On answering a question
A brief Terrywatch, discussing TelKel's claim that he doesn't duck questions. I've been asking him one. Here are some extracts from the comments he and I have been exchanging on his blog. At least he has had (until now) the cojones to display them.
Me: In what way is Clairwil's so-called 'synthetic rage' on behalf of the mentally ill different from your so-called defence of the gay community?
TelKel: Clairwil's rage is synthetic mine is not, that's the difference...
Me: What makes Clairwil's rage 'synthetic' and what makes yours 'genuine'?
TelKel: I'm genuine and whether you accept that or not is up to you.
Me: I am yet to see any evidence of you being 'genuine' on gay rights. If it's possible for you to write a piece on it in isolation, without reference to any other political party, then I'll accept your credentials...
No direct response to this point from TelKel.
Me: What makes your stance in terms of the LGBT community 'genuine'?
TelKel: I am opposed to discrimination of all kinds including homophobia. That is genuine what else can I say.
Me: When was the last time you discussed the gay community and the equality agenda without making reference to any opposing political party or any members of an opposing political party?
TelKel: I have been arguing against homophobia for longer than I care to remember I've written about it before in my web site and blog. I found out about BYU and unlike your party I reacted to it. The SNP's cowardice in not dealing with this and the others is IMO worth commenting on.
(Note that I asked him when he last discussed gay rights without namechecking political opponents. He didn't answer that.)
Me: And if you really had opposed homophobia you'd have no trouble in showing one example where you haven't discussed my community while dragging it into a rant about the SNP.
TelKel: if you must keep writing please try to find something new, you are in danger of being cut off...
(Oh! Terry wants to censor me! Oh no!)
Me: Answer the question that I keep asking and you keep ignoring: when was the last time you spoke up on behalf of the gay community without referring to another political party in the process?
TelKel: I have been a supporter of the gay community all my life, I don't need to justify myself to you. Your blog before this one was just so bloody awful and prejudiced as well as repetitive that you are in fact now 'off my back' you've said nothing new for weeks, enough is enough.
So no answer. And an accusation of prejudice, though against whom I'm not sure. But Terry Kelly claims not to dodge questions, and I am no closer to getting an answer to a question I asked him. That looks like a dodge to me.
5 comments:
Here's an idea for some of the media types out there - get a fly on the wall tv crew following this guy. It would be fantastic viewing. The old empty vessel would surely be up for it with his ego. It could be the first reverse party political broadcast ever shown. He's the best comedy on the internet.
There's a saying about not arguing with an idiot, lest no-one can tell the difference.
As a smart guy, there should come a point where you stop trying to have a rational argument with this dolt. That point may have been reached.
Oh, the rational argument went out the window very early on in proceedings, and the whole thing turned into a Paxman-esque 'Did you threaten to over-rule him?' moment. Still, if he can't answer a clear question then he's managed to blow the whole 'I don't duck questions' guff out of the water.
He won't realise that, of course, just as he doesn't realise that he actually supports some forms of discrimination, or that he's one of the bloggers he's recently sought to condemn. Luckily, everyone else who follows this will be able to realise it.
On reflection, though, I missed the most interesting thing of his last tirade, when he said that he didn't have to justify himself to me. I wonder if he holds the same attitude towards his constituents. I don't know how many readers (if any) I have in Ferguslie, or if TelKel himself has readers there. Anyone from there, feel free to drop me a line and put your two cents worth in.
I agree with the young, greek. Terry Kelly may be doing a Michael Howard impression but I have got the feeling from my own discussions with him that it is nearly impossible to have a normal discussion with him. I got bored very quickly after he jumped, hopped and avoided arguments.
An idiot in East Renfewshire - leave well alone, Will.
Noted. The general feeling is that it's not possible to have a rational, logical discussion with him and certainly my little exchange has borne that out.
No sense in repeating this activity: I've done it once and published the findings for all to see. If I did this again it would have to be out of boredom on an unbelievably slow week!
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