Press Council clears Piers Akerman calling Yassmin Abdel-Magied an ‘idiot’ as necessary ‘vigorous public debate’
A column by Piers Akerman which described Yassmin Abdel-Magied as a “silly Muslim woman”, “a fool” and “halfwit” has been cleared by the press watchdog, as being opinion and in the interests of public debate.
The article in question, ‘What genius gave this Islam idiot a soapbox’, appeared in The Sunday Telegraph on April 30 2017. In it, Akerman questioned the concept of multiculturalism and attacked those who had “fallen over themselves” to promote it.
The press watchdog has cleared the article
Akerman made reference to a number of public comments by Abdel-Magied, her part time job at the ABC, and position on the Council for Australian-Arab Relations.
The Sunday Telegraph argued the piece was clearly identified as an opinion, and at the time, Abdel-Magied was at the centre of widespread public debate.
It argued her religion was relevant to the article’s content, her public profile and position on the Council for Australian-Arab Relations. According to the Sunday Telegraph, the opinion was in the public interest as it exercised freedom of speech.
The Council agreed, recognising it was an expression of opinion and the article attacked both her and the concept of multiculturalism.
It said the opinion was based on explicit and implicit opinions about multiculturalism and that it was in the public interest that “vigorous public debate” be permitted, even when it is expressed “extreme terms” like the column in question.
The press council is a joke, especially because its Murdoch puppets adjudicating other murdoch puppets.
You are a joke.
He is only stating the blatantly obvious fact.
Not one word can be refuted, he is entirely correct and every time Yasmine opens her spiteful mouth she does nothing to prove him wrong. She only proves him right by breathing.
Andrew and Bob: would you have the same opinion if Akerman used the phrase Jew idiot?
Do you think her religion is the issue? If so, why?
By the way if you think Islam is scary you’d better find somewhere else to live. Our neighbour is the largest Muslim nation on earth.
Love that Islamic people are speaking out and speaking up.
However, I think Waleed does it far more intelligently than Yasmin, whose comments are often ridiculous and usually designed to get maximum attention.
Waleed’s trick of blaming the West for the pure evil that is done in the name of Islam is wearing thin in 2018. Yes, it might still work with the left but those of us who choose to think, can see his lies for what they are.
What a colossal stuff up by this elite Council. Trying to stifle truthful statements written by people who have a balanced point of view and are completely truthful about what their subjects. What a complete joke you are. I am appalled by taken this complaint seriously and have taken this long to finalise your decision. What level of education do you need to have to get onto the Council?????
Horrendous article but Yassmin’s delusions of grandeur are equally as far fetched.
Yassmin [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. What’s controversial about that?
Clearly gross exaggeration. Why not stick to the facts?
Dear Piers and the Press Council.
Never has the expression ‘it takes one to know one’ been more appropriate.
Well done Piers and hopefully others will not be deterred from saying what they think which is the ongoing agenda of the left wing thought police.
I am frustrated by this woman because I believe she is extremely selfish. What has she achieved with this saga of dramatic events spurred from the bottomless pit of vitriol she has for white people, particularly Australians. I could understand if some good had come from her remarks but I don’t see that it has! I actually find her to be quite racist and unsympathetic to white Australians, which makes it hard to want to be sympathetic towards her. Why should I feel sorry for someone who would have prejudice towards me automatically because of the colour of my skin? And if nothing good is coming from all these snide Twitter remarks, then why continue to make them? You aren’t proving a point Yassmin, you are just stirring the pot to keep yourself relevant. Selfish.