The Clockwork Chartophylax

From the Creative Ireland forums:

Mulling this whole GUBU affair over a glass of whiskey (it helps with the thinky) – a number of questions bubble up out of the Scotchy murk:

• What complaint did the National Gallery and/or the RHA make to the Gardai?
• Did that complaint include charges for indecency and incitement to hatred?
• If not – as seems likely – who initiated those charges?
• Why was there apparently no Garda action on the complaint until after the Sunday Tribune ran the story last Sunday?
• Did the Government Press Office or any other government official contact the Gardai in relation to the incident? If so – as seems likely given references to “the powers that be” – who were they and what did they say to the Gardai?
• Who contacted RTE from the Government Press Office regarding the RTE report on the matter, who did they speak to, and what did they say?
• Who in RTE made the decision to pull the report and issue the apology? What was their reasoning?

The Government and/or Fianna Fail officials who are behind this farrago should be named and questioned as to their motivations in interfering so blatantly with the independence of the national broadcaster and in harassing an artist with what seem to be grossly trumped up charges (specifically indecency and incitement to hatred). If there is any evidence of wrong doing or abuse of power, then those responsible should resign or be fired.

Equally, the RTE officials responsible for giving into government pressure and compromising the independence of RTE should be named and should resign for the good of the national broadcaster. They have shown themselves to be moral cowards and unfit to uphold the important responsibilities they have been entrusted with.

The weird thing about this whole thing is that it doesn’t even make sense politically, unless someone thought it might be a great distraction from the economy and a great way to get some sympathy for Brian (if so, I really want to know what kind of mushrooms they’re taking and where they got them from).

Is it any wonder that the media campaign for the Lisbon Referendum was such a shambles when you consider that the mouthbreathers behind that are also the authors of this colossal PR clusterfuck? Surely there must be someone in FF with the basic ratfuck survival instinct to see that it’s in the party’s interest to hang these morons out to  dry before they completely destroy FF’s already grim election prospects.

Update:

RTE is more than happy to report what’s happening to the artist.

Gardaí began investigating the case yesterday morning. They identified the painter as a 34-year-old secondary school teacher, who lives in Rathgar in Dublin.

They phoned the man and he agreed to come in to Pearse Street Garda Station to be interviewed.

The man was not arrested and made a voluntary statement.

He also handed over five similar paintings of other senior politicians.

It is understood he admitted painting and hanging the two portraits of Mr Cowen on the walls of the National Gallery and the Royal Hibernian Academy.

The garda investigation into the matter was completed in less than six hours.

It is understood the man may be prosecuted for alleged criminal damage after he was captured by CCTV putting glue on to the gallery walls before hanging the pictures.

What I’d love to know is why the Gardai felt it necessary to get him to hand over five paintings of other politicians (please merciful jebus, don’t let Mary Harney be one of them)?

Thing is, even if he’s convicted and fined (seems unlikely they’d give a custodial sentence), the knuckledraggers in the Government Press Office have ensured that the entire set will be snapped up by collectors and/or galleries. Jayzus, sure we should be praising their selfless patronage of the arts in this straitened economic climate!

Posted on March 25th, 2009 under Ireland, Stupidity, politics • Tags: brian cowan, censorship, clusterfuck, cowangate, fianna fail, free speech, Ireland, picturegate, PR, rte. • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback