JK Rowling is a litigious bully
The headline of this article is a personal opinion derived from true facts. The popular associate of a prominent anonymous and abusive internet troll has undertaken more than 50 lawsuits against the press, and has admitted in an interview with The Times that she’s “too thin-skinned” when it comes to people writing critically about her.
That seems to us to be fair and factual evidence in support of “litigious”.
“Bully”, meanwhile, is an honestly-held opinion related to those facts, based on the following definitions of that word from the Oxford English Dictionary:
For example, we consider that actively and publicly threatening to use your enormous financial power to sue someone, unless they back down over a highly questionable claim of defamation and donate money to your charity, is beyond reasonable-minded dispute “using your superior strength or influence” to “intimidate” them.
(This is particularly true if you interact with the person by unnecessarily involving your audience of 6.6 million social-media followers, a percentage of whom will then be highly likely to bombard them with abuse, whether you intend them to or not. Even aside from direct abuse, McGarry received in excess of 75,000 Twitter notifications simply as a result of Rowling’s tweets mentioning her.)
And there’s a reason we mention this.
The past week has seen some horrific assaults on free speech, instigated by those of considerable wealth and power against those who have far less. The recently-formed football club trading as “Rangers” successfully demanded the sacking of a Sunday Herald columnist for a personal tweet in support of a colleague, who’d been the unwilling subject of an apology published by its daily sister paper and who felt unable to continue working for it as a result.
Both writers had been the subject of storms of internet abuse from “Rangers” fans also demanding their sacking, and worse besides.
Independent MP Natalie McGarry, meanwhile, locked her Twitter account after a similar barrage of abuse which followed JK Rowling’s public challenging of some comments made by the MP. Rowling had boasted, in response to a tweet from a fawning Scottish journalist, of commanding “a small island” of lawyers.
(The journalist’s tweet had expressly raised the fact that Rowling had a vast army of legal might at her disposal, implying that it was more advisable to defame those with fewer resources who would be less able to protect their reputations, regardless of the fairness or otherwise of the comments.)
It was in this climate of fear that The National chose not to publish a comic strip by cartoonist Greg Moodie yesterday.
The content of the cartoon was not made public. Whether it featured Rowling, or “Rangers”, or neither, has not to our knowledge been revealed. And what that tells us is that it wasn’t pulled under legal threat, because its subject would logically not have known there was anything to issue a threat over. It was simply never published at all, because the newspaper was too scared.
Defamation law in Scotland is primitive and draconian. Unlike that of England it wasn’t reformed under the 2013 Defamation Act, and technically Moodie could have been prosecuted just for submitting the cartoon to the newspaper’s editor for assessment.
Ironically, the newspaper most actively supporting a new campaign to reform the law in Scotland was the Herald – the publisher of which sacked one journalist and lost another last week over defamation threats, and which also operates The National.
In an editorial on the subject just weeks ago, the Herald said:
The actions of JK Rowling, a serial and (by her own admission) over-sensitive litigator who can nevertheless afford to undertake basically limitless lawsuits – invariably backed up by a wildly supportive Scottish media who unhesitatingly portray her as the victim in any argument – have contributed to an atmosphere where no journalist read in Scotland can pursue their job in safety.
That’s a toxic legacy to bequeath fellow writers. But given Rowling’s known Unionist sympathies, it’s perhaps worth keeping in mind when people question the fairness and impartiality of the Scottish media on the subject of politics.
Because even when no threat is made or directly implied, we’ve learned in the past few days that the Scottish press will pre-emptively censor itself to avoid any risk of upsetting the wealthy and powerful, even if that means shielding the likes of “Brian Spanner” from the merciless exposure and opprobrium that would be the certain fate of any independence supporter making similar comments.
In Scotland, you can say what you like so long as you’re pals with JK Rowling. But if you challenge her, or any other powerful and rich institution – whether it be “Rangers” or the BBC or the UK itself – you better watch your back. Because you can expect no protection from the self-proclaimed champions of freedom.
One of your best posts ever Stu.
Fair comment!
JK Rowling – Madam Or Else
BRAVO.
All I can do is continue to boycott all offending publications and urge others to do likewise. I would like to think SNP are talking to their lawyers for Natalie.
You may get an influx of, new, contributors; at the wave of a crooked stick.
I agree. She is a bully. And completely unselfconsciously humorless to boot. And just for fun, if she is reading this, perhaps she might try to write something that isn’t a piss poor rip off of Blyton and Tolkien.
Sue me.
That’s exactly how I see the whole stramash too.
Well said could not agree more.
britnats bully to keep their so-called united kingdom intact – with their obvious lack of tact.
It will backfire, of course, as all bullying eventually does.
All the queen’s lawyers and all the queen’s lackeys couldn’t refute all the “likes” before.
Call her Joanne Rowling, that is her name.
“They think it’s all over..
..it is now”
Unsettlingly insightful.
I agree, your best yet!
i refrain from praise, comment or condemnation of this article, not by this message do i acknowledge that i’ve read it.
about time the law was changed on a number of things, really.
Very good Rev Stu.
Do you expect some litigation soon?
Sorry OT I am sick to death of hearing that Scotland has one of the strongest devolved parliaments in the civilised world, so feckin what, we are still TOLD what we can and cannot do by a bunch of tory posh boys that treat Scotland and the Scots with utter contempt, derision and disgust, they TELL us and our representatives what they are willing to give us subsidy junkies. Get it through our thick Scottish heads, we are not equal partners we are not even equal humans in their eyes. Stuff devolution up their jacksies , we need independence.
We are not one of the strongest devolved parliaments in the civilised world the UK is, it is governed by the unelected mandarins of the EU and herr Merkel who tells them what to do and when to do it , and when TTIP is introduced they will dance even more to the great USA . I want a free Scotland, free from Wastmonster free from slavery, not to be subjugated to a European superstate run by lunatics
I watched the news today with Camoron effusing about the great deals he is making on his negotiations re the EU WTF he is going backwards, every condition he set out has been hobbled by Tusk, every condition would be temporary if at all agreed to, every condition has a qualifying opposing condition, the perfect example of how to do business under the tolly ( not a typo) government, lie, lie lie and lie some more.
To ALL the people wanting to remain within the EU I ask, do you want this snake oil salesman Tusk and his fellow Merkelites to direct your government which they will do, do you trust these self serving neocons to work for the betterment of the Scottish people, when they gleefully and enthusiastically jumped on the better together bandwagon and helped promote project fear, with senior europhiles eagerly chastising Salmond and telling Scotland and the Scots to get in the queue, and sorry there are no guarantees that we will let you in our gang. Well I for one say GIRFUY you can stick your gang up where the sun don’t shine
Like the rest of Britain’s moneyed elite, JK is largely above the law.
Her wealth allows the instant deployment of a herd of lawyers. The law, mostly made by her kindred spirits, doesn’t put any any real obstacles in her way. Such people can do and say what they want, immune from prosecution.
Until Scotland’s laws are wholly made in Scotland by a wholly democratic legislature we must tolerate this situation.
Meanwhile, Joanne Rowling does whatever she pleases…
Compare and contrast with Neil Hay’s campaign being scuppered when his pseudonymous Twitter account was revealed and plastered all over the msm. His tweets were actually pretty innocuous. Nowhere near as offensive as those of the Spanner.
Imagine how backwards you have to be to be a billionaire yet spend your days threatening to sue elected members just because of an out-dated colonialist nationalism.
Are you going to need a MASSIVE crowdfund?
Get the vote in May 5th 2016 SNP X 2.
Vote for to remain in the EU Summer 2016.
Get the vote in May 4th 2017 SNP.
Campaign for Ref2 in 2018.
Get the vote in Summer 2019.
Scotland Independent 2020.
Revision of Scots Law.
Tractors crawl south.
A very good article Stu, hits the nail right on the head.
It would be interesting if Rowling and her friend spanner would like to reply directly on this comments page. In fact it would be nice to see if her friend spanner would like to say who he really is, on here.
I took against her when she successfully sued a photographer who took pictures of her and her husband pushing their son’s baby buggy along a public street. I’m no fan of paparazzi, but there’s no right to privacy in a public place, so the court ruling effectively changed the law on street photography.
Am I the only one who thinks that she has destroyed far more than she saved? I could have some respect for a No voter, no matter how misguided I think they may be, but her actions over this affair have been beyond the pale.
Actually, that could be the same for a certain football club and their t****! (Well, you can’t call them supporters can you.)
Better witches in Nanny Ogg, Esme Weather was and Magrat Garlic. Better Wizards at Unseen University and a far better children’s story in The Wee Freemen.
Sir Terry Pratchett, the UK’s BEST fantasy writer on or off the Disc World. RIP PTerry.
As the Herald Editor’s assistant said in the stock reply to my complaint about Editorial policy and treatment of staffS.
“Our titles have a long history of supporting quality journalism and defending free speech and robust comment. This made all the more difficult the action we had to take.” Think that’s history indeed.
Do we know who spanner is yet
I can see that ‘dot’ before the Rev’s @ being deployed quite soon to summon the hoards.
@ liz
I doubt it. Wings isn’t an easy target, as Euan McColm found out…
Ah, the fearless fourth estate, indefatigable in holding the powerful to account. Is Daisley’s sycophancy not truly nauseating?
Very good article, Rev. The silence from colonial media ‘journalists’ on this issue tells you everything you need to know about their character.
In my opinion, she has turned into a nasty woman.
Using her vast wealth to silence reasonable criticism. Using charities as a weapon.
The tame Scottish press will always oblige with the victimhood stories when needed. Helped by cultivating online friendships with sycophantic journalists who don’t have the cojones to call out hypocrisy when it is plain to see.
