This week, the Irish Times published an article that included a glossary of racial slurs and fascist ideologies. They then published another article. And then another. And then another. And probably another by the time The Week on Twitter goes live, let’s be honest.
Some other things that happened this week were Mariah Carey having the greatest New Years Eve of her life, Charles Manson being hospitalised, and John Berger passing away.
#IrishTimes face serious scrutiny after publishing ‘informative’ alt-right piece
This week, the Irish Times published an article supposedly informing the Irish public all about the so-called ‘alt-right’, and all the vicious, racist, and hateful language they use. We don’t need to talk about the contents of the article. We’ve all read it. And if we haven’t all read it because we don’t want to give the Irish Times the satisfaction of a few clicks then we’ve at least all heard about it.
We at least know that it did not inform, but rather misinform those who may have never heard of the alt-right and their ideologies before, painting the group as an ironic, bunch of lads just out for a bit of banter in the form of racial slurs and ‘snowflake’-bashing. The piece was written by a self-proclaimed internet troll (yes, he has written actual articles about how pissing people off has made him a lot of money), who told the Independent that he sent the What You Should Know article into the Irish Times not even expecting a response. He then began Retweeting a lot of swastika themed accounts onto his timeline. These guys had really enjoyed his article. They thought it was great.
The Irish Times received a lot of backlash for publishing the piece. Instead of challenging the alt-right and everything vile they stand for, they had blindly let somebody else push this hateful, vitriolic discourse into the public sphere without an ounce of criticism. The article did not even vaguely reference the blatant fascist rhetoric of the entire alt-right movement. All it did was give out about the left, political correctness, and anyone who wasn’t a straight, white, abled man.
It was only later that the Irish Times decided to publish another piece attempting to justify their reasoning. And then another from Una Mullally detailing why the original piece should not have been published in the first place. And then another talking about the alt-right again. And then a podcast about the whole thing.
Yesterday, ‘Nazis’ trended on Twitter. Today, #nextITpiece is. It gives us, if anything, the chance to get about 1% worth of humour out of the whole sordid affair. It’s a good hashtag, and probably, not an entirely inaccurate one either.
#NextITpiece Breda O'Brien on how the Alt-Right can save the 8th
— Glenn Fitzpatrick (@glennthefitz) January 6, 2017
Exactly right: pic.twitter.com/bKruLQwD9J
— lenny abrahamson (@lennyabrahamson) January 5, 2017
It blindly gives space to present sneering hate, misogyny and xenophobia as witty, or somehow clever. Hard to respect such an approach.
— Colm O'Gorman (@Colmogorman) January 5, 2017
We said we'd know the racists and the neo-Nazis when they got to the door. They're in the fucking sitting room and we haven't spotted it.
— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) January 5, 2017
"Stimulate debate". We've been debating about Nazism for decades now. We had a massive debate between 1939-1945. https://t.co/by4GENpXHp
— Peter Ferguson (@Humanisticus) January 5, 2017
Ah I see the pro-choice movement is being used to justify pieces being published in the @IrishTimes by actual neo nazis. Cool cool cool
— A Maculate Virgin (@Bubblenoma) January 5, 2017
I hope the Irish Times looks at the people who're gloating, the ones who feel emboldened by that Nazi article and feels at least some shame
— Jalanuary (@alan_maguire) January 5, 2017
if caring about people & not being a racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic fascist means i'm a "snowflake" then let it snow, bbz x
— ciaran reinhardt (@nerdarama) January 5, 2017
#CharlesManson hospitalised in California
On Wednesday, the LA Times reported that Charles Manson had been brought to hospital due to a “serious illness.” Manson was removed from Corcoran State prison in California early on Wednesday morning, without the exact cause of his illness being revealed to the press. However, federal sources did confirm that he had not died.
It was later reported that Manson had not been a model prisoner in the Central Valley… Which came as a surprise to no one considering he was locked up there for viciously murdering seven people in 1969. According to prison officials, Manson has broken hundreds of rules during his time inside, including making weapons and possessing a mobile phone.
Upon hearing the news of Manson’s hospitalisation, lots of people took to Twitter to lament the fact that he had not in fact died. Manson was given nine life sentences in 1971, and has been denied parole twelve times.
