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THE WOMAN BEHIND an open letter formally complimenting Brianna Parkins for the comments she made about abortion during the Rose of Tralee has handed it in to RTÉ.
During last week’s live broadcast on RTÉ One, the Sydney Rose told host Dáithí Ó Sé: “I think we can do better here in Ireland. I think it is time to give women a say on their own reproductive rights.
“I would love to see a referendum on the Eighth [Amendment] coming up soon. That would be my dream.”
Saorlaith Ní Shuibhne started the petition after hearing that RTÉ had received a number of formal complaints about Parkins’ remarks.
The petition received over 6,000 signatures. Ní Shuibhne personally handed it in to the state broadcaster yesterday.
As there is no formal way to compliment someone for making comments, Ní Shuibhne decided to write the open letter, which states:
“RTÉ does not appear to have a mechanism for offering formal messages of support, we ask that these signatures be assessed in the same manner as any complaints received.”
“It bugs me that, because they are formal, complaints get so much attention,” Ní Shuibhne told TheJournal.ie, noting that when people agree with comments that are made they don’t have the same outlet to express this.
She said she understands a formal complaints process is needed for legal reasons, but said it might be worth RTÉ looking into introducing a formal process for people to “state if you agree with something” so the conversation can be more balanced.
Response
In an email seen by TheJournal.ie, RTÉ told Ní Shuibhne it “does have a means for viewers and listeners to make positive comments (or indeed critical comments which are not formal complaints) on our output, by email, letter or phone call to RTÉ Feedback”.
The reply noted that a complaint about the fairness, impartiality and objectivity of a broadcast, as set out under the Broadcasting Act 2009, is “quite different from agreement or disagreement with a view which has been expressed on air”.
RTÉ suggested Ní Shuibhne forwards her letter to the Rose of Tralee International Festival. She said she intends to do this.
A spokesperson for the broadcaster told us: “We have received 24 formal complaints on the matter and, as this formal process in underway, RTÉ will not be making any comment.”
Debate
Parkins’ comments started a debate about whether or not the Rose of Tralee was an appropriate venue to bring up the subject of abortion.
Mary Kennedy, chair of the judging panel of the Rose of Tralee, told the Irish Independent the festival was not the place for Parkins to air her views on abortion as it’s not a “political platform”.
However, Rose of Tralee chief executive Anthony O’Gara later said he was “delighted” Parkins had spoken out, saying it’s fair for contestants to express their opinions.
Last week, Parkins told DailyEdge.ie she found it a “little confusing” that some Roses had been asked their opinion on abortion in private and that process had been judged, only for her then to hear that her public interview was not the place to air her views on the subject.
“I do find it disappointing that for a festival that has been out there for years trying to dispel this ‘lovely girl competition’ image and saying that it does empower women and it’s good for women and then to turn around and actually say you can’t have opinions on women’s issues and women’s rights and an opinion over the control of your own body.”
The Eighth Amendment acknowledges the right to life of the unborn, equating it with the mother’s right to life.
A Citizens’ Assembly is due to consider holding a referendum on the amendment, and other topics, when it convenes in October.
Single people have it tougher in society – if housebound that becomes worse. Good to see an article on this issue.
Oh please, give me a break. It was a bit of snow FFS!!!!
@Ciaran Fairley: You read that whole article in less than three minutes? Impressive.
Tell that the someone living alone who was recently bereaved.
@Glenn Caulfield: I seriously doubt that two days of snow was a significant additional stress factor in that case.
Snowflake seems an apt word these days
@Dara O’Brien: oh aye I’m sure you both know way better than the fully qualified pyschotherapist. Her point isn’t that snow can cause significant stress and loneliness, but magnify stress and loneliness that’s already there.
@Dara O’Brien: I myself suffer from depression and found a lot of the points in the article rang true. I personally could not leave the house for 4 days with poor conditions as i live rurally rather than the 2. Just because you have no empathy or understanding for those who suffer with their mental health doesnt give you the right to start attaching more labels to people. If youve nothing nice to say and all that
@Neal Ireland Hello.: It took you longer than three minutes to read that? Worrying.
