The latest comments from Arlene Foster about her political counterpart Michelle O’Neill have provoked a mostly suitable response from the wider community across Ireland. The insinuations associated with the “She’s an attractive blonde” comments do not need to be elucidated – the connotations are easily deciphered as implying that Michelle O’Neill is not a serious politician and is unsuitable for her leadership role. Probably more revealing were Ms. Foster’s comments about Michelle being “hand-picked” by Gerry Adams – the implication being that the “attractive blonde” is really not in charge and serves merely as a puppet for Mr. Adams. This latter comment may say more about the experience of Arlene in the DUP than it does about Michelle O’Neill’s leadership role in Sinn Fein.
In recent weeks, the Sinn Fein leader has led a political campaign that promotes equality, integrity and fairness, the central components of republicanism. The promise of these noble tenets are not offered to the republican family alone but are a progressive promise to all the community regardless of their faith, gender, sexual orientation, national origin and so forth. In the recent commemoration of the IRA volunteers who died at Loughgall, Michelle O’Neill displayed her political courage by challenging her counterparts to abandon the siege mentality of a war that has ended and by acknowledging the deep and lasting pain that all victims of the troubles are burdened with.
So yes, Mrs. Foster, Michelle O’Neill is a very attractive woman. She is attractive because she is progressive, inclusive, compassionate and intelligent. She is attractive because she is a leader with the political acumen to reach out her hand in friendship to her political allies and opponents alike. Michelle O’Neill is attractive because she represents a future that promises a society built on equality, integrity, and fairness for all.
I suspected Arlene deliberately hasn’t been in front of a microphone much for several months because she just can’t help putting her foot in it.
It was only a matter of time before she did.
My thoughts exactly, Michael; she should’ve left it at the ‘crocodile’…
Arlene opportunistically just ‘happened’ to be at the NI agricultural show at the weekend the same time as Theresa May on her 30 minute visit to meet ‘us’.
Might have been a better idea to see the vet there about her foot and mouth disease!
Arlene Foster – the gift that just keeps on giving to Nationalism. Just when she’s exposed as the secret weapon to the Nationalist electorate, she does it again, making patronising and disparaging comments in the media spotlight aimed to try and discredit Nationalism, yet only serving to mobilise and popularise same. Does she not learn? Every time she opens her mouth as of late she creates
Controversy and an uproar – she’s the biggest liability to Unionism in years.
This was indeed a silly remark by Foster. As a woman she ought to know better than to put the emphasis on physical appearance when talking about another woman politician.
Politically it was a careless move when a moment’s thought could have produced a better answer.
It hardly seems to merit the outrage it is generating though.
A silly comment which should be brushed aside
As to the idea she was hand-picked by Gerry Adams: we don”t actually know the process for her selection do we?
What’s the old joke–“Some people will go a long way to be insulted”!Having read the full article,it may be that she let her guard down at the end of a pretty long interview with Niamh Horan who by any stretch of the imagination could hardly be classed as a political journalist.For such an allegedly intelligent woman she does seem to offer continuous gifts to Sinn Fein who have no equals in doing “faux outrage”.Whoever is in charge of the D U P press office might consider offering their leader some practical advice on how to avoid ambushes like this.
And do you feel that you should be privy to the inner workings of Sinn Féin?
fiosrach
Well she could be DFM or even FM so it would I think, be nice to hear how she was chosen.
Why should the selection process be a secret?
People go up for election on behalf of a party, selected by that party. If you have any reservations, you don’t vote for them. Seems fairly straightforward to me.
People vote for a party for a range of reasons.
A desire to know their selection process may be overridden by other factors.
But when a leader is replaced in between elections I think it would be good to know how they are selected.
I am in favour of open government. I am surprised you are not.
Fair enough, Gio. However, have you asked the same questions about the Alliance Party? Theresa May? What was the process for Arlene?
I’m sure Gerry will take your concern that ‘it would be good to know’ into consideration. He may even want your opinion when he should step down. But even when he does, the begrudgers will whine on about ‘ ah he’s still pulling Michelle’s strings’.
Ceannaire
I think May was elected in an open competition.