Because…psychotic mass murders are usually model prisoners? https://t.co/mmH2gFeJXl
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) January 5, 2017
Charles Manson is rushed 2 the hospital & gets medical care while the GOP repeals Obamacare & takes coverage away from 25 mill people?#MASA
— Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) January 4, 2017
We should have known Charles Manson wasn't doing well when Trump didn't pick him for Health & Human Services
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) January 4, 2017
I appreciate the gesture, 2017, but it's gonna take more than a seriously ill Charles Manson to make me trust you.
— Jason Aaron (@jasonaaron) January 4, 2017
Charles Manson has healthcare for life. Republicans first priority is to repeal coverage for millions of hardworking Americans.
— Bradley Whitford (@WhitfordBradley) January 5, 2017
Art critic and author #JohnBerger dies, aged 90
On Monday, it was reported that critic, author, and poet John Berger had died. Most famously known for his collection of art and social criticism essays Ways of Seeing, Berger’s ideas have dominated discussions around the male gaze and cultural aesthetics for decades.
Berger passed away aged 90 in his home in France. Following the news of his death, Twitter users, friends, and family took to social media to pay their respects, share stories, and remember the man who “radically altered and enlarged (…) ideas of what a book could be.”
RIP John Berger, who defined and condemned the male gaze with humanity and precision. pic.twitter.com/t5GivCgxoh
— Andi Zeisler (@andizeisler) January 2, 2017
John Berger declared war on traditional ways of thinking about art and influenced a generation of artists https://t.co/wViecupCVR
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 3, 2017
"Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.” – Rest in peace John Berger, the world has lost an unflinching critic.
— Kate ? (@Bed_Forever_) January 4, 2017
"We need the dead to recognize ourselves the dead are essential to us, that recognition begins w their company in mortality" #JohnBerger RIP
— Peter Fuller Project (@QuotesFuller) January 4, 2017
When #JohnBerger won #BookerPrize in 1972, he criticized sponsors for exploited Caribbean workers and split winnings with the Black Panthers
— AFRICA IS A COUNTRY (@africasacountry) January 4, 2017
The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled.
RIP #JohnBerger pic.twitter.com/dS6Wq8QIfa
— Sushant Singh Rajput (@itsSSR) January 3, 2017
#MariahCarey has some technical difficulties
New Year’s Eve did not happen this week. Let’s not pretend that it did. What did happen was a load of people awaking from their January 1st hangover slumbers to tweet about Mariah Carey’s New Year’s Eve performance on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
Like many giant pop star individuals, Mariah opts to lip sync her performances. This is fine. We accept this. However, unlike many giant pop star individuals, Mariah was harshly betrayed by some sound equipment that wouldn’t allow her to hear the song she was supposed to be singing.
Instead, Mariah simply had a bit of a chat for the performance, telling the audience that she couldn’t hear anything, and that she was trying to be a good sport. Eventually, the performance came to an end and Mariah, looking quite shook and annoyed, muttered some things under her breath and left the stage.
Some people laughed at Mariah. Others didn’t laugh because they weren’t watching and didn’t actually care about what had happened. But other people supported her. They didn’t laugh. They didn’t scorn. They simply accepted what had happened, wished her well, and blasted We Belong Together for the entire night because even though the sound wasn’t working that is still a soft banger and we all appreciate it.
Shit happens ? Have a happy and healthy new year everybody!? Here's to making more headlines in 2017 ? pic.twitter.com/0Td8se57jr
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) January 1, 2017
Anyone saying anything about @MariahCarey can delete me. She taught the world how to sing. Shut up!!!!
— Adore Delano (@AdoreDelano) January 5, 2017
@MariahCarey don't beat yourself up, girl. We all fuck up once in awhile. U made it thru marrying what's his face, you can make it thru dis.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) January 4, 2017
Ever since @MariahCarey's NYE incident, I've been blastin her music. Its reminded me what an incredible artist she is.Her music is timeless.
— SCOTT WARNER (@ScottWarner18) January 3, 2017
Molly, aka the Thing of Evil, did a few too many Colt .45s on New Year's Eve. Still recovering. Loved Mariah Carey, though. pic.twitter.com/frswLaxbFQ
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 3, 2017
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