If the heat gets a bit much, she can always find an abusive tweet from some moron to ridicule, pretending it is representative of normal people.
Let’s all laugh at these uncouth nationalists she tells her flock .. conveniently ignoring the legions of nasty Britnat UKIP types, the 1690 or Britain First mob, and of course her abusive ‘Spanner’ friend.
“Yes”, cry her obsequious worshippers. “How divisive! Wouldn’t it be so rude to want self-government for Scotland..”
If you back down from a bully you are toast, the bully will be back as you have shown weakness that they can exploit and will exploit.
No matter who you are or what your wealth is I doubt you can bully 45% of the Scottish public without falling flat on your face. Time will tell eh!
Its a dirty business with some really creepy gits doing their UKOK thing, right to their thug headline word choice.
JK Rowling destroys ex-SNP MP on twitter or JK Rowling destroys Natalie McGarry MP?
Among the advantages of getting old are that you dont have to twit and that you dont have predictive text
“Esme Weather was ”
my foot
Best article ever Stu! Well done!!
I would like to add my praise of this article Rev but unfortunately I cannot as I fear I may be sued.
As someone who has bought her books and film DVD’s for myself and for grand children, I will never buy another JK Rowling product. Mainly because of her arrogant attack on someone who, I think was justifiably pointing out her choice of contacts were a bit dodgy.
It will be interesting to see if ‘spanner’ suffers any consequences of his actions.
The whole MSM have brought this on themselves by biased reporting and unerring support of better together sorry no sympathy for them but something has to be done to rebalance fairness
Duine Uasal.
You have shone a bright light into the pit of darkness that blights the people of Scotland.
Thank you Rev. Stuart Campbell
Excellent article and doesn’t it just show up the spineless ‘journalists’ bowing and slithering on their bellies to the those who think they are better than everyone else.
On the subject of spanner, anyone else think it might be a woman. I can think of one with an extremely coarse mouth.
This has always been the favoured way to shut down whistleblowers.
Threats and menaces.
It’s arguable whether McGarry has damaged Rowling’s reputation by asserting she defends or supports a misogynist troll.
McGarry here has just drawn attention to the fact that Rowling follows a twitter account of a person who is known to tweet frequent abusive tweets, some with misogynistic and other denigratory references for example about people with Learning difficulties.
That fact that Rowling appears to favour attacking the ‘whistleblower’, for in effect this is what McGarry is, rather than making any conciliatory remark in an attempt to investigate the complaint, is not only a classic example of attempt to silence the one who points out misdemeanour, but also a significant and manifest pointer towards where Rowling’s reputation might be hosted.
For it is blatantly obvious to anyone who understands public loathing of users of hate-speech, that if you are a public figure of perceived significant influence, not to condemn it publicly when it is brought to your attention publicly, but in fact by your lack of opprobrium appear to not act against it, all the while protesting that you do, indicates just where the wellspring of any damage to your reputation lies.
And it’s not with the whistleblower.
Use ‘JK Rowling’ ’cause that’s her international ‘brand’. That’s what will be damaged with her bullying, toys oot the ram intimidation. ‘Joanne Rowling’ is not a ‘brand’.
You just don’t ‘get it’, do you, JK Rowling? A bully AND a coward. FFS wummin open yer eyes.
Or you can always sue me. Go on – you know you want to.
Well said.
Rowling is a bully and her gushing sycophants like Daisley can try to cover for her and their scumbag friend all they want. Something really stinks about this one and they don’t want us to get to the bottom of it.
I wonder if that old chestnut “anonymous internet cowards” will ever be wheeled out again by Yoon journos as they near tears at the inhumanity of naughty trolls on some special S.T.V report.
For all the jokey bonhomie between Spanner, Journos and J.K since Friday, you can tell they are now absolutely shiteing it.
We will make absolutely sure as many people as possible know of your internet friendship with a misogynistic and abusive internet coward, Mrs. Rowling, because that is exactly what it is. We will make it our purpose to damage and tarnish your brand at every opportunity and if ever you raise another Helen Lovejoyesque squeal about internet abuse, we will be right there to point people and sponsors in the direction your “poodle fondling Yoda”.
Because when it comes to hypocrisy as explicit as this, there isn’t a P.R consultant in the world who can keep it hidden completely.
Out of interest how do visits to this site compare with The Heralds circulation.
I am a bit of a dinosaur, can you ‘count’ the number of individual ‘watching only’ visits a post like this generates.
Great article, Imagine a Country which has a fantasy writer who lives in a fantasy world with characters in a bubble where everything is rosy. Wonder what’s its like to have people hanging out of your arsehole just because you have money !!
What the heck would the indy movement have done without Rev Stu’s razor-sharp ability to nail the salient facts in a link-strewn summary like this?
I feel we are at a sort of pivotal point in things after this extraordinary few days.
It’s the media. It’s ALWAYS been about the media. And now they have been well and truly caught in the act.
There is no going back now for them, however long it takes.
There have been many great articles and comments on this Spannergate affair and the “Rangers” affair in the past few days from brave fearless indy-media journos. Rev Stu, Derek Batman, Wee Ginger Dug and Rev Stu again (:D) are the ones that spring to mind at first but there have been others. It really, really pisses me off that we who read them and comment o them are described demonisingly out there as “Cybernats”.
The truth is that anyone, now, it seems, who supports Scottish Independence and has a computer, and who reads these excellent pieces and has a view on them and sometimes even comments and contributes to them, is a “Cybernat”.
The CorpMedia know we’re just perfectly normal people who are crowdfunding the far superior journalism we’re getting from the indy blogs and other initiatives. That we’re enquiring and analysing people, talking to each other online. It’s always suited their little game to “use their considerable power and influence” to portray us as “vile abusers”.
But it means the non-online and non-interested public assume we’re those “crazy abusive ranters that say nasty stuff on the internet and wear Scottish Resistance T-shirts”.
That’s why this Spannergate affair is proving to be such a sweet “gotcha” moment in the history of the Restoration of Scottish Independence. They really have been hoisted by their own petard.
I particularly love the fact that it’s their arch-nemesis, the one they daren’t acknowledge, the fearless and uncannily incisive PROPER journalist Rev Stuart Campbell, who’s once again encapsulated it all in the most readable, accessible way that we know will be seen by thousands.
With links.
One thing I always felt would become more visible post-devolution was how crap a lot of Scots law is. Particularly with regard to what we would consider the norms of a free democratic society. Since 1999 it’s been found wanting on human rights, freedom of speech and (most recently) voters holding politicians to account.
It’s entirely understandable: as a legal system it’s largely escaped serious democratic scrutiny for almost 300 years.
Excellent article and oh so very true.
Wonder if the Oxford English Dictionary will alter the meaning of “bully / bullies” now to read “*not applicable to JK Rowling ever” lol
Seriously….
JK Rowling is to be given an award celebrating the work she has done as a “fierce opponent of censorship” and an “advocate for women’s and girls’ rights”
How does this square with some of Brian spanners tweets?
Someone on twitter said Spanner made jokes about having sex with his dead mother.
Can’t verify if it’s true or not but they repeated it several times and asked JK if she could condone such a thing.
If true it is beyond disgusting.
Great piece Rev.
@twathater I detest the use of ‘camoron’ below the line. It reeks of the DM and insults everyone with the surname Cameron, me included.
“recently-formed football club” almost chocked on my broxi-burger
I knew you would, get together, all this sickening abuse and abusers in a great article.
Thanks for this. We must share this article far and wide.
Brilliant post Rev. I’ve been waiting all my life for a Scottish journalist to write something like this.
However much Joanna is disliked (and her writing is pish) I would hope everyone will disassociate themselves from Jamie’s remark @7.19.
I understand folk have strong feelings but revenge is best served cold and all that.
How many of her lawsuits have made it to court, I wonder? Also, of those that have, how many have been successful? I don’t think the courts approve of vexatious actions.
@ Jamie, 7:19pm.
A tad foolish, that comment. Way to play into the hands of the UKOK press.
These spanners are spouting a lot of hot air –
but I notice no more progress on suing NM.
And no threat at all to this site.
They know we all have our King Dick ratchet podgers at the ready!
@frogesque
Agree.
I’d like to voice agreement with this article, but to do so would cause me great distress, lest I be sued by J K Rowling.
Incredible that one who has made so much money from the written word should by her actions cause fear in others to also commit word to page.
I hope you’re proud of your self Joanne.
Wellreadned 7:33pm
Completely agree. Well said.
Winston Wolf fixes problems
@Jamie Hello Brian. ..
I have no real interest in Harry Potter and have no strong views on Rowling either way. My kids read a couple of the books and quite liked them but the oldest moved onto Pullman and took his sister with him. They both absolutely loved the Dark Materials triology and I think just outgrew Potter. Nevertheless I thought it was good that the books and films did well. A sort of Worst Witch meets Pratchett and Enid Blyton. Combinations that will always work well kids.
I was a bit taken aback when I saw all the stuff about litigation for material that was entertaining but hardly original. I haven’t read all of the links to court cases and probably never will but I was mildly horrified when I saw that they had sued a Hindu festival back in 2007 for building a Hogwarts as pandal in the annual Durga. It was a temporary structure as part of a festival…ironically to celebrate the victory of good over evil. (No good karma could possibly come from such a mean act). As far as I can see the Indian court kicked the litigation out and the festival went ahead.
Of course all our heroes have feet of clay but it is disappointing when they appear to be just quite so petty. It would seem the big corporations suck you in and demand your soul…they pay well though.
Ach, she’s just angry that “Moan” got the call to wear the red robe, she was so desperate to be on the same bench as Lord Forfuksake, and there she is with bugger all, serves her right, ’cause money ain’t gonna solve her bitterness .
