One Nation caught in Twitter storm
A war of words has erupted between a former One Nation state branch leader and gay performer Brendan Maclean on social media platform Twitter, after comments Maclean posted during last night’s Q&A program on the ABC.
One Nation Victoria former president John Groves used homophobic slurs in response to Maclean’s posts during Monday’s episode of the current affairs panel show.
“Last night, after Q&A, he messaged me saying I was a ‘poofter prick’ and that I had ‘shit for brains’, but that’s not a surprise looking through his Twitter account,” Maclean told the Star Observer.
Grove came under fire for remarks on Twitter in August last year, when he made controversial comments defending Family First’s Wendy Francis, tweeting: “U have a backer in me, love to do some Poofter Bashing from time too [sic] time.”
His comments to Maclean were still clearly visible on his account this afternoon. Maclean called One Nation’s Victorian branch after the comments were published, to see if they reflected the views of his party and was told Groves was speaking personally and not on behalf of One Nation.
“Usually I have a pretty thick skin about stuff like this, but I just saw it a few too many times and I thought I’d follow it up,” Maclean said.
One Nation Victoria secretary Pat Loy told the Star Observer that Groves’ views in no way reflected those of the party.
“He’s going to be told to take all references to One Nation off his silly Twitter thing, because he’s not speaking for the party. These are not the views of the party,” she said.
Maclean said he also received calls from the One Nation branch in NSW, seeking to distance themselves from the insults. But Loy said the party was not looking to revoke Groves’ membership.
“We’re not going to remove him as a member at this stage, but he will definitely be reined in for his comments,” she said.
Loy said that Groves’ resignation as president late last year had nothing to do with his ongoing controversial presence on Twitter, but was due to health issues.
“Our membership is made up of all nationalities and as far as this homophobic view of John’s goes, if ever a policy was put out by One Nation about homosexuality, I’d walk away from the party. We also have homosexuals in the party,” Loy said.
John Groves I have read up on your post about people who are Jewish, will take responsibility for what you wrote about these good people also?
John Groves
Will you take responsibility for what you have done?
John Gloves get over yourself you idiot. You bloody well know better. You are starting to make me bloody angry.
I grew up in an institution and was a Ward of the State, my sister was raped by more than one priest at [removed*] in Bendigo. I am part of the “Forgotten Generation”. Do you think I go out bashing all Priest or people who are not gay, all heterosexual people? How absurd. Not all priest are bad, and not all heterosexual people are bad.
Anglicare offered my sister 14,000 dollars for the rapes, and not a cent more. She has not taken this. So do not think you are the only person ever to suffer by some monster. Having sex with children is not the act of a homosexual or heterosexual, it is the act of a sick and deprived mind.
If you are to follow your logic you need to go out and bash all heterosexual people.
Now you can die bitter and twisted, full of bile and act like a little bastard, or grow up a bit, and celebrate what you have in life.
I have had my first great love killed by poofta bashers so I know a bit more then you about this bloody world we share. So before you blame me for the act of some monster on you, spare a thought for my sister and people like me, who are victims of monsters also.
I am bloody angry at what you have done to me. You have become the bastard , the man who attacks innocent people.
Now what happened to you is a tragedy, but it is no excuse to attack people like me or any gay bloke.
(*Ed note: for legal reasons have removed the name of the institution)
@John Groves .. sorry to hear that you were abused by male pedophiles as a child.
Can’t have been nice.
Christian priests were they? Or just Christians?
FYI – pedophiles are not “gay”, and your equating the two is invalid and not supported by any credible psychiatric or medical studies. By all means hate pedophiles as the evil, manipulative ceratures that they are – but do not attempt to smear the homosexual community as being the same.
Your hate of pedophiles is probably legitimate (given what you have written). Your hatred of homosexuals (queers) is irrational.
I’m the little homophobic bastard that Dave made a comment on,to put you in the picture,as a kid I was sexually abused by Male animals,in other words pedophiles,and I will go too my grave,along with many thousand more Adults that were place in Government and private children’s homes when they were children,and were sexually and physically abused while in State Care,I have no love for Queers,end of story
Not in my bedroom.
The word wanka is often not used enough these days. But what else do you call someone coming to a GLBTI website, where a discussion is happening around One Nation using there might to promote poofta bashing, while you want to talk about not being a fan of open homosexuality, and building a website to promote reduced rights of people in the GLBTI community?
JB, yes I do understand this to be an openly gay website. And yes I do read your websites along with the conservatives too; as I am keen to be informed about what happens in both sides of the debate.
I do not expect any support for my negative-gay comments. I am in fact trying to show my support, and to demonstrate to whom this support comes from. I also wish to inform gays that while NIMBRs do exist, there is no need for you to fear us whatsoever.
There are three things I am trying to fight on this issue…
….Let the gay world know that we exist, but that they do not need to fear us. We are very much open to freindship etc.
….Try and passify the violence by trying to get those to join the more passive line of thinking. At least to get rid of the violence and the fear in this world.
….Also to defend my ‘middle of the road’ culture and line of thinking.
I do have a facebook group which is trying to support a ‘freindship between homosexuals and homo-conservatives’. Inspired a bit by the freindship thing that the gay community put on in Mornington each year.
And yes I do have a website under construction, should be ready in weeks.
What if he’d said “stupid nigger” or “greasy wog”? Would his membership have been revoked? I reckon…Another example of homophobia being the only accepted form of discrimination.
And then he starts calling people “faggot”…
http://twitter.com/#!/h2oaquarium/status/39956640400801792
http://twitter.com/#!/h2oaquarium/status/40007976743993344
Dear Not In My Bed Room,
Do you know what website you’re on? Just asking cos it’s an openly gay and lesbian news source with a diverse audience but let’s just say one which has a lot of openly gay and lesbian readers and other people who support their openness.
Write whatever you like, of course, but don’t expect much applause here for sharing idle comments about not being a fan of open homosexuality. While you clearly state that you condemn nasty language and violence towards the community, you should know that your distaste for open expressions of love (which, by the way, are not made in public for your particular consideration) actually exist within a context of general negativity and revulsion, offering more support to the violence and nastiness than to those who are its targets or victims.
Kind regards, etc.
One Nation has not sacked the homophobic little bastard from the Party. The party is a disgrace.
Onya Brendan. Nothing like a cool, calm, collected response to demonstrate just how in the wrong a horrible person is.
John Groves will get what’s coming to him. It might take its time, but what goes around comes around.
But I strongly doubt he’ll be as diplomatic in his response to his adversity as Mr Maclean has been, who is most certainly a commendable young fellow.
While as a Nimber I am not a great fan of open homosexuality, I none the less believe in accepting each other.
That is I do believe that we all need to get along, and do so in a freindly style.
I do strongly object to any acts of violence being targeted towards any of the homosexual community. I also cringe at the nasty language thrown out by him.
Good on One Nation for kicking him out. They have done what I would have done.
these people need to be reigned in ENOUGH BASHING of GAYS!