanded respect and the people knew he was no coward.
Are you not in the least bit concerned by the fact that the government sees fit to dictate to the media what they may or may not broadcast?
Don't forget, it was only through "technical error" that we discovered Primetime allows its political paymasters the opportunity to rehearse for what is supposedly a live segment of the show.
http://dansullivan.blogspot.com/2009/03/maire-hoctor-not-ready-for-prime-time.html
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Perhaps Cowan should insist that interviewers genuflect and prostrate themselves before him just so he feels he is shown the appropriate amount of deference.