@frogesque @7.29- completely agree and this could well be someone stirring it.
Well said, Stu.
Tamson,
‘(most recently) voters holding politicians to account.’
That is not Scots law it is UK election law. The case was in an UK election court which was held in Scotland with our judges as the appropriate jurisdiction.
Impressive, most impressive!
Well done!
link to youtube.com
[…] JK Rowling is a litigious bully […]
How did Neil Hay’s twitter alter ego, Paco Sheeple?, become a front page story while this Brian Spanner character is protected by the Corp Media? JK’s best twitter friend is a cyber bully. Identifying this entity is essential since so many Scottish hacks are influenced by “him”.
Perhaps Greg Moodie can ask for a police investigation since it is now threatening his livelihood.
Thanks to Rev Stu for standing up to this nasty little cabal. Crowdfunder welcome if needed.
what twathater says with Greece on it.
Well said Rev. She does herself more harm than we could ever do. She is self obsessed and committed only to preserving the reputation she has created. Sadly in trying to preserve the image she is becoming more and more insular.
Misery is her perpetual if hidden companion.
Excellent stuff Wings. And if perchance the Bullygirl threatens you I am sure supporters of REALLY free speech will support you, and not only with kind words. The ‘crowd’ has plenty of resources to hand.
“liz says:
2 February, 2016 at 7:41 pm
@frogesque @7.29- completely agree and this could well be someone stirring it.”
^this
Jamie. You’re an idiot!
Jamie @ 7.19
Lowering the tone a Wee bit there Jamie.
Even if you were trying to be funny (which you weren’t)
That Rowling wummin comes across believing stuff like that
We’re no actually discussing anything remotely related to ISIS how you put the two in the same post baffels me.
Infact she may have inadvertantly helped to demonstrate the Yoons hysteria over (so called ) cybernat buillies is hipocracy at its best.
Liz 7.41.
Agreed.
He is either a troll or his fingers type faster than his brain can keep up.
“If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Ouch!
Well said!
@jamie at 7.19
Totally uncalled for. If this was said about a Yes supporter we would be justifiably outraged.
Do the right thing Jamie and retract…please.
Good to see the ratchet podgers putting Jamie spanner in his place
The best form of revenge for a attention seeker, is to simply ignore them.
Its very sad that someone who has built up a massive following and huge success across the globe, doesn’t seem content with their life.
It is obviously true, money can’t buy happiness.
Nice one Stu.
Stu,
Sooner rather than later you will be on the sharp end
of an attack of some kind from the establishment. Be it a legal attempt to bankrupt or something less pleasant.
But I guess there is nothing to do but continue and
keep as much in the public domain as possible.
As someone already said. Be careful out there.
RED ALERT REV! RED ALERT!
I think you have a malicious commentator in this Jamie character.
The fact that it has appeared on this specific article is especially suspicious. No one could be that stupid on purpose, can they?
Rev writes a cracker of an article which says everything, succinctly.
And then someone comes along and says something really stupid, pulling the rug from under him.
Great. Wonder where that comment will crop up to haunt us? Windows snipping tool / screen grabbing going on right now I should imagine…
When someone who has been subject to intimidation and threat from the rich and powerful supported by the press, takes their own life, then the tables will turn and people’s eyes will open.
Without naming names I can think of one individual who must have been absolutely sick with worry of financial ruin. It’s a disgrace as a society we let this person live in fear of another giving the thumbs down down like Caesar in the Collesium.
It’s almost as if the mega wealthy accumulate all this wealth, don’t know what to do with it other than accumulate more and resort to making others lives’ hell for amusement. Honourable exceptions being Bill Gates and Andrew Carnegie.
It’s a wonder how some look at themselves in the mirror in the morning!
Stu. I hope she sues you. Count me in fo £50 for the crowdfunded defence costs (more if necessary). In my opinion J.K. Rowling is indeed a bully.
As usual Stu hitting the nail squarely on the head. (and missing your fingers 😀 )
I can not abide yon Joanne wummin! She is a disgrace to normal society. She follows an absolute moron of an individual, is questioned about it and her first act is to threaten litigation … I mean … SERIOUSLY!!!
Wee Joanne thinks she can DO and SAY whatever she wants … whenever she wants and NO ONE has the right to question her at ANY time. Hmm … 😉
I think this sort of sums Joanne up quite nicely:
link to youtube.com
I sniff another bad case of galloping arse rot from the so called Scottish Press and Media. I have zero sympathy for them. I suspect the diarrhoea will only get worse between now and the election in May.
@James Westland
Exactly, no one can be that stupid following what they have just read.
The person who wrote that knows full well what they are doing and they ain’t our friend. It was tailored for maximum offensiveness.
Very suspicious.
Careful wording there, Rev 😉
I wouldn’t be surprised if what happens next is ‘JK Rowling leaves Twitter/Social media due to Nationalist bullying’ (only for a couple of weeks of course to maximise public wrath).
And she can bring down that wrath of her followers and ‘associates’ on anyone, just needs a bit of twisting here and there and you’ve got a game of ‘play the victim’.
She is part of the establishment (as is most of the MSM she’s aquainted with) not only powerful, but with powerful friends, we have to remember that too.
As for Rangers, wish they would bugger off to the English leagues. But I know they won’t take them despite the fantasising from some of their fans. It’s a soap opera of a club I can’t be bothered with. Btw are they still living on loans month to month?
As I mentioned in the previous article where Ms Rowling was discussed, the one thing that has surprised me about the whole affair is her advisors! Where on earth is JK’s public relations advisors in this unholy mess? Do none of them realise of the potential PR disaster that is emanating from this fiasco? Should JK try to follow up on her word and bring Ms McGarry to book if she fails to pay a sum of money to one of JK’s favourite charities, then not only could this blow up in JK’s face as the whole affair is laid bare, but that the proposed charity may run to the hills if it is also seen profiteering from what many may perceive as blackmail. I am absolutely shocked that no PR officer has tried to shutdown JK’s twitter account and told her to go off on holiday to the Seychelles …for maybe four months!
Also, Greg Moodies quote from Voltaire raises another famous quote; this one by Alexander Pope when he stated within a letter to Dr Arbuthnot the infamous line of ‘Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?’
After Dr Arbuthnot had warned Pope about making derogatory and sarcastic remarks against very influential people within the Establishment. The warning to Pope was to stop attacking John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey, who was also a close confident of Queen Caroline. Arbuthnot feared that if Pope didn’t back down, then one whisper from Hervey to the Queen would see Pope’s world crashing down around him.
The actual piece itself is an interesting play on words and history. Taken from Wikipedia, here is the piece, and the insults that lie within, and were directed at Hervey.
Let Sporus tremble –”What? that thing of silk,
Sporus, that mere white curd of ass’s milk?
Satire or sense, alas! can Sporus feel?
Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?
Yet let me flap this bug with gilded wings,
This painted child of dirt that stinks and stings;
Whose buzz the witty and the fair annoys,
Yet wit ne’er tastes, and beauty ne’er enjoys,
“Sporus”, a male slave favoured by Emperor Nero, was, according to Suetonius, castrated by the emperor, and subsequently married. Pope here refers to accusations made in Pulteney’s Proper reply to a late scurrilous libel of 1731 which led to Hervey challenging Pulteney to a duel. Hervey’s decade-long clandestine affair with Stephen Fox would eventually contribute to his downfall. As first published the verse referred to Paris, but was changed to Sporus when republished a few months later.
“What? that thing of silk” uses a metaphor of a silkworm spinning that Pope had already used in The Dunciad to refer to bad poets. “Ass’s milk” was at that time a common tonic, and was part of a diet adopted by Hervey. “This painted child” comments on make-up such as rouge used by the handsome Hervey.
Written back in the 1800’s …it seems that this infamous poem is highly applicable within the 21st Century when applied to the fallout from the current twitter-gate row.
Twathater
Your diversionary OT is pathetic. If genuine hold your fire.
The article is the apparent ability of the rich and powerful to silence the truth, to sack workers who dare to support a colleague. The powerful sometimes hidden in the shadows being able to dictate what cartoons we can see yet last year would parade with others shouting ‘je suis Charlie” pretending that they believe in freedom of speech. Their freedom is do what your told and say what they may let you away with.
We are a threat to their world, their British state. More dangerous than bombs, bullets and nukes. It is the idea that they are scared of. The idea of freedom— freedom of thought, freedom from the power of the London state.
It is about power.
Never a truer thing written
‘JK Rowling destroys ex-SNP MP on twitter…’
A heading designed purely to generate online traffic, especially from outside Scotland. A marketing exercise by the Record there.
Hat doffed sir.
So pissed off may a few forays to highlight on that new fangled twitter hing.
How the press and associates curled armadillo like was a sight to see.
Scenes of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane await JKR in her poisonous dotage. Doesn’t end well for the pug…
@Jamie
Agent provocateur alert.
Jamie @ 7.19 – please apologise for your disgusting comment. To post that comment on this thread suggests you are either ridiculously naive or an eejit. Or both.
If the article you reproduced regarding Rangers is the one they are threatening to sue over then you might save yourself a bit of confusion by conidering why that’s a credible threat.
It might be true rather than, as stated in it, that some fans sing Billy Boys on the subway. However the author makes what is his first error in admitting it as hearsay. Having thus demonstrated his ability to dance around the laws of libel he goes own to state as fact that an unamed director thinks it’s a damned good tune/song.
Arguably The Rangers have a case. Arguably The Herald would lose. However if they are allowing themselves to be constantly terorised by it without a written agreement they are never going to be free of it.
