Bigots under fire

A little while ago I commented on the horrible display of bigotry and prejudice that was Iris Robinson's outburst on homosexuality. It seems, however, that this is in fact being investigated.

The psychiatrist to whom Mrs Robinson reffers as "a lovely psychiatrist who works with me in my office trying to turn homosexuals away from what they are engaged in" has come under fire from the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

They have said in a statement that there is "no recognised professional body in the western world that would support [his] belief". You mean to say that the professionals don't think that a person's sexuality can be changed? How surprising that is! What's actually surprising is that Dr Miller is still allowed to refer to himelf as a psychiatrist and offer "treatment" in such an antiquated way.

Perhaps there is something to be said for the fact that ABEO, the "re-orientation therapy" group that he has set up in Belfast, charges £1,000 for anyone who wants to become a councellor in "just 5 and a half days!" Seriously, this would be funny if it wasn't so sick.

He's not the only one to be put under the spotlight. Apparantly Iris might herself be under investigation by the police in accordance with hate crime laws. Whereas I think that this is going a little far, it is easy to see why hate crimes are so frequent in the north when our First Lady is seen as fueling and endorsing the motives behind them. And why is no-one investigating her for allowing her office to be used as a drop in clinic for crack-pot shrinks with no credibility from his own profession?

Something seriously needs to be done about these kinds of situations. Such Bible-thumping fundamentalism cannot be alowed to run roughshod over and ruin the lives of innocent people, especially not from our politicians. And I myself am Christian! Stop playing the religious card people, it just doesn't work. Enough with the trying to appeal to a God of Love to justify your own hateful prejudices.

And we wonder why the north of Ireland seems so backward?