Even if you knew nothing about politics, there’d be a very easy way to find out at a glance which side of Ireland’s migration debate has the better argument.
It’s simple: all you’d have to do is identify which side of the debate is scared of basic facts. Because after all, if you’re confident in the merits of your own argument, you’re probably not going to crap yourself if the public are becoming better informed, are you?
Generally speaking, the guy who jumps up and down screaming abuse at the messenger and demanding they be silenced probably has the worse position – correct? He’s apparently frightened of the audience having more information, which implies that his argument can only exist in an atmosphere of ignorance. Ergo, he’s probably talking tripe (and he apparently knows it too). That seems like a fair rule of thumb, no?
Well, that is exactly what we’ve seen this week, as Newstalk’s Pat Kenny dared to commit the atrocious crime of citing facts about immigration that are extremely inconvenient to some Irish liberals.
On his programme this week, Kenny highlighted figures from the Department of Justice, released to Gript by FOI, which show that 5,074 persons who sought asylum in Ireland last year (almost 40% of the total number) had “false or no documentation.”
Almost 40% of asylum seekers who arrived in Ireland in 2022 had “false or no documentation” Barry Whyte investigates why #patkenny @BarryWhyte85 pic.twitter.com/Jgm8jRXgK1
— Pat Kenny Newstalk (@PatKennyNT) February 2, 2023
Kenny also interviewed independent Senator Michael McDowell, who said that those who are clearly attempting to scam the system should be deported (duh).
At this point it’s notable that it’s clearly impossible to get on a plane without travel documents like a passport. And this means that all 5,074 of these people would have had documents when the plane initially took off from their country of origin.
Therefore, those who presented with no documents at Dublin Airport obviously must have destroyed or discarded those documents on the plane journey to Ireland. And the only conceivable reason why someone would want to do that is to conceal their identity and make it harder for authorities to look into their background.
This in turn implies that their story is obviously false, and they don’t want to be found out. That’s just a matter of common sense and using one’s brain.
As for those who use false documents, many of them will freely admit that they came to Ireland looking for an opportunity rather than asylum. For an example of this, see the Gript interview below where two asylum seekers told us they had used €4,000 fake Bulgarian passports to fly to Ireland from Spain in pursuit of work opportunities.
WATCH: Gript interviewed an alleged asylum seeker in Kinnegad, who said he travelled to Ireland from Spain using a €4000 fake Bulgarian passport.#gripthttps://t.co/7xVIA6IQ6f
— gript (@griptmedia) July 13, 2022
And so whatever you think of him generally, Pat Kenny, to his credit, drew the public’s attention to some of these facts.
In reaction, he has been brutally castigated by the pro-open borders Left, who are infuriated that he’s admitted something true which weakens their argument.
For example, ex-Socialist Party TD and professional malcontent Ruth Coppinger accused him of “punching down on refugees” (while giving a ludicrous and inaccurate definition of what a refugee is).
It’s sad that a journalist like Pat Kenny who has enjoyed so much privilege in his life in Ireland is punching down on refugees.
The definition of a refugee is someone who has to flee and isn’t able to get visas and ‘travel documents’. https://t.co/Ay9lPTDbvL
— Ruth Coppinger (@RuthCoppingerSP) February 3, 2023
She then promptly turned off her comments (which is typically the response of people with strong arguments, of course).
She later added that Kenny has “picked up this angle” to promote “anti-refugee” protests, saying that Kenny’s programme editors “know what they’re doing.”
Exactly this. Suits their narrative.
— Reg Coppinger [email protected] (@Regcoppinger) February 3, 2023
Paddy Diver re-iterated Coppingers claim that Kenny is “punching down.”
Donegal homeowners know only too well how Pat Kenny enjoys punching down https://t.co/wfrLmbuKdm
— Paddy Diver (@PaddyDiver4) February 3, 2023
Another prolific Leftwing account accused Kenny of being an “idiot” and accused him of platforming “far-right talking points” and “fascist ideas.”
A few idiots in legacy media, chasing engagement or trying to settle scores with the left, or because they also believe it (hi eilis), have done more to amplify fascist ideas than every dog-kicking braindead Irish nazi combined. Well done.
— The Foggy Jew (@HMcEvansoneya) February 3, 2023
And many others continued in that fashion, accusing Kenny of being a “racist,” a “xenophobe,” a “pale male” with “privilege,” a “f*cking loser” who “pisses the bed,” a “f*cking dope,” a “far-right radio spoofer” and more.
The amount of time we'll hear this from racists. Well done Pat. Another fuckin Dope. https://t.co/GVkLKlWQ5i
— Loki De Búrca (@BrianDBourke) February 2, 2023
Far Right radio spoofer Pat Kenny stokes the fires!!
— Mochaomhóg (@inkmequick) February 2, 2023
That's a screenshot of a tweet about a Pat Kenny show, hosted by Ireland's foremost "respectable" xenophobe, with a racist-baiting title designed to drive ppl like yourself into a rage.
It's not evidence.
Evidence is documentless refugee applications. Customs reports, etc.
— Alan Dunne (@beersippinlefty) February 2, 2023
Rascist reporter, Pat Kenny with his pale male privilege interviewing the most right wing of senators who removed Irish citizenship from thousands@NewstalkFM look at yerselves and see how Gbeebies and RT have lost money or shut down. Rascism does not pay#irelandisnotfull
— moxy (@brianmaxhouston) February 2, 2023
Pat Kenny is a fucking loser and he pisses the bed
— Tristan Carroll (@TristanMCarroll) February 2, 2023
Dope and radio spoofer he may, or may not be, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that none of these criticisms come close to an argument. Nor do his critics try to argue with the facts presented in his piece.
You’ll notice, for example, that nobody is even attempting to dispute the figures mentioned – that 5,000 or so asylum seekers destroyed or falsified their travel documents. They can’t argue with that data, because it’s official figures from the Department of Justice – it’s indisputable. And so what is the response instead?
“F*** you, Pat – now people are going to know about the rampant amount of illegal immigration that’s happening, and we’ll have to defend something that’s highly unpopular. We hate you for admitting that.”
They’re not angry at Pat because he’s wrong – they’re angry at him because he’s right. They’re infuriated that someone with a large platform, and legitimacy in the eyes of the establishment, would dare to tell the public facts which could negatively colour their view of immigration. And that should tell us a lot about which sides’ arguments have more validity.
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