This is different from the questions raised about JK’s provable relationship with what is at best a parody and at worst a genuine troll. It defitely smacks of hypocrisy. Without a written agreement there’s no point in being pressurised into making any payment as doing so would not prevent further threats. More to the point whilst blackmail in general is illegal are the penalties not likely to be worse if the one being blackmailed is an MP?
Some final points.
Fans follow teams not clubs. Airdrie, for example, are a team who’s current club was previously Clydebank who it’s current owner bought for it’s league membership. If a similar route wasn’t considered with Rangers then I’m surprised.
The SPL of the day dealt with corporate entities who entered teams into competitions and who voted not to allow the new owners of the Rangers team to retain the membership held by the previous just as the could have if it’d been a simple change of ownership.
The use of EBTs definitely broke the rules of competition but that doesn’t mean they were illegal. The reason HMRC decided to pursue Rangers is sinister in that in effect they were pursuing tax well before it was due. Put it this way if they tried to make you pay for your next five years in advance you’d tell them to fuck off.
They had a point in that the laws regarding offshore earnings had turned the tax avoidance scheme into a timebomb. As soon as the oversees payments meant to clear the advances made under the EBT became due Rangers or the players would have to pay tax. Simply wiping of the debt might have been worse as it’d mean the tax was at UK rates. God knows just how much of a liability the oldco were facing.
Beware of people calling themselves ‘Jamie’.
Beware of inserted tweets for the meeja to pick up on.
Last comment disappeared so try again- Neil Hay’s twitter alter ego became front page news last year damaging his election chances. Yet this Brian Spanner character, and best twitter friend of JK, enjoys the protection of a cabal of journos who clearly know who this nasty entity is.
Perhaps Greg Moodie should ask the police to investigate as this sordid affair is now threatening his livelihood. How many others will be “destroyed” before this person is outed?
Thanks to Rev Stu and Derek Bateman for shining a light into this dark little universe. A crowdfunder welcome if needed.
Fucksake, readers. If you’re going to object to an idiotic tweet (which I’ve now deleted), DON’T FRICKING WELL QUOTE IT IN YOUR REPLY, because then I have to delete all those too.
I will support those who stand up to bullies. Bullying is an abuse of power. Abuse of power is what has characterised the ongoing string of scandals associated with the British establishment. Abuse of power is what has characterised the despicable treatment of Scotland’s representatives at Westminster by the various tory parties. Threatening someone with legal action – in the knowledge that it is a luxury that only the rich can afford – is an act of bullying; an abuse of the power that derives from wealth.
I hope that those who bully and those who support them will come to their senses and start behaving like decent human beings.
Rowling will not sue any Scottish individual now because everyone around her will realise the heightened sensitivity and concerns in Scotland over her behaviour.
This is not a happy person and she is using her wealth to fight perceived wrongs and personal slights. In reality it would be better for all concerned if Rowling departed Scotland
Jamie will of course apologise to us all or be thought of as an “agent provocateur ”
C’mon Jamie. Je suis …..
Agent provocateur on your tail at 7.19 o’clock, Rev.
Agent Spanneur, surely.
Has no-one identified Spanner yet?
Here’s some more possible clues:
He “claims” to be in his early 40s with a daughter aged about 5 or 6ish and his mum and sister are both nurses. He always refers to his daughter as “the wean.” He appears to be from the Glasgow area, possibly east, like Coatbridge, Airdrie or thereabouts.
Ring any bells? Anyone know any journalists or political hanger oners who fit this description?
But….she’s rich and famous…..so…everything she says must be true!
Also notice Jamie has used the Palestinian flag to ensure his comment stands out and is easlly found. Can’t believe this Is a genuine opinion being posted. Surely he is out to cause trouble.
Orri @ 8.21
I note that you make no mention of the recently formed football club and the sacking of a News Quest journalist. That is rather a large elephant in your room ?
The best way to deal with Ms Trolling is to block her, along with her nasty little gang of sockpuppets and “fans”. Starve her of attention and she’ll have to go back to annoying the neighbours by trimming her bush.
Whoever you are, Jamie, you have said something very foolish.
Apologise, learn from the experience and move on.
If the donation by the MSP was for one pound would that be acceptable to JK Rowling I wonder ?
She has no come back without being perceived as a bully
Has she nothing better to do with her time?
Money cant buy happiness
it is interesting how little understanding the JK defenders
are demonstrating. They cannot see past her ‘persona’.
I do hope something comes of this. Even if she doesn’t sue, the article is now there for anyone to find and it would be good to get it high on the google search results.
If she does well, good luck Stu, make the most of it. There is so much more at stake here regarding our disgusting cowardly press.
I can’t see her getting an invite to Bute House anytime soon after this
Still it’s Jakey there’s probably an ulterior motive
(New book cover) (Used Wand sale) (Clothes for Dobby charity)
I’ll put on my sorting hat and have a think,
Not likely she’ll do it though, Imagine, minimum half a country despising you that’s got to be a lot to take
Time for a wee bit of Lumos on the subject Jakey and a bit of self control, Muhammed Ali didnae go around punchin folk just because he could
Great article and well said.
Mon Jamie it’s been over an hoor noo
The Rev helped ye and took the post doon.
Naebody else will see it noo.
Dae ye need a Wee bit help son.
Try typin.
I’m really sorry I upset everyone with my post,it was on reflection a really stupid thing to do.
Ofcourse I did not really mean to have the whole thread about me and now that its gone (thank you Rev )I hope we can all move on and forget it.
Ye wull find that wull dae the trick son.
Just thinking about the “apparent” attempt at blackmail by Joanne. I was wondering why would an M.P. from a Scottish constituency make a donation to a *ahem* charity that does NOT operate in SCOTLAND! 😉
The Record championing the rich! The voice of working class Scotland. Deary me they have turned into the Red Torygraph.
Seems to me that they would rather defend Cameron,Blair,Jk,The super rich and any right wing nutcase. As long as they are all unionists.
Re spanner in the works.
Either works night shifts — journalist? or lives Outwith the EU when you consider his timeline when he wad writing his offensive comments about women.
Maybe an MSP could ask a question of Ruth Davidson or Murdo Fraser at Holyrood as they seems to converse?
Apologies Ewen 7.17pm i will correct,David Cameron the moron i did not intend to lump all camerons together i presumed you would know that
JK Rowland ‘outed’ as being a total hypocrite and the ultimate bully. Constantly banging on about disgusting Cybernats and yet HER number ONE Twitter friend must rank as being one of the most obnoxious online. Using her wealth, cabal of (so-called) friends and 6.6 million social media followers to hound someone who pointed out a home truth is just beyond the pale. Way beyond. If she had any decency at all she would be hanging her head in shame and apologising to Nicola McGarry.
There’s something strangely lacking with her. Seems that she just wants millions of people to tell her how wonderful she is ….. step out of line and she’ll unleash the dogs. Typical narcissist.
I’m loathe to say this in a way but as I see it the only positive in all of this is that it doesn’t matter how much money she makes she’ll never be happy. No sense of inner contentment. Obsesses, in her own words, about mortality. No doubt terrified of kicking the bucket and losing the ultimate control. So very sad.
Meanwhile we’re faced with people and groups like her using their power to gag individuals and the Press. Will this end with amendment of the current Defamation Law in Scotland? We can only hope so. Until that time we will all be keeping a closer eye on JKR and her cronies now and they won’t like that. Far from it in fact.
Wee ginger dug has something to say about this subject. I’m on my IPad right now so can’t post … if it hasn’t been posted on here already.
Handandshrimp 7.37
Here’s Rowling’s version of that Indian event.
link to web.archive.org
Now why does that Mark Twain quote make me slightly queasy?
But if you do have anything left in your stomach, check out this detailed look at some of the other court activities.
link to trademarkandcopyrightlawblog.com
And then cheer yourself up with this.
link to apni.tv
Really good article, Stu. I do think Rowling’s done us all a huge favour without her realising though. Thanks to her, any time a unionist tries to talk nonsense about ‘cybernats’ being offensive all we now need to do is go cough #Spanner# cough and that should be an end to the matter. I reckon we should start typing #Spannerism #hilarious after everything we write too, that way we should get full anonymity from the press and no criticism from unionists because, you know, he’s does ‘hilarious satire’ and no one seems to want to out him! ?
Jamie @ 7.19 – are YOU Spanner? Wrap that crap – no one here wants to read that sort of nonsense.
@Clan Donald
“He “claims” to be in his early 40s with a daughter aged about 5 or 6ish and his mum and sister are both nurses. He always refers to his daughter as “the wean.”
Nah. Couldn’t possibly be.
I mean, how is it possible for a father of a small child to use a reference to Female Genital Mutilation – a most horrendous mutilation perpetrated on young girls, (even allowing for cultural sensitivities), many of whom no doubt suffer disfiguration, excruciating pain, not to mention sepsis leading to illness and death, just to take a cheap shot for the amusement of his fawning sycophants.
It can’t possibly be that person, because Spanner is, I have it on good authority, “terrific” and a maker of “witty quips”, and even “hilarious”, and to use the suffering perpetrated on young children in order to wave your willy online would mark the man out as a crass, insensitive boor, and thick.
Couldn’t possibly be a man with a daughter. Or any humanity.
What is the value in free speech?
Can it be measured?
Is it in fact sacrosanct? Or is it only available to the peddlers of lies in the press and those wealthy enough to avoid any criticism which if offered is decried as “abuse”.
The majority it seems to me can offer no criticism, only abuse if you believe the rags. The connected, the establishment are the only ones ones deemed worthy of making it into print. So as you, I and the rest of the great unwashed can be educated into their way of thinking.
