Newton Emerson.. Sick of Peace!

[DOD]

Newton Emerson is there to take the mick, out of everyone. He wouldn't have had an article to write on it if someone had used a spellchecker. Of course he is going to take the pee out of a political youth-wing saying Rouge instead of Rogue. It is his job. If you don't like him, don't read him.

[DOD]

Opinions, as opposed to facts, are inherently biased. Newtown is so beloved because he is glib and his message, whilst not very subtle, goes down well with the pro-British lobby in the South. He may attack various agendas but his message is always the same. Anything that gets in the way of producing wealth is evil. He is obviously propping up the old mainstream Unioinst ideas that wealth priviledge is a noble endeavour; that some suffer so others can benefit disproportinately is to be encouraged. That he can persuade some Republicans of his own agenda is testimony to his prowess.

Lighten up a small bit would you. No one takes the piss out of republicans more than republicans themselves. If we didn't know when to laugh at ourselves it would be a terrible world. I personally don't find NE that funny, but he doesn't offend me either. Comedy is Comedy. I mean if Neil Delamere can get away with telling jokes about how bobby sands should advertise shreddies, I think we can leave NE off with his comparatively inoffensive shenanigans.

[madura]

That would be my impression too. Hence the job with the Irish Times. Whatever he is, he ain't neutral as between republicanism/nationalism and unionism, as a satirist should be, ideally.

Can you name a single, decent, neutral political satirist?

The ones that come to mind are overtly leftist or rightist. They are not pretending to be above it all, unlike NE, at least in his Irish Times incarnation. But as I'm unfamiliar with his "work" in other media outlets, I'll limit my comment to that. He has fans on this site, it seems.

Any chance you could just answer the question posed?

Well?

I didn't answer this before? How remiss of me. I would say that someone like Ian Hislop is pretty even-handed as between Labour and the Tories. In his public persona, at least.

I'm expecting the pack to descend shortly and the name-calling to begin.

[merle haggard]

Newtown comes from the new school of "lets glibly paint over the past". His undertones are always given with a wink and a nob. "We all really know who the baddies are, and my community has stood up to them." So he will be beloved by the anti-Republican and pro-British lobby in the South.

That would be my impression too. Hence the job with the Irish Times. Whatever he is, he ain't neutral as between republicanism/nationalism and unionism, as a satirist should be, ideally.

Has he ever owned up to particular political allegiances?

Yes he has said he is essentially UUP.

but he rips the dick out of them as much as anyone else

Quick other final remark: the plague-on-all-their-houses type of satirism beloved of “liberal” elements in the South has the effect of apportioning blame equally among all participants in the conflict, leaving the founding injustice of partition unexamined. Which makes him a hit at the IT.

but the vast majority of the nationalist community in the north has voted that it acepts partition , as does their political representatives . Something cannot be an injustice and legitimate at the same time . What the nationalist community is left with now is tribal politics within the framework of British constitutionality , thats what theyve opted for . Overwhelmingly . The political activity of the nationalist community is now tribal in nature . No orange feet has gone from a principled stand on garvaghy road to pogrom in the Torrens estate . Emersons analysis of that was an RUC man in riot gear with a thought bubble stating " but but but...its only protestants who are sectarian ??" .As such a plague on all their houses is a reasonable enough attitude to take when when making commentary upon the situation .
Emerson is very sharp when looking at this aspect of northern politics .
He was also the very first media commentator that im aware of to point out that the trial of sean hoey was an absolute farce , and was on the ball pointing out how the television cameras which reported breathlessly on the opening few days of the trial like it was the gulf war were within days slotting in reports after the opening of a new school windmill in a primary school in Ballymena when it was apparent from the outset the prosecution were lying through their teeth . He identified the prosecution case as a sham long before any other political commentator . For that he deserves credit . Nationalist commentators would be terrified in case anyone thought they were sympathetic to dissidents , so said feck all . And still arent saying much . Emersons still calling the entire Omagh case a dirty stinking mess .

[Leveller on the Liffey]

Like Private Eye's Ian Hislop (mentioned earlier), I don't always agree with Newton Emerson, know that he doesn't share my politics (he unionist, me republican) but I don't get my knickers in a twist when he has a pop at my side or people that I admire - if it's funny. If it's simply silly then I'll just ignore it.

What I regret most is that I'm ignoring the Newt more and more because he isn't as funny as he used to be.

[Junkhead]

Echoing the guy who said Ogra were being a bit thin-skinned... lashing out like that just looks silly...

Same goes for the article on that blog with a picture of some members of SDLP Youth drinking Stella - similarly immature..