@Anomander: hahaha exactly what I was thinking.
I loved the peace
@Ashling Fenton: I loved the peace too
The is a flip side for those of us for whom dealing with people is an absolute chore, time to actually relax without having to make an excuse, time when you can leave the mask off and save your energy without the relentless oppression of people telling you to cheer up because you’re not projecting a mindless obliviously happy persona and messing with their fragile superficial perceptions
@Brendan Gordon: Totally…I went out on Friday and people were out walking their dogs in the snow, there was little or no traffic on the roads as people weren’t hurrying to get to work or to school, people seemed happy to get away from the rat race for a few days.
@Fifty Shades of Sé: because people were walking around my estate instead of driving, I connected with neighbours I barely knew I had.i remember as a kid walking to the shops with my mam. She’d stop every few minutes to chat with neighbours, it used to drive me mad. I’m convinced that the car culture we have nowadays contributes to social isolation and lack of community spirit: now if you need a pint of milk you hop in the car to drive a couple of hundred meters down the road, go to the self service And you don’t even interact with shop staff. And yes , I do it myself.
@Dermot Lane: Very well put, economic and technological advancements over the past two decades have certainly lead to a seismic shift in culture towards communal interaction, the price of progress however can be the sacrifice of good values.
Times like this people turn to God…..as answer to the emptiness….
@John003: how does that work? If a few days of time dragging slowly and in terminal boredom is enough to induce depression, surely eternity would be a nightmare?
@John003: Really. Which one?
@John003: Peace be with you brother
It’s not all that bad it’s a bit of snow and you can’t get out for a few days hardly the end of the world now is.
I a biker 365 days of the year and i haven’t been able to get outside the gate yet but the world and all it’s madness will still be there waiting for me whenever I do manage to get out.
At this time 2 years ago we had the recent Dublin level of snow in the west. Being west of the M50 and west of Shannon, did not make the news so these issues were not talked about. It was, as the first comment reminds us, a bit of snow.
Very good article, isolation be it self imposed or circumstantial has long term detriment to mental health well being along with stress and anxiety. The past week more than most in recent times has highlighted the benefits of community interaction and human contact can counteract such problems, maybe when looking for solutions it’s time to get back to basics.
Very good comments. Very relatable.
It’s great if you’re an introvert though or so I hear :)
The doctor would have been well served if she added those navigating homelessness in family hubs, emergency accommodation, and on the streets; and those living in fear of losing their homes to VF, respossession, or extortionate rising rents to her list of those whose daily stresses are amplified by the isolation they bring…on a daily basis, along with the emptiness of endless time…. no matter what the weather.
People also need to learn to be alone with thier thoughts, to easy now distract yourself with social media if have 2 mins to spare, guilty of it myself.
Love to travel and part of reason is I’m unplugged and have time alone with my thoughts. That can actually be a joy rather than a problem if allow yourself engage with your inner self rather than seek external distraction.
Realise some have genuine isolation, and that needs addressing, but for some is self taught and can be Untaught
People belonging to big happy families where there’s a bit o’ land, a horse or two, a jeep and no one can even spell “rent,” wouldn’t know which end of the gas/electricity meter to put the coin in. Would that be the thing you use to measure the tyre depth? The same folk who laugh at mental illness and marginalised lives and think human trafficking is what the lollipop lady does.
Their frame of reference blinds them to the misery other people go through and, understandably, the same happens vice versa. Hence so much living in a parallel universe. It’s all bollocks really, all we can try and do is make the best of a bad job…
It says a lot about us as people if we can’t handle a few days indoors
Ooops when I said “from experience” I meant experience of loneliness DEFINITELY not prison. Lol
I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said “There is nothing worse than an endless holiday. I know from experience to quote tihe guy in Shawshank Redemptiin who says “the nights here are long….. time can stretch out like a razor blade” am not sure if it’s word for word but it sums loneliness up aptly.
I can only quote from Shawahank Redemption when the guy described his feelings of loneliness and isolation “prison time is slooooow time….in here time can draw out like a blade”
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