Hahaha, you’ve got to laugh. We may be the great unwashed but are nowhere near as manky or smelly as those that lie daily in their paper rags. They stink to high heaven.
That’s why we are winning and they are mega depressed, hahaha again, the journalists are frothing at the mouth, they know they have lost all credibility, nobody cares to read their dross even their last remaining supporters have had enough.
Citizen journalism is winning, winning by a country mile. I’d rather read the posters here than any of the their ScUM trash any day of the week. After May 2016 I suspect there will be many retirals both political and journalistic. Good riddance, take Mr Spanner with you.
All the better for democracy in Scotland. Did I say already hahaha.
Petra 8.56 .
A few minutes ago I looked up the lyrics to a Beatles song from my teens, “Can”t Buy Me Love”
Quite relevant to Rev’s excellent post and what you said above.
Total respect for that bit of truth and honesty Mr Campbell, sadly lacking elsewhere in the british unionist media.
There is something fundamentally wrong with a society that no respect for anything but money and kowtows to nasty bullies just because they have money.
Rowling should get down on her knees every morning and give thanks that she lives in an age where her brand of derivative mediocrity brings such wealth and celebrity.
Instead of which, she spends her time and money supporting an establishment which treats her fellow Scots with contempt, bullying with a relish our imperial masters no doubt approve of.
With you all the way here, Stuart. Bullies need to be stood up to.
Rev Stu
I fucking love you man
Best piece for dunkeys. You are setting an example by putting yourself out there. It doesn’t go unnoticed.
You might be my new hero.
Maybe she has a drink problem. It has been known to make some people aggressive. It may explain poor judgement in whom you like. Perhaps the term Jakie is in fact the right one. Perhaps the choice of soubriquet was a witty word allusion in the first place.
Fantastic standing up to bullies.
Let us take on the rotten to the core Scottish justice system.
The vast majority of lawyers, especially judges, are the lowest of the low.
Disgraceful liars Coulson and Carmichael were both acquited by this sewer of a justice system.
The National is a fraud.
Magnifique Stuart.
One of your best articles since the heady heights and fierce heat of Indyref 1.
True and profound on a level our lauded MSM hacks and State Broadcaster liggers could only imagine.
And you are very fortunate indeed sir to have the skin and testicles of a bull elephant, whilst poor Jakey shivers in the skin of a new born Chinese hairless dug.
Untold gratitude is due to you from us all 🙂
The opposite side of the coin is that newspapers with oodles of cash can say what they like about anyone, because they are unlikely to be sued by someone lacking the same resources.
The problem is not freedom of the press (often abused, as we know), or litigious individuals. The problem is money…
…but libel/defamation can have its lighter side….anyone remember ‘the spanking colonel’ from the 70s?
Brain Spanner is in my view a freemasons collective.
Joanne Howling like a hyena is almost certainly a freemason, like the vast majority of lawyers and judges.
Had a wee look at Wings Twitter I honestly don’t know how Stu stands the utter stupidity of her followers.
They honestly seem to think this as about saying rude words on the internet!
I wonder what her brand image is worth right now?
Brilliant Stu, thanks. Whatever else happens, Ms Rowling won’t be able to carry on as though nothing has happened.
This is why you are held in the regard you are Rev.
Doff’s hat.
My one concern is that there is only one of you.
There is not another single outlet other out there with your balls, intelligence, integrity and nouse.
Maybe if Ponsonby, Duguid and Munguin joined Bella or if WGD, Moodie and Llaland’s PW got together, we could have another couple of outlets with comparable capabilities but for one man to possess all those is truly remarkable.
Just musing out loud here for a moment.
First some context. Reading down below the line on this issue moves one to observe a traditional maxim that actions speak louder than words. But perhaps that’s just the way I happen to think.
Moving on, one is further moved to observe that any reasonable person would view the situation of this author publicly seeking to persuade this independent MP, in the context and circumstances which have been described, to contribute to a particular charity as it has been defined, ie a crude attempt at blackmail.
This brings a further observation to mind that this is doing the said charity no favours whatsoever. Indeed, a reasonable person might well consider that if the said charity has not already done so that it might well be the duty of the said reasonable person or even persons (bearing in mind the contextual observation made above) to contact the said charity to remind the said charity of its legal responsibilities under the law that it has a duty to publicly refuse to accept a donation made under such circumstances and, again publicly, disassociate itself from the actions and the individual seeking to “benefit” the said charity by such means.
Which leads to a related observation that failure of the said charity to do so might well lead a reasonable person or persons to submit an appropriate complaint to the Charity Commission (under the Scottish Law Section) via the Charity Commissions Web site.
It may also be worth observing (again within the context of the initial observation above) that a reasonable person or persons may well understand that, the above observations notwithstanding, it is or should be the duty and responsibility of all responsible citizens to report to the relevant constabulary authorities any action by another individual or entity (such as say, a charity for the sake of argument) which that person or persons genuinely understand as constituting a criminal act (such as say, for the sake of argument, blackmail).
Which begs the question of whether or not there are any reasonable people about at the moment?
@ Lesley-Anne at 8:51pm …… JKR’s charity doesn’t operate in Scotland.
Lesley-Anne Wikipedia outlines that she also withdrew her support from the Multiple Sclerosis Society in Scotland in April 2009. Loves Scotland? Professes to care for the poor and suffering? Lumos deals with children in Europe … in the main Eastern Europe. What’s she been doing for the hundreds of thousands of Scottish children that are living in abject poverty? Or is it just a case of wanting to ‘Lord’ or ‘Lady’ it over the Scots? Sees herself as Mary Queen of Scots11?
“newspapers can say what they like about anyone, because they are unlikely to be sued by someone lacking the same resources.”
But people at least have recourse to the likes of IPSO, which while feeble can establish falsehood at no cost, at which point you can bang off a lawyer’s letter and be fairly confident of getting a settlement.
Rock
Seriously mate, leave The National be and my daft auld bastard of a faither is a mason for crying out loud, they’re harmless, and ma da has been an SNP voter ALL his life!
Get a hobby, stop barking like a paranoid yappy wee dug and chill the feck out!
Couple of points spring to mind.
Surely the law makers are to blame here, rather than those who use those laws. The SNP have had two terms to address this law.
If we blame those that use these laws, why is a author looking to sue a MP worse than a well funded blogger looking to sue a newspaper?
Strange days.
Margaret Curran lookalike Joanne Rowling needs to chill out.
Hamish 100 @8.10pm I can assure you hamish 100 my post was not meant to be a diversion and i certainly do not consider it to be pathetic, i read WOS every day, and have seen every day people posting Off Topics. I thought obviously mistakenly that my sorry OT would have indicated that i felt the subject DC lying as usual and Tusk obfuscating may have been of interest, again obviously from your point of view not. I have posted my views on this site, re remaining in the EU on a few occasions, but from your posting it appears that you do not encourage opinions or views from Scottish people who want out of the corrupt EU. I vehemently object to the so called elitist cadre being able to silence and vilify opinions and to threaten and bully objectors on this we at least agree.My comments reflect the bitterness and hatred i feel for the corrupt westminster and european governments who seek to hold the working poor in servitude
It is indeed interesting looking at the list of countries this Lumos “charity” operates in Petra. Six countries in Europe/East Europe, Haiti, U.S.A and erm England!
So if you are a child in need of help from Lumos and live in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland … FORGET IT CHUMP!
link to apps.charitycommission.gov.uk
@chic McGregor
I share your sentiments re the Revs unusual attributes 🙂 He should have managed Scotland in 78 rather than Ally MacLeod LOL
What this whole **ntgate affair tells me is that Jakey is as common as shit.
She’s mutton dressed as lamb.
She’s as rough as a badgers arse.
I’d be embarrassed to be aquainted with her.
She’s a chav with a mouth like a sewer and a mind like a drain.
A literary great? A cats litter tray content.
What an embarrassment to English literature and the arts!
Never was a person better named. Jakey. A Jakey. Now and forever.
The literary equivalent of a dog turd on our shoe but far more smellier.
What was it Edward I said about John Bailliol? Oh, yes. It does a man good to rid himself of shit. Roll on the day the Pungunt, foul mouthed Jakey departs Scotland and takes her odour with her!
Every time ‘Rock’ starts a ‘new’ comment a wee animated paper-clip appears, saying ‘It looks like you’re writing a suicide note. Would you like some help?’
ahundredthidiot,
“Rev Stu
I fucking love you man”
ahundredthidiot,
“Rock
Seriously mate, leave The National be”
Why don’t you give your daily 60p to W O S instead of The Herald’s sister paper?
Which one truly supports independence?
We can live without The National but could we live without W O S?
Great article Rev …..
ahundredthidiot,
“my daft auld bastard of a faither is a mason for crying out loud, they’re harmless”
You are an idiot indeed if you think they are harmless, although they might have a few daft ones as members.
They are the british establishment. The old boys network.
Dakk at 9.23:
So many great comments here but yours made me splutter with laughter.
In the current sensitive climate I’m wary of making any sort of comment that could be seen as remotely “androgynistic”.
But the Reverend does indeed have big hairy baws.
There. I’ve said it.
@Onwards says: 2 February, 2016 at 6:45 pm:
“In my opinion, she has turned into a nasty woman.”
Perhaps, Onward, but I would postulate that she has always been a nasty woman and before that a nasty child. She has just become less protective of her real nature in direct proportion to her increase in wealth.
She seems to have a nature that my wise old Granny would describe as, “Suffering frae the daised wean syndrome”. In my entire life I have never met a spoiled child who, in adulthood was happy nor one who wasn’t, if given the chance, a bully.
If Jaykay threaps tae sue she maun gae aheid. Ye canna get blid frae an auld stane. Whit’s mair, nae lick-the-doup, (syncophant), journalist is like tae bi bothered wi an auld plackless bodach like masel.
