Berties remarks regarding suicide

Silly gaffe but hardly worthy of second item on the main 9PM news last night in my opinion.
 
ClubMan said:
Silly gaffe but hardly worthy of second item on the main 9PM news last night in my opinion.
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You might not think so if any of your family were victims of suicide.

It was a disgraceful remark and he added insult to injury by making a half-hearted apology with a <expletive deleted> grin all over his face the whole time.
 
ClubMan said:
Silly gaffe but hardly worthy of second item on the main 9PM news last night in my opinion.
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I agree.
I thought it was a bit rich of FG to take the high ground after their own leader, Enda Kenny, was exposed telling racist jokes and subsequently apologised. Sauce for the goose and all that.
 
I'm no fan of Ahern but the media response to my mind seemed a bit hysterical and overblown. It's clear from the context he meant it as "it's a wonder they manage to get out of bed in the morning" type comment but obviously got carried away with himself.

I know it is a sensitive issue for people - and one that is so widespread that there are few that cannot in some way have been affected. However it was certainly disingenious of one group I heard on the radio who said it was disgraceful that Ahern suggested "people go and commit suicide". He said no such thing and the fact that certain groups saw the need to maintain he did highlights for me just how ridiculously over the top the whole response has been.
 
ClubMan said:
Don't assume that I have no knowledge of the issues.
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OK, well as someone who has signifcant knowledge of the issues through bitter personal experience, in my view it shouldn't have been the second item on the news - it should have been the lead.

Suicide causes way more deaths in Ireland than road traffic accidents. We - rightly - have massive effort put into reducing road deaths, with a dedicated high profile authority, expensive media campaigns and huge Garda resources.

What do we get for suicide? A crassly insensitive comment from the head of our government followed by a half-hearted apology containing the implication that maybe he had been misreported ("If I said that . . .") when in fact he was quoted 100% accurately.
 

I agree. Resorting to cliché for the moment, it's what's wrong with this country. If it were Joe public, this sort of behaviour would be rightly treated as malicious gossip. Misquoting, Chinese whispers etc etc...one of my pet hates, sorry.
 
nelly said:
It better not be his plan B for "if" the boom is over....
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It was an ill-advised remark and he really should have had more sense tbh.

FF were only too happy to trumpet their management of the (bubble) economy over the course of the last government so let them take the heat "if" it all blows up in their face. But off course it will be the "doom-mongers" fault and not theirs. Expect more ignorant remarks as they play the blame game over the next 5 years.
 
room305 said:
However it was certainly disingenious of one group I heard on the radio who said it was disgraceful that Ahern suggested "people go and commit suicide". He said no such thing
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What he said was:

"Sittin' on the sidelines or on the fence cribbin' and moanin' is a lost opportunity. In fact I don't know how people who engage in that, eh, don't commit suicide."

I can't see that he was materially misquoted.
 
Its more than silly. whether he wants to recognise it or not suicide is a major scurge that is swept under the carpet in this country.
terrible remarks and no excuse for the man.
 
Gonk,

Do you not think there is a difference beween Bertie saying:

"..don't know how people don't commit suicide"

and it being claimed that he was:

"suggesting that people commit suicide"

I think there is a big difference.
 
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He made a stupid comment and apologised straight away when it was brought to his attention what he said. Hardly reason to crucify the man. I have seen the effects of suicide first hand and I have still being guilty of using the word lightly in the past. Have a sensible debate and news item on the problem of suicide. Would have been more news worthy than having people line up to criticise him for something that he already admitted was wrong.
 
With the horrific amounts of debt that have been injected into the celtic tiger's weary remains, its understandable that some folks think its death is not far off.

The poor thing seems about to die a slow death having been poisoned.

And if it happens perhaps questions will be asked as to who were the accomplices to this economic homicide?
 
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boaber said:
Ahead of someone getting shot in the head
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Yes. There are vastly more deaths from suicide than murder.

Sunny said:
He made a stupid comment and apologised straight away when it was brought to his attention what he said.
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In my view the apology was considerably worse than the original remark. Anyone can make a stupid off-the-cuff remark. Bertie's "apology" was weak and defensive, including as I've already pointed out, an implication that he might not even have actually made the comment he was being criticised for. And, all the time he was making the apology, he was grinning broadly. I really think the man had no concept of the serious offence that was quite justifiably taken.

Caveat said:
Gonk,

Do you not think there is a difference beween Bertie saying:

"..don't know how people don't commit suicide"

and it being claimed that he was:

"suggesting that people commit suicide"

I think there is a big difference.
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I disagree. If you and I were having a discussion here and I made one of two alternative comments:

"Caveat, why don't you commit suicide?"

or

"Caveat, I don't know why you don't commit suicide."

what's the difference?
 
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