I know I invite people to email me and I do welcome emails, information, invitations, publications, reports etc. However I’m not interested in receiving slander or crude defamatory rubbish about candidates in the Presidential election.

There are lots of reasons to vote or not vote for people in elections and I’m sure I’ll be busy writing about them over the next few months when commenting on the campaign.  Allegations as to their private lives and loads of rumour mongering rubbish which arrived in email in the past 48hrs won’t be among the posts. I’ve never seen the like of it before in my seven years of blogging or in twenty years of election watching.

The vitriol I’ve observed and received from some gays is nauseating – the worst type of drama queens.  We are far better than this, or should be.  Not that there’s any real ‘we’ or community but I expected better.   David Norris’s decision to withdraw from seeking a nomination doesn’t mean that gay people can’t run for public office and be elected.  (Ask John Lyons, Dominic Hannigan or Ruth Illingworth – I’m not saying there is no homophobia in elections, I’m well aware it exists).  Legislative equality for gays and lesbians isn’t affected either.  Enough with the hyperbole. I hope David Norris remains in the Seanad and continues to speak out, legislate  and support the many causes he has fought for.   I’m not interested in dirty elections and I hope this stuff stops now and we remember that the presidency is an important elected office and don’t end up seeing someone elected by dis-interested default.