Here’s Rowling’s version of that Indian event.
Mike
I read that one and decided to pass on the rest. I think another reading of the same outcome was that the judge let the festival go ahead and did not ask them to desist. The report I read said that the people involved were delighted with the outcome and said that the “don’t do it again” bit was fine with them as they did a different theme every year.
I guess in retrospect Rowling could see that the whole thing looked shabby and graceless and felt a need to justify it.
None of this stops the films and books being fun but JK won’t be the first author I would rather know less about…and probably not the last.
I do so miss Iain M Banks 🙁
You know Rock,
I am going to guess you’re alright. A good Scot. The type of person willing to stand up for what they believe in.
All I am asking is for is a bit of unity despite our slight differences.
Scotlands independence first. Our differences second.
No division, no split. Together as one. Team Scotland.
Ironically Rock
It is people like you who fuel the importance of freemasonry.
My crazy old man is the high up, regimental type with serious financial responsibility, so, stick your ‘pleb mason’ theory up your own arse.
I have no love for his organisation, none, Nada, but, whether you like it or not, they are Scots like us……and some of them are on our side.
Get over yourself.
Terry Pratchett DESTROYS JK Rowling, in WOS unofficial poll of top fantasy writers.
It’s easy to make headlines.
The rags are tattered, those who use them to spread hatred will soon eat their own words.
Great article S.
Could ‘Brian Spanner’ be a creation of J.K. Rowling?
I’ve blocked JKR along with a few others on twitter.
Tonight I had an SNPouter challenge me on an issue and then started to swear constantly at me.
I was wary of being set up so answered very politely, suggesting calm down etc.
Didn’t want to give in so s/he couldn’t claim victory and s/he blocked me – result!
Think there will be more attempts to try to get folk to react and then claim cybernat abuse.
ahundredthidiot,
“stick your ‘pleb mason’ theory up your own arse.”
Stop being a total idiot.
Nah! ah think Rock is Spanner.
Fairly certain I did mention the consequences of The Herald allowing themselves to be put in a situation where a threat of legal action is held above their head.
I wonder if Ruth Davidson will raise Spannergate at FMQs to demand Nicola Sturgeon condemn Natalie McGarry and the cybernats for their disgraceful Tweets towards Spanner and Rowling? Lol
I wonder if Ruth Davidson knows the true identity of this Spanner character (her being a follower of Spanner on Twitter n’at, ye know?)?
@ Liz:
“Are you going to need a MASSIVE crowdfund?
After the revelations of Rowlings Online friendship with the cowardly, misogynistic Tweeter, and her attempt at trying to bully and intimidate one of our elected representatives into silence over it, I don’t think suing WOS would be a good reputation builder. I’m sure Stu will have had their Tweets well collated and documented before they got the chance to delete them.
@ Lesley-Anne @ 9:39pm …..
She probably sits and reads the posts on here (like yours and mine), won’t appreciate being ‘outed’ and finding out that more and more people absolutely detest her. Right now in a narcissistic rage ….. next move big headlines ”JKR to help thousands of poor Scottish children.” I could put a bet on it.
ahundredthidiot,
“I have no love for his organisation, none, Nada, but, whether you like it or not, they are Scots like us……and some of them are on our side.”
The vast majority of them are on the other side and are the lowest of the low.
Before you misquote me, I am talking about freemasons, lawyers and especially judges, not all of our fellow 55% Scots who voted No and harmed Scotland no end.
Wake up to reality.
Reminds me, wonder what happened to the guy at the end of this clip.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=VR78Ss7yoio
Hope the link works 🙂
Lesley Anne @ 9.38
Had a quick look at that charity link you posted.
Found it surprising that there are 75 employes but no volunteer’s.
I’ve always been under the impression that charity’s were mainly made up of volunteers.
It does make me wonder how many others are the same.
Has this always been the case?….anyone
And I also find it disturbing that this charity apparently the concept of a committed unionist operates seemingly for the benift of only one of the Countries in the Union,that makes no sense to me…..but what do I know.
“Wealth is like sea-water; the more we drink, the thirstier we become; and the same is true of fame.”
? Arthur Schopenhauer
Have just seen on Twitter that some Twat is calling Wings readers “miscreant cult members”.
Think we should adopt that term and be proud.
Anent Jakey, “Mirror mirror on the wall!”
I think that like all famous people she has the usual hangers on who won’t criticise her for fear of losing their cash cow.
Suddenly she found a group of people as needy and desperate for credibility as her. Here’s looking at you Raging Kevin. They listen and retweet her simpering nonsense and she thinks she’s got a wee gang at last. Unfortunately they are mostly bereft of any emotional intelligence and sadly they are using her to bathe in her reflected glory.
Everything I have heard about her screams needy and desperate for attention. No one remembers her at school or Uni. The Galbraith books were struggling until it was leaked who had written them. It is all very sad.
Wow ,That’s a punch to the UKOK ers midrift right there Rev.
I wonder if the “spanner” that is Jeff will be along to ask “How deep are your pockets while outlining how the law in libel cases works” lol.
As for the Rangers story I too wish they would bugger off to England ,taking the other erse cheek with them who after all are the only club in Scotland I know of who have mentioned doing such a thing in the last 3 months.
SNP x 2
Quinie frae Aungus @ 10.31
Don’t dae that ah canny pronounce it
And ah suspect Jamie O’ the deleatetd post his nae chance either.
Watched Channel 4 7.00 news Mariah Black obviously did her homework, excellent for the SNP and perfect example how to debate a topic on national tv, well done Mariah.
OT
Moray Council had a go, and Glasgow are cutting staff conditions. As has been said, Councils are the last stronghold of Labour, and I expect to see some increasing politics from them during the election campaign.
A few people have mentioned billions of reserves and though I have only checked these two councils, it looks like total reserves for the 32 unitary authorities may well be £2 billion, maybe £3 billion.
For those of us that post in mainstream media forums, it’s easy to find those reserves to contrast with total expenditure, it’ll be near the beginning of reports either in executive summaries or at least a couple of paragraphs or diagrams near the beginning.
To find audited accounts just google “Glasgow audited accounts 2014-15” and away you go, there’s a pdf (substitute any authority for Glasgow).
There can be no answer from spanners to facts rammed down their throats.
Retroactive moderation allows a certain speed of conversation in online fora but it’s worth remembering that the owner of the platform has a responsibility to remove illegal posts once they are made aware of them.
Rather than “Spanner” futiley deleting tweets in order to prevent them being presented in court as evidence it’s possible he ws ordered to do so or had it done for him. Especially as said deletions were followed by a spate of appologies.
Removing posts from public view in order to deny you made them is pointless when there are backups that if it should go to court the carrier will be legaly obliged to produce. Something that those engaging in blackmail may well know.
Well then;
I wouldn’t have written about a Rangers director liking the “Billy Boys”. Just tittle tattle and adding nothing to resolving the Old Firm bigotry. Angela Taggerty then led with her chin.
I feel sorry for Natalie McGarry, she must have had an awful fright when JKR reacted as she did. It is for the elders to guide, and tolerate the sometimes rashness of the younger generation, not to threaten them with your power.
Upon death, you leave your wealth and power behind, your integrity goes with you.
Can you publish David Moody’s piece Rev?
@Rock –
‘Wake up to reality’
?!?! 🙂
‘Ahundredthidiot’ can speak for himself, but that quote is just too good to miss.
There aren’t many daily newspapers available in Scotland, and very few (nationally at any rate) which can claim any serious production stakes inside the country.
There is only one of those very few which claims to support independence, and it declares as much on its masthead.
You have vilified everyone who works for, buys, or otherwise supports The National at every opportunity since its launch. You have stated that the only circumstances in which you will ever buy The National is if Rev Stu Campbell is given responsibility for every headline and leading article.
Newspapers, as we know them, will not exist much longer. But so long as they do, and are still bought and read here in Scotland, the very fact that only ONE is prepared to openly support independence speaks volumes about Press ownership, broader mainstream-media control, and the basic tenets of what we understand to be ‘journalism’.
But that’s one too many for you. You would prefer it didn’t exist.
Isn’t that right?
You contribute nothing to understanding of that landscape, and never have. You provide nothing realistic by way of an alternative, while claiming to be Rev’s greatest-ever fan.
But worst of all, you are very very boring.
Please just TAFTY, ya dafty.
Sorry but somebody mentioned the c. word.
Whenever CULT is mentioned THE ROYALS always spring to mind. This countries, other countries, past dynasties, current strains, middle-ages to the Middle East.
CULTS ARE EVERYWHERE. Ripping off populations, ignoring inconvenient truths, hiding history’s brutal realities.
Not letting humanity learn from its mistakes.
Not for much longer..
Jet jockey
Re oor Mhairi, aye, didn’t she do well. Smart, quick, intelligent, confident, honest, direct, fearless……..a good example of the ‘female contingent’ in our great country.
Confidence starts here.(I mean that seriously – I grew up with strong wimmen!)
Scotland advances.
Can only agree with the first post – this is one of your best posts yet. And should be read in the context of a long history and loads of literature covering similar themes.
As someone who mostly writes fiction (and to nowhere near the success of JKR) I’d love to be able to write a 1984 or Brave New World about the experiences I’ve had since the referendum campaign started, but instead I’ve pretty much stopped writing, because I can’t express it in any way that does it justice. One day maybe…but I think it takes a great writer to do properly explore the theme.
Bizarrely, JKR came quite close with the whole dark “ministry of magic stuff” but appears to lack the critical facility to realist which side she’s falling on.
