[News] The Sun at it again?

Doc Lynam · Sep 18, 2019

Latest victim Gareth Thomas, says “everybody” can guess which tabloid blackmailed him into revealing his HIV status!

“I can never ever, ever get that moment back, they took that right away from me”
“A journalist knocked on my parents door and told them I have AIDS, because they’re so uneducated about the subject, imagine what position that puts me in”

How can anyone hide behind freedom of the press and again public interest in such cases?

Who’s held accountable for these actions?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-49739345

Eeyore · Sep 18, 2019

He doesn't have AIDS for one. So the journalist was showing utter ignorance.

As I said on a previous thread, it seems that some in the media are enjoying a return to yesteryear encouraged by certain attitudes that prevail now within the country's present ruling elite.

I don't really care about us leaving the EU anymore (so it's not a swipe at BREXIT) but, as I said in 2016, I was more worried that a small number, loud in voice, will want to send our society back to a place it moved long from as they began to see their shackles loosening. It seems there is a subtle shift. The media is becoming more feral and ignorance is being more tolerated.

Overly dramatic and emotional language ? I see some of the erosions I forecast. The attitude of the neo-right media being the flagship.

I hope it wasn't The Sun (I'd be surprised if it was because to me they seemed to try to test the waters again on homophobic attitudes unsuccessfully a few years back) because it will reveal that this assault on privacy is not isolated. Although I'm sure if some could repeat what they did to Russell Harty in the 80s they would.

Commander · Sep 18, 2019

I just cannot fathom why people still buy this paper. It's astonishing. It also say a lot about the intelligence of the average member of the general public.

Stat Brother · Sep 18, 2019

Although it does beg the question:-

How many people that weren't his parents did he tell before not telling them?

The Wizard · Sep 18, 2019

The sun are scumbags, but they aren’t alone I wouldn’t put this past any of the tabloids.

Eeyore · Sep 18, 2019

Stat Brother said:
Although it does beg the question:-

How many people that weren't his parents did he tell before not telling them?

It doesn't beg any question. The parents will always be the hardest people to tell. It's something he would do when he is ready. Perhaps he didn't want them to know, perhaps he was worried for them.

Some folk would know. But this is his private situation. And that is all that matters here.

Publius Ovidius · Sep 18, 2019

On the bbc interview this morning, he only told his best friends and was getting advice on how to tell his parents who he explained were not as clued up and he felt they may have become terribly worried.

The sun is just something else.

Stat Brother said:
Although it does beg the question:-

How many people that weren't his parents did he tell before not telling them?

Publius Ovidius · Sep 18, 2019

I wish to wholeheartedly associate myself with every single word said here.

Brighton Lines said:
He doesn't have AIDS for one. So the journalist was showing utter ignorance.

As I said on a previous thread, it seems that some in the media are enjoying a return to yesteryear encouraged by certain attitudes

that prevail now within the country's present ruling elite.

I don't really care about us leaving the EU anymore (so it's not a swipe at BREXIT) but, as I said in 2016, I was more worried that a small number, loud in voice, will want to send our society back to a place it moved long from as they began to see their shackles loosening. It seems there is a subtle shift. The media is becoming more feral and ignorance is being more tolerated.

Overly dramatic and emotional language ? I see some of the erosions I forecast. The attitude of the neo-right media being the flagship.

I hope it wasn't The Sun (I'd be surprised if it was because to me they seemed to try to test the waters again on homophobic attitudes unsuccessfully a few years back) because it will reveal that this assault on privacy is not isolated. Although I'm sure if some could repeat what they did to Russell Harty in the 80s they would.

Stat Brother · Sep 18, 2019

Brighton Lines said:
It doesn't beg any question. The parents will always be the hardest people to tell. It's something he would do when he is ready. Perhaps he didn't want them to know, perhaps he was worried for them.

Some folk would know. But this is his private situation. And that is all that matters here.

All very true, but because of that surely Mr Thomas should have been more mindful of whom he did confide.

It's a private situation happening to someone with a very public persona.
He had full control over the situation yet it still happened, because of his persona his news would be reaching his parents sooner rather than later, the moment he opened up about it to someone else.

