Spinning Like Mad on Joe Duffy

dublin | bin tax / household tax / water tax | opinion/analysis Wednesday October 15, 2003 16:26 by radio listener

Surprise surprise, the Joe Duffy show, in its mission to enlighten the unwashed masss of this country, has stooped to a new low trying to discredit the Bin Tax campaign.

Picking up on a Fingal CoCo press release that alleges that two members of the Socialist Party 'intimidated' a bin worker at his home last night. Michael Murhpy, one of the two SP members appeared on the show to defend himself. The bin worker, Benny Farrel(l?) spoke first, and was very angry that they knew his name and address.

As it turns out, this was a simple case of mistaken identity. A woman from the campaign had been approached by a bin worker during yesterdays protest, who wanted to get in contact with the campaign. However, his boss appeared, and obviously fearing the wrath of the CoCo he stopped talking to the campiagner. This campiagner then passed on the information to the FABTC, but she gave the wrong name. She said it was someone called 'Benny'.

In a devious plot, Mr Murphy told his imprisoned wife, Cllr Clare Daly, about the event, and she thought she recognised the name. It turns out that Benny had been in contact with Clare before, via telephone, about a different issue. Putting two and two together, the evil Socialist Party member looked up the name and estate in the electoral register, and obviously anxious to make contact with sympathetic workers, called to his house.

Mr Farrel took this as an affront to his privacy, and felt 'intimidated'. Which is fair enough, each to his own an all that. However, it seems to me that this was a simple mistake on behalf of the FATBC, that has been blown out of all proportion by the CoCo, aided and abetted by the Joe Duffy show.

The facts, undisputed by Mr Farrel on the show, are that the two SP/FABTC members called to his house, introduced themselves as members of the FABTC (NOT as SP members, as claimed in the council Press release), and upon realising their mistake apologised and left immediatley. Hardly controversial stuff. Yet, in the capable hands of Joe Duffy, this small incident managed to take up a whole hour of the program.

As is usual on the JD show, whenever anyone from anti-establishment campaigns are on, there was a flood of 'angry listeners' who disagreed with the campaign. (This was a trend also seen when members of the IAWM were on the show). Some of the claims were simply outrageous, and largely went unchallenged by Duffy (who I assume is meant to give the program a measure of 'balance').

For example, one caller claimed, naturally without any evidence whatsoever, that this was the 'first step in subtle intimidation'. Twice it was claimed that the Socialist Party were Nazis, and once it was insinuated that the Socialist Party were supporters of the Stalinist Eastern block. While not a member of the SP myself, I know some members and I know both these claims are outright lies. However, we can rest assured that if someone appeared on the show and called FF or the PDs (or any other establishment party) Nazis, Duffy would say something like "ah here hang on now, you can't say that. That's a terrible claim, you have no evidence." Of course, being the balanced and fair man that he is, in this case he said... nothing. Duffy then went on to make a snide remark about the "danger of socialists taking power"! Hardly a balanced opinion.

Later still, the show picked up on an article in the Herald, which claimed that two members of the campaign, including one who is in prison, are exempt from charges, and therefore it insinuated 'had no right to protest'! To use just one small example from history, when some South African whites fought alongside black people for their freedom. These white people were obviously not black, therefore not subject to the racism of the SA state. By this logic, they had 'no right' to protest alongside black people in their struggle for freedom!

Anyway, this was also insinuated by Duffy. When Joe Duffy burnt the US Flag in the 1980s, what 'right' did he have to do that? If memory serves, Duffy was also a member of the campaign for gay rights in the 1980s. Again, as he is not gay, what 'right' did he have to get involved in that? You see where I am going with this?

Also, on the 1 O'Clock RTE radio news Minister for the Environemnt Martin Cullen appeared, and made the outrageous claim that he has no time for 'people who break the law'. Really Mr Cullen? What about drink-driving-accident-cauisng GV Wright? Or tax-dodging-until-caught Michael Collins? Or the Ansbacher men and women that still propser in Irish society. Or the use of Shannon in an illegal war? Of course, the presenter just let him continue on his rant largely unchallenged.

Fairness and accuracy in reporting and coverage? You must be joking.

PS The next time an election candidate comes to my house, I must remember to issue a press release, and contact Joe Duffy about the indimidation I have been subject to. I should also add, that I am neither a member of the SP or affilaited with the FABTC. I am from the sticks, but the entire campaign has my full support. Despite what the media would have you believe, many down the country also fully support the campaign.