@yesindfref2
“There can be no answer from spanners to facts rammed down their throats.”
I like it. smiley face thingy…
Re article. Yes.
In 2012 and beyond when I used to post in the Grun, one thing I posted a few times is that there was nobody my superior, nobody better than me, nor anybody more powerful, because I was one of 5.31 million Scots, or if you like, one of 65 Million citizens of the UK. And nobody less powerful etc.
Crowd-sourced funding of litigation makes this true, for the first time in history.
Herald stuff is just going to get worse after they got their new head of Newsquest Scotland. I imagine it’ll drag the National and Sunday Herald along with it.
@james Barr gardener 6.28
TOTALLY CORRECT – what is needed now is steely determination and the ability to rebuff both friends who ‘don’t get it’ and enemies who do and are trying to distract us
Get the vote in May 5th 2016 SNP X 2.
Vote for to remain in the EU Summer 2016.
Get the vote in May 4th 2017 SNP.
Campaign for Ref2 in 2018.
Get the vote in Summer 2019.
Scotland Independent 2020.
Revision of Scots Law.
“If the donation by the MSP was for one pound would that be acceptable to JK Rowling I wonder ?
I think it may be the case that the value of the donation is of little relevance compared to the smug satisfaction a bully would get at showing the world the complete and utter capitulation to her whims by one of Scotland’s elected representatives. Otherwise, why demand it?
yesindyref2, sorry for spelling your “name” wrong.
JK Rowling rose from a position of being poor, weak and underprivileged, to a position of immeasurable wealth, power and privilege.
She could do what I could only dream of doing if I won a fortune on the Euromillions, that is stand up for the poor, weak and underprivileged against those of wealth, power and privilege, who abuse that position for their own selfish purposes.
She has chosen the WRONG SIDE.
@Kirsty says:
..I do think Rowling’s done us all a huge favour without her realising though. Thanks to her, any time a unionist tries to talk nonsense about ‘cybernats’ being offensive all we now need to do is go cough #Spanner# cough and that should be an end to the matter..
———
Yep. Empty words from now on.
The Queen Yoon herself has helped with that.
Hopefully we can all move on to actual debate from now on.. instead of dismal, two-faced rants about who said something rude on social media.
Great piece Stu- as others have commented, one of your very best.
You put yourself on the line for the sake of our national movement, for truth and to break down the structures that are holding us back. Although Ms Rowling’s lawyers will be all over this thread it is you who personally put yourself out there.
With regards to the matter at hand, I wonder if there is any difference in law between demanding someone donates to your own charity under threat of litigation and simply demanding someone hands you a sum of cash under threat of litigation?
Someone above mentioned the contrast between the treatment of Neil Hay and the abusive anonymous commenter(s) who operate the spanner twitter account. Anyone wishing to understand the media in Scotland need look no further.
One member of the public who aspired to be an SNP MP is crucified by the Scottish media for a few fairly innocuous tweets from an anonymous account. It costs him the election.
Prominent millionaire unionist Rowling’s online friend is many, many times more offensive again and again over a period of years and the Scottish media circles the wagons and attacks a brave SNP MP who had the temerity to challenge prominent unionist on her association.
Remember Paul Hutcheon’s pathetic tweet trying to establish what the G in G A Ponsonby stood for? Where is the investigative zeal to unearth the truth here?
A security guy from Hope over Fear doesn’t give Paul the VIP treatment and he’s on it like a car bonnet. JK Rowling’s best mate online turns out to be an anonymous mysoginistic abusive troll and Paul’s washing his hair that night. Pathetic.
We will outlast the unionist media in Scotland friends. The only press we have are glorified election leaflet producers (and far too many of them for a country this size).
Some great comments on the last few threads- some of the old hands seem to be getting a new lease of life of late.
Indyref2
‘Poor man wants to be rich, rich man wants too be king, and the king ain’t satisfied til he rules everything’
Or ‘she’
@liz g said “Found it surprising that there are 75 employes but no volunteer’s.
I’ve always been under the impression that charity’s were mainly made up of volunteers.
It does make me wonder how many others are the same.
Has this always been the case?….anyone”
I’ve been involved in quite a few charities over the years and although they usually rely on volunteers most of them employ teams of staff. Not one of them ever donated a penny to charity.
For example, if you give money to a medical charity they may employ full time nurses to care for patients in the community or at a hospice. Or they may employ scientists to undertake research. Other charities might employ qualified youth or play workers.
Many theatres and arts organisations are charities too and will employ full time staff to carry out their charitable activities. They won’t usually make grant payments or donations to third parties. They will probably have volunteers too.
I’m not trying to make excuses for Rowling’s charity, I just don’t think that the fact that it employs lots of staff is particularly controversial. I’d be more interested in finding out what those staff actually do and whether or not their activities benefit the wider community, whether medically, socially, educationally or culturally.
Attempting to obtain money, (where no debt exists), by threat of legal action, is extortion.
@Lesley-Anne
Wasn’t it Moldova where all those nasty money laundering banks were? It’s a small world isn’t it. I wonder who is on the board of directors at Lumos.
link to caltonjock.com
Jk was brought up in a middle class family. Her father was an engineer. She was only poor for a couple of years due to a marriage breakdown. She chose to live alone in Edinburgh when she moved to Scotland. There are degrees of poverty. She was never genuinely poverty stricken. Her parents could have baled her out. She went down the social scale by choice and look where she went after that. Just your average council flat rags to riches… My ferkin erse.
You don’t look like that or talk like that when you are poor.
Sorry folks but I’ve been enjoying a couple of wines of glasses tonight 😀
Petra says:
2 February, 2016 at 10:27 pm
@ Lesley-Anne @ 9:39pm …..
She probably sits and reads the posts on here (like yours and mine), won’t appreciate being ‘outed’ and finding out that more and more people absolutely detest her. Right now in a narcissistic rage ….. next move big headlines ”JKR to help thousands of poor Scottish children.” I could put a bet on it.
To be honest Petra if that DID happen I would feel exhonerated and over the moon that our needy youngsters were getting some help.
liz g says:
2 February, 2016 at 10:30 pm
Lesley Anne @ 9.38
Had a quick look at that charity link you posted.
Found it surprising that there are 75 employes but no volunteer’s.
I’ve always been under the impression that charity’s were mainly made up of volunteers.
To be honest Liz THAT is not the worst bit!
Have you checked out page 41 of the annual accounts reportfor 2014 yet?
link to apps.charitycommission.gov.uk
The “charity” raised £3,204,192 in income and spent £3,815,400 of which £1,864,427 was spent on salries including one of £70,000 – £80,000 and one of £90,000-£100,000. So over 58% of their spending is spent on SALARIES for CHARITY!!!
Man that wine was good. 😀
I’ve just realised why Joanne is harranging the SNP MP for a donation. The charit raised £3,204,192 but SPENT £3,815,400. 😀
@Cath (10.53) –
If you fancy a discussion about this stuff (fiction, esp relating to what’s going on etc) then please come over to O/T.
We can do so without nicking one another’s ‘ideas’, and perhaps create new ones into the bargain.
😉
Times are changing fast, and Jakey represents the pinnacle of a bogus, jaded, heartless (and profoundly talentless) incestuous cadre of cultural commissars who have been getting away with it for far too long.
What do I mean by ‘it’?
Come to O/T and we can discuss it all (but only in-between posting dodgy YT music videos!).
🙂
@Ruby says: 2 February, 2016 at 10:20 pm:
“Could ‘Brian Spanner’ be a creation of J.K. Rowling?”
I posted days ago that at least one of her tweets could be an admission she either was Spanner or one of a group who take turns at using the account. She has already used a male identity as a nom de guerre.
I somehow get the impression Jaykay has perhaps suffered writer’s block and shied away from further Harry Potter novels. Then made her attempt to publish a more adult fiction and only managed to sell the work on the strength of her reputation. By all accounts it was rather mediocre.
This could be the reason for her increasingly abrasive persona and apparent unhappiness.
Quinie frae Angus says:
2 February, 2016 at 10:31 pm
Have just seen on Twitter that some Twat is calling Wings readers “miscreant cult members”.
Think we should adopt that term and be proud.
To be fair Quinie during the ref a certain *ahem* alcohol loving *cough* Lord called us Cybernats. So really we should all adopt the Miscreant cybernat cult members title. Shouldn’t we? 😀
Interesting as always Lesley-Anne
Lumos lucritas?
Yes, I am back in evil cybernat mode, phasors on pun.
can she sue all of us?
might be fun to see her try
The Rangers and Rowling incidents of recent times highlight the reality that exists Scotland /UK..that the British/unionists are claiming exceptionalism for their stance. They are definitely bullies-one one hand muscling people with power and influence but on the other hand crying fowl every time something does not go in their favour.
My favourite incident was the infamous Nicky versus the Bruiser debate where the latter resorted to pleading to Rhona to get him off the ropes.
But his is just one example. The general phenomenon of trying to paint the independence supporters/ leaders as fanatics/cyberbullies/fascist dictator du jour (play the Steves Bingo for that) is another manifestation of the cry wolf side of the union billy bully. All in all their is ahuge whiff of cognative dissonance going
At the end I think they will come to regret their stance. By prolonging the exposure they risk a striesland effect taking hold. Secondly , to fair minded folk, bully does not come off in a good light. There I would say that this will be worth a few more turns to support independence at the end of the day, and that is what we are aiming at
JK, what can I say, I am lost for words at the p**s this lady comes out with.
Look at me , I’ve got lots of money and can say and do what I want !
Is this not a sad and pathetic attitude of someone who has made her wealth from us mere mortals, personally never read any of her books but if I had a fire , I am sure they would be good for getting it started.
