Mattie McGrath Condemns Hate Speech, Warns Against RT Narrative
Mattie McGrath spoke on 9 March 2022 about hate speech, abuses in official bodies and the danger of one-sided media narratives. He argued hate speech appears across society, raised concerns about abusive texts and whistleblowers being ignored, and warned that RT must not be allowed to set the narrative on the war.
Key points
He told colleagues that hate speech and crimes do not come in a single form and can be found across all sectors. He said cases had been presented to him about members of official bodies and abusive texts, and described abuse occurring within the prison office.
Whistleblowers and frustration
He said whistleblowers are being ignored by authorities, which leads to public frustration when proper answers are not provided. He linked that frustration to the current crisis and the wider sense that officials do not sufficiently respond to complaints.
Praise at the meeting
He complimented Sean Ador and Sean Keoghan for an exceptional job sheet that morning, thanked all the members and noted the minister was present. He said the attendance of over 30 ambassadors in the room was a statement and mentioned that he met the Ukrainian ambassador.
Russian families and adopted children
He highlighted that he has many Russian families and adopted Russian children in his county who are "lovely young people, and doing their best." He warned against painting those families with "one brush," even as he described the Russian president as "power hungry, and savage actually."
Media narrative and COVID comparison
He warned that RT should not be allowed to set the narrative and compared the risk to the COVID crisis, when he said a single vision dominated public discussion. He argued that tunnel vision and the silencing of alternative views fuel online anger and create a dangerous path, especially amid war.
Conclusion
He closed by reiterating his concerns about hate speech, institutional abuse and media narratives, and thanked colleagues for their efforts.
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I too am glad to get the opportunity to say a few words on this, and it is very important, hate speech and crimes do not come in any one shape or form, and across all sectors of society, and I have been, cases presented to me recently, about members of official bodies in Ireland and their texts, and the abuse that goes on, the abuse that goes on in the prison office, I have spoke to you before, prison office association, ministers, and you don't seem to worry about it, are the superior people here, and we are whistleblowers, and are being ignored, so that leads to people's frustration, the same when we come in here, we can't get answers, proper answers, and people get so frustrated, especially with the current crisis, I too want to compliment, from the bottom of my heart, Sean Ador, Sean Keoghan, the exceptional job sheet this morning, thank you all the members, and the minister was there, and everybody getting, I think, over 30 ambassadors into the room, that was a statement in itself, I met the Ukrainian ambassador, and we have many Russian families, and I have many Russian children, children in my county, that were adopted, and lovely young people, and doing their best, and we can't tear them all, with the one brush, their president is, just power hungry, and savage actually, what's going on, but we can't allow RT to set the narrative either, we did that with the COVID crisis, and that's why people get so first aid online, because you've got one vision, tunnel vision, nothing else from anybody else was tolerated, that's the dangerous road to be on as well, and we have it here now, and this war as well, very dangerous place to go, thank you.
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