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THE MOTHER OF missing five-year-old girl April Jones made a tearful appeal for help at a press conference this morning.
Coral Jones, April’s mother, sat beside Dai Smith, April’s step-grandfather as she read a brief statement to reporters. She said that someone must know something about what had happened to April in the hours since she disappeared from Machynlleth in Wales on Monday evening. She said:
April is only five years old. Please, please help find her.
(Det Supt Reg Bevan showing a picture of suspect Mark Bridger and his Land Rover Discovery. Image: Rui Vieira/PA Wire)
The distraught mother then broke down in tears and Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan took over, again appealing for anyone with any information about the movements of a man who has been arrested in relation to April’s disappearance.
He asked specifically for information “however trivial it might seem” about the movements of Mark Bridger, the 46-year-old local man arrested, or his blue Land Rover Discovery. Former soldier Bridger was arrested walking towards Machynlleth at 3.30pm yesterday and his Land Rover was found in the Old Station Road area of the small town.
If you are reading this in Wales, the number to call with any information is 0300 2000 333. Det Supt Bevan said: “Do not assume someone else has already contacted us with information. Even if you feel yours is trivial, please contact us.”
The registration plate on Mark Bridger’s blue Land Rover Discovery is L503MEP.
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Does this not just highlight the LGBT community as being different? Surely they just want to fit in to normal society?
This old chestnut comes up every single time. The implication that by campaigning for equality and highlighting inequality implies that they want to stand out as being different. Gay people are discriminated against day-in day-out, until that discrimination does not exist they and others supporting their cause for equality will continue to highlight the issue. The whole point is that gay people are considered by some small-minded types to be different, abnormal, etc,.
Would you prefer they just sat back and accepted discrimination?
What do you mean by normal society? Why shouldn’t LGBT people be open and proud about who they are? If anything it is an indictment against a supposedly modern society, in which a person is supposed to suppress who they are so they can “fit in”.
Thats the worse form of oppression, trying to condition people to “regulate” themselves and their personalities. If thats “normal society” I demand change now. #beproudofwhoyouare.
I am gay and I am different to heterosexuals that doesn’t mean I’m not equal or entitled to equality.
The fact that this toolkit had to be devised in the first place shows what a nasty, intolerant little nation we are.
most gay people belong to “normal”society
Will they be sending this to hospitals, schools and other workplaces whose “ethos” still allows them to discriminate?
well for example I’m going along to Pride this weekend or another time I took the morning off to drop mu girlfriend to the airport or say if I was going away withy girlfriend, its just little things like that that shouldnt be a big deal but can be awkeard to answer if you’re not out
And lets face it all irish towns/cities are small enough that you could easily bump into a colleague
Ah ok, sorry, I completely mis-read your post. I thought you were saying you were afraid to ask a gay colleague that question! Such a sad state of affairs that some people have to lie about what they’re doing because of other people’s bigotry. Glad you don’t have to though, you’re lucky!
Abi Im glad you shared that with us as I am one of the people that would be unaware of these type of pressures. I was an employer & if I will be again I will have a better understanding of some of these problems. I have a huge respect for the gay community.
A great bunch of lads
Its no secret were I work and its not an issue which means I’m not watching what I’m saying or avoiding questions like “any plans for the weekend?”. Makes life a lot easier!
Why would asking the question, “any plans for the weekend?” cause an issue with a gay person? Genuine question, not being smart.
I would imagine, if they wanted to be honest they would say ‘oh just gonna spend the weekend with my girlfriend’ instead of ‘oh nothing much’….
Fair play to GLEN… to promote fair play! :-)
I can only speak from experience in Dublin but personally I’ve never witnessed any discrimination or similar in the workplace towards gay people I’ve worked with.
I could imagine it’s a different story outside Dublin though.
To counter that I have lived and worked in Dublin area all my life and have seen countless examples of homophobic abuse and bullying in my own workplaces. To simplify it to sure it’s only the backward culchies is misleading to be honest.
Well “culchies” isn’t really what I was getting at to be honest.
I’m sure the access to the LGBT and other support communities and other gay people is significantly more limited outside the Capital and as such, more people are less inclined to be open about their orientation. Less gay people around makes those that are more “different” to the non-gay majority.
I would imagine Dublin is more used to openly gay people given that we’ve had a thriving openly gay community here for quite some time, lots of LGBT groups for people to join for support, etc.
I have never witnessed genocide (thankfully) I know it still happens though.
I hate this attitude from Dubs thinking their living in some kinda ultra-progressive mega metropolis, Dublin in only been the 454th largest city in the world isn’t setting any kind of standard in civil liberties now nor was it ever for that matter.
Having worked in many office environments all over Ireland for small companies to multi-nationals from Letterkenny to Dublin, I’ve had many gay colleagues and have personally never witnessed any instances of gay bullying or homophobia! I’m not saying it doesn’t happen but no more so than other instances of workplace bullying.
Unfortunately, a lot of people in this country have been brainwashed into anti-gay sentiment by the catholic church. People are judged by the good they do,not their sexuality !
waste of good money
by choosing to be a victim we give power to others…dont hide but dont make it a defining charistic either…
Toolkits just change words, not attitudes. LGBT and other minority (ethinic and otherwise) education needs to be part of primary education curriculum. Developing diversity and tolerance should start at day dot not the first day on the job.
I wish there was no need for such an awareness pack !!! I am gay and work in an environment which doesn’t notice and where it isn’t an issue. It seems I am lucky.
One does not simply say, no plans for the weeKend
Brace yourselves, “any plans for the weekend?” questions are coming
sorry! had to do it!
Should we then not speak about unequal pay between the sexes as this highlights gender differences, should we not discuss the lack of a voice for the children of the nation etc. every society has its issues and a progressive one should look to improve The lives of ALL it’s citizens. I look forward to the day this kind of initiative is no longer required when fears about job security ( teachers) due to sexuality will be seen as the dark old days.
I work and live in Sligo. Majority I meet at work and outside work could not care less if your gay or straight. In 9 years only twice have I seen homophobic behaviour. Think that is a good record considering I have seen other discriminations not that any discrimination is right. Maybe I am blessed but to be honest I think people have more important things to worry about then who is gay or straight.
have your say