I don’t do Facebook and Twitter but there must be a way to call this loon to account, bully’s only know one thing and that is a very big taste of their own medicine.
Having read the lot now, I agree, probably the Rev’s best, and perhaps with the media involvement being exposed, the most important.
JK Rowling is just a pawn, a desperate hanger-on with no self-regard, attention-seeking, looking for approval, of no importance, and less well-known than her characters Harry Potter, Hagrid and so on.
But the so-called journalists involved, the Unionist cabal, well, that’s a different matter.
@Martin Wood
Cue cries of “I am Natalie McGarry!” And “NO! I am Natalie McGarry!”
Chic McGregor says:
2 February, 2016 at 11:30 pm
Interesting as always Lesley-Anne
Careful there chic. If this keeps going like this I’ll lose the Village Idiot title I covet so dearly! 😀
A very eloquent piece Rev!
I cringed when I had seen filthy rich celebrities and politicians emerge from Les Miserables. They are moved and teary eyed and invigorated by good overcoming evil.
The tale itself reveals the injustice of the sick and hungry being forced to break the law in order to try and exist, and the inhuman punishment imposed by the laws of the ruling classes.
How stupid and short sighted not to see the comparisons between their laws and lives in today’s society.
For over 50 years the gap between rich and poor has grown wider.
Truth and Justice belongs only to those with the money to buy it.
Somewhere a glory awaits unseen and Scotland once more will be free.
@Lesley-Anne –
🙂
re Quinie’s ‘miscreant cult members’ quote:
Perhaps just as well that James ‘cough-cough-cough-bleeeeuurghhh-sorry-frog-in-my-throat’ No-The-Nichty Naughtie isn’t likely to be reporting on that one, eh?
Paying a single penny would be one too many as it would be construed as an admission of guilt with zero legally binding guarantee that that would be the end of the matter.
Note that JK isn’t using her agent rather a lawyer who might be bound by a code of conduct to deliver her offer that can’t be refused.
Je Suis Natalie…has a certain ring to it.
@Lesley-Anne
“Careful there chic. If this keeps going like this I’ll lose the Village Idiot title I covet so dearly”
Hey! I’ve always secretly rankled at you usurping my claim. 🙂
Yes jk has a very strong and dedicated following – add to that the unionist movement who use her as a political pawn.
I remember commenting on her comments pre-indy ref on the scotsman forums (gave up long ago). I made the comment about her talent as an author not necessarily carrying over to economics. It wasn’t abusive but oh lord, I was set upon by the wolves. All of a sudden I was being abusive about a defenceless single mum…
This is why you can’t fight the good clean fight against such individuals. Whether it’s her or the city of london or any other corrupt establishment individual or organisation.
Can’t be bothered folks – really enjoying reading “The Wizard Of Earthsea” again tonight.
Ian Brotherhood says:
2 February, 2016 at 11:48 pm
@Lesley-Anne –
🙂
re Quinie’s ‘miscreant cult members’ quote:
Perhaps just as well that James ‘cough-cough-cough-bleeeeuurghhh-sorry-frog-in-my-throat’ No-The-Nichty Naughtie isn’t likely to be reporting on that one, eh?
Damn!
I’d have tuned in especially to listen for that Ian. 😀
I generally block famous people who involve themselves in politics. They may or may not be well-intentioned, and they may or may not be engaging with their fans in non-ego boosting manner.
The fact is they influence people by their fame alone. People like that should be kept well out of politics. Blair’s ’97 cosying up to the celebs had me boaking.
So to sum up, I blocked the main subject of your article years ago, and the lesser subject in your article not long before the referendum.
Get blocking folks. You can’t see their mutterings, and they can’t see your’s and the world will be a happier place.
I never go into unionist sites. You are better not knowing the crap they talk on there. Leave it to the Rev he’s a specialist and can cope with the stench
Paula
Always have been a big Ursula K.LG fan.
‘The Dispossessed’ was a masterful (mistressful?) inculcation of how a political ideology could be culturally incorporated. I saw parallels with the language constructs she used in that with in-built concepts of possession in the Gaelic language.
Also ‘Avatar’ owed more than a passing nod to her opus.
@jimnarlene
No worries. I only get it right because I type in “y” and click on the pull-down box entry.
You can judge a man (or a woman) by the company he (or she) keeps.
@Chic
I was never an HP Lovecraft fan, found it very dark.
Harry Potter’s initials are HP.
Let’s not forget that there has ALWAYS been one successful defence against ‘libel’ and that is veritas. (The truth).
@Lesley-Anne says: 2 February, 2016 at 11:29 pm:
” … Have just seen on Twitter that some Twat is calling Wings readers “miscreant cult members”.
Think we should adopt that term and be proud.”
At the time of the, “Cybernat”, jibe first being made I was speaking to a local Kelty, (Non-SNP), political, (for want of a better term), figure.
He repeated the Cybernat jibe with a curl to his lips saying, “You’ll be one of those Cybernat, then. All posting the same things on the internet?”.
To which I promptly replied in my very best broad Scots accent. “Oh! Aye! Ah’ve been ane o thae keyboard warriors for years. Only trouble is yon Alex Salmond seems tae hae loast ma email address an he disna email me ony instructions ony mair”.
The daft bugger didn’t get the joke. Talk about slow on the uptake?
Clan Donald @ 11.15
Thanks for your reply I didn’t think that particular charity was uniquely not using volunteers,and I do understand that employees are necessary.
I have worked closely with charities in the past to.They always had a large elements of volunteers and ..I don’t know why….. but I was surprised to learn of a charity that didn’t so just wondered if this was either new or usual.
Lesley Anne @ 11.21
Don’t know about the wine but “in the name o the Wee man ” you’re good.
How on earth can anyone earn those amounts helping out kids?
Whit are they actually doing?
Doubt even a surgeon would earn that much???
That is why I just loved adopting the whole cybernat thing Robert. By actually adopting the term and using effectively against the yoons we were actually showing them that we didn’t give a damn. WE were fighting for something far much bigger than a stupid name. In fact Hazel Lewry actually sang a song about us. 😀
link to youtube.com
@Yesindyref2
Not exactly a Lovecraft fan, but have found his work interesting or should I say indicative of an interesting need people have which may be termed ‘spiritual’.
As a graphic novel fan, I have enjoyed Moore’s Lovecraft influenced Neonomicon series (not child friendly) and his original short stories as well.
We also had a very spooky experience many years ago when downloading and printing off the Necronomicon.
Thing is Liz after subtracting the upper limit of the two specified salaries (£70000 – £80000 and £90000 – £100000) you are left with £1684427. Now assuming our two impressive salaried individuals, £180,000 max, then we end up with an average salary for the other 73 staff of £23,074.
To me that is a lot of money to be paying a charity but hey ho. Of course there is one very important proviso here. Not everyone will be receiving the average wage so … 😀
aahh Paula Rose – now there is an author worth reading
Hmmm. Paula Rose is a smarter cookie than you average cookie. I know that to be true. Best ignored 🙂
boris says:
It’s fascinating watching UKOK business lose money in their Scotland region but look around at the vote NO or else politicos like ex OZ PM Tony Abbott
link to bbc.co.uk
Mr Abbott said those who would like to see the UK break up were “not the friends of justice… [or] freedom”.
And
link to bbc.co.uk
Hilary Clinton said “I hope you dont lose Scotland” to David Milliband. She’s probably going to lose to a 74 year old American progressive liberal, a real one.
Its not just tesco and asda.
heedtracker says:
3 February, 2016 at 12:59 am
Its not just tesco and asda.
No it isn’t Heedtracker … it’s Aldi and Lidl! 😀
Sorry think the wine is still having some affect. 😀
Whilst not missing the point being made, and being made well, I have to wonder at the comparison between a reporter supporting her persecuted colleague being sacked and an MP making what appears to be an unwarranted, fairly public, attack on someone being threatened with legal action.
Natalie McGarry may be right in what she says, and you present her case well, but why did she need to say it at all ?
Had Ms Rowling upset her ? Was she feeling lonely since resigning the whip ? Had she just got out of bed on the wrong side ?
Ms Rowlings position on independence is well know and her money and position gives her more power in the debate than she should have but c’est la vie. We should, as this site suggests “play the ball and not the man”. For me Ms McGarry appears to have failed miserably here and, if that is the case, deserves what she got.
The wider point of this article is well made and important, just a pity it will be lost in the detail
“Natalie McGarry may be right in what she says, and you present her case well, but why did she need to say it at all ?”
Nobody needs a reason to speak the truth. Nobody has to justify expressing an honestly-held opinion. That’s the most elemental nature of freedom.
Lesley Anne @ 12.37
The mind boggles….
Must admit I have always had my doubts about large charity’s and how they actually operate.
One off the top of my head is Dog Rescue ones they seem very professional and huge amounts of money are involved but homeless dog numbers seem to go up and up,sureley given the professionalism and resources the opposite should be true?
Same with medical research ones if peoples donations have paid for the scientists finding the cure then will you be charged the full amount for receiving it???
The more I see of charity’s the more they look like business.
Maybe that’s something else that Indy could give us the opportunity to medicine.Though I’d still want the leagal system looked at first
Great piece, Rev.
It’s all been said, but this episode has really been a low point, but hopefully revealing, and educational to the most hardened No voter.
These is what happens when you dare speak to a billionaire as an equal, they threaten suing etc.
Know your place, commoners. Eat your cereal, and don’t point out behaviours.
As an aside, I’m so pleased to see so many have read Ursula Le Guin. What a writer, what ideas – WAY before their time, ideas of good and evil. Lovely,fluid writer.
I was reading her stuff voraciously about 30 years ago. One of the few writers, I will re-read.