Stat Brother · Sep 18, 2019

Publius Ovidius said:
On the bbc interview this morning, he only told his best friends and was getting advice on how to tell his parents who he explained were not as clued up and he felt they may have become terribly worried.

The sun is just something else.

Oh absolutely, obviously I'm not defending tabloid press.

Can you imagine being the person that says 'sure I'll doorstep Garth's parents'.

I'm just saying the first bit of advise, he shouldn't have needed telling, ought to have been:-

'Tell them now, because some blood sucking lowlife will be knocking on their door in the morning'.

lost in london · Sep 18, 2019

Stat Brother said:
All very true, but because of that surely Mr Thomas should have been more mindful of whom he did confide.

It's a private situation happening to someone with a very public persona.
He had full control over the situation yet it still happened, because of his persona his news would be reaching his parents sooner rather than later, the moment he opened up about it to someone else.

Nope. It's his decision and his decision alone who he tells. Not some snidey **** working for a tabloid. Who knows what his reasons are for not telling his parents? I doubt there's a single one of us who hasn't kept a secret from their parents but have told friends.

Thunder Bolt · Sep 18, 2019

Stat Brother said:
Although it does beg the question:-

How many people that weren't his parents did he tell before not telling them?

Didn't the phone hacking scandal also involve hacking medical records?

Stat Brother · Sep 18, 2019

Thunder Bolt said:
Didn't the phone hacking scandal also involve hacking medical records?

I have no idea, but as he was talking about it with friends, I hazard a guess the story came to the press, than the other way round.

I don't make the rules and clearly nobody can introduce new rules to insist on some journalists work to the level of 'human with a conscience' therefore if you're 'media worthy' surely you have to know you're liable for this horrendous situation (it's happened enough times).

If he didn't want them shocked on the doorstep, sadly for him and all of us, especially those that pay the wages, he should have handled it differently.

Of course he shouldn't have too.
It's pretty disgusting that he, or anyone else would have to think that way, but as said it's hardly a one off.

Stat Brother · Sep 18, 2019

lost in london said:
I doubt there's a single one of us who hasn't kept a secret from their parents but have told friends.

and I'll hazard a guess many of those parents found out what 'it' was down the pub, in the hairdressers or while in Tescos.

blue-shifted · Sep 18, 2019

Stat Brother said:
All very true, but because of that surely Mr Thomas should have been more mindful of whom he did confide.

It's a private situation happening to someone with a very public persona.
He had full control over the situation yet it still happened, because of his persona his news would be reaching his parents sooner rather than later, the moment he opened up about it to someone else.

You're right mate. It's all his fault

Eeyore · Sep 18, 2019

Stat Brother said:
All very true, but because of that surely Mr Thomas should have been more mindful of whom he did confide.

It's a private situation happening to someone with a very public persona.
He had full control over the situation yet it still happened, because of his persona his news would be reaching his parents sooner rather than later, the moment he opened up about it to someone else.

Which brings us to a question of trust. People like to trust. Sadly, some get let down.

The truth is we don't know if he made a mistake. But it is clear that whoever told the media should have had their thunder stolen when the media refused to countenance. We don't even know if it was a 'friend'. There are many variables.

But this is a mere footnote to the wider issue here.

Stat Brother · Sep 18, 2019

Brighton Lines said:
Which brings us to a question of trust. People like to trust. Sadly, some get let down.

The truth is we don't know if he made a mistake. But it is clear that whoever told the media should have had their thunder stolen when the media refused to countenance. We don't even know if it was a 'friend'. There are many variables.

But this is a mere footnote to the wider issue here.

It was probably a friend of a friend of a friend.
They might never even have met Gareth and are now probably hoping they never will.

Sadly we don't keep other people's secrets in the manner we'd like them kept.

nicko31 · Sep 18, 2019

The Murdoch loving Tories ditched Leverson 2 and look where we are now....

GT49er · Sep 18, 2019

Stat Brother said:
and I'll hazard a guess many of those parents found out what 'it' was down the pub, in the hairdressers or while in Tescos.

I bloody hope not!

Stat Brother · Sep 18, 2019

GT49er said:
I bloody hope not!

Someone will be along to say words to the effect of:-

'i finally plucked up the courage...'
they replied
'we already know'

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[News] The Sun at it again?

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