So, here was one: "To have a journalist stirring up hatred doesn't do anyone any favours and after reading this I fear for the safety of Dublin's drug users, but I guess Ian wouldn't be bothered if one consequence of his article meant that a drug user was seriously assaulted or even killed."
Now, here's another one: "We also got angry reading Mr O'Doherty's ugly Nazi-like opinions, however it makes us even more angry realizing how this fanatic of a mad journalist gets his inflammatory and hatred wordings published widely by a national newspaper."
And one more for good luck: "As a person who uses drugs I find the language in the article offensive. This clearly breaches the spirit of Principle 8 of the Press Complaints Newspaper Code of Practise on on prejudice. I call for a retraction, unconditional apology and an investigation by the Press Council. This type of bigotry has no place in a serious newspaper. Its publication is an inditement (sic) of both the author and the Independent's editors."
Okay class, can you guess what the three examples above all have in common, apart from being completely mad and hysterical?
But first a little background...
Last Friday I wrote a column about an Irish doctor and addiction expert who advocated adopting an American-style policy where junkies were offered the opportunity to have voluntary sterilisations.
Source: Ian O'Doherty, The Irish Independent, 25/02/2011
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