From memory I think the DUP process is a bit secretive too.
I am absolutely in favour of openness by all parties in how they choose their leaders.
Surely that would be a good thing?
“I think May was elected in an open competition.”
You think? Was she or wasn’t she? Or was she selected by those who pull the strings and thus was never going to lose I.e handpicked.
wolfie
Is that what happened in Sinn Fein then?
Couldn’t tell ye. More to the point, I don’t care.
wolfie
That much is obvious.
@giordano “This was indeed a silly remark by Foster.”
@Argenta “Some people will go a long way to be insulted”!
so it’s just silly, banter, can’t people take a joke? Cut a bit of slack? Why’re you so easily offended?
These are the stock responses that are trotted out everytime nationalists/republicans object to being “put down” by Unionists/Loyalists
And the “putting down” is incessant and has been for close on 100 years.
The fact is Unionists/Loyalists hold everyone else in contempt. This type of remark and your justifications for them are some of the means they use to demonstrate it because holding others in contempt demonstrates their superiority (in their minds).
You can read all about it here
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2015/08/07/unionistsloyalists-hold-nationalists-and-republicans-in-contempt/
ben
You have put words in my mouth (and Argenta’s) and then argued with them.
Well done..
I didn’t put words in anybody’s mouth.
Giordanobruno and Argenta wrote what was cited. (see above)
I didn’t argue – I simply showed what that type of response signified
ben
I never said it was banter, I never said can’t people take a joke, I never said cut a bit of slack.
Those remarks are quite different from what I said part of which you evidently missed;
“As a woman she ought to know better than to put the emphasis on physical appearance when talking about another woman politician.”
Right Ben
Just as I got a condescending “Yes indeed there was discrimination” from the same gentleman, when I made the point that 50 years of sectarian hatred bigotry discrimination apartheid and the brutality of the RUC, was the root cause of the troubles in N.ireland ..!!
Arlene should ask Donald Trump to vet her future comments…she really is that bad.
A couple of commentators on this blog are quite blase about Arlene’s insult. Are they so ignorant or just ungraciously indifferent to the connotations associated with ” Blonde ” and ” Female ” connotations surely well understood by Arlene . That same indifference is not so evident when Unionism is being derided ….their hackles are easily raised then !
I can’t help but have some sympathy for the DUP electoral strategists that for weeks now have tried to re-image Arlene with a notable decline in Arlene’s non scripted media appearances, it’s all been very planned with an emphasis on avoiding a croc moment.
Then one interview without an adviser and Arlene returns to form. Her comments are clearly sexist and demeaning which doesn’t augur well for the return of devolution. Arlene Foster seems wholly incapable of treating her would be partners in an executive with respect. That being the case, power sharing is clearly finished for the foreseeable future.
No, I think Ben has hit the nail on the head. Sad as that fact is. The remarks may be mildly mocking in character only, but they are numerous and persistent. It reveals decades of careless references, which are diminishing but still in evidence. Having run the place and spoken freely and insultingly for so long it is obviously a burden to even pretend to enlightenment.
The article itself is a hearty fluff piece for Arlene, no surprise given that other INM publication the Belfast Telegraph gave Arlene non-stop positive coverage for about a year when she took over the DUP. All sob story nonsense and rubbish about her wee family in Fermanagh and the boogeymen of the IRA ruining everything for everyone.
No newspaper ever seems to mention her complete opposition to the GFA in 98 as a hint as to why the DUP couldn’t give a fudge and have never tried to make Stormont work, they never mention why she was hurried into the position of leader of the DUP (Robbo’s NAMA scandals) and they never bother to take on any of the endless doublespeak guff she churns out every time she opens her mouth.
As for Horan, she’s made a career out of writing ‘articles’ so poor they’re basically just cheap clickbait; her time with women’s rugby:
“These are not butch, masculine, beer-swilling, men-hating women.
They are fit, toned, effortlessly pretty players who love nothing more than getting dolled up for the evening – and that’s just to step on the field.
“I never play a game without my tan,” says Shirley Corcoran, clocking my relief.”
And her hard hitting, well researched question on the RHI mess to Arlene:
“What one thing would you do differently now?”
FFS.