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John Boyne properly nails his colours to the madt

145 replies

PretzelKnot · 04/09/2023 23:28

It’s taken a while but well done John.

”A really smart piece by Brendan O'Neill for
@spikedonline.
The people who are currently trying to destroy @roisinmurphy's life & career for defending vulnerable children are mirror images of those who tried to destroy Sinéad's life & career 30 years ago.

Self-appointed moral arbiters and men's right activists who cannot bear the idea of a woman's voice being heard.

For me, this story is the straw that broke the camel's back.

I am no longer going to stay silent on the way that women are treated.

I will defend women's rights, children's rights, gay rights, and lesbian rights to my dying day. I will also defend trans rights.

But I will not defend the online activists who are neither gay, lesbian or trans but who exploit the lives of LGBT people simply to earn followers in the hope of giving themselves a voice in the world and, in time, monetising that.

If that costs me readers or my career, so be it.

On June 9th 1954, at a Congressional hearing, Joseph Welch said to Senator Joe McCarthy: "You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency?"

I would ask the same question of the people who are trying to destroy the life of a woman who has done nothing - NOTHING - but suggest that vulnerable children should be protected.

You have done enough, all of you. Have you no sense of decency?”

https://twitter.com/johnboynebooks/status/1698793743761969267?s=46&t=f8U9xaap9RM6pcBCdpsFIA

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Appalonia · 05/09/2023 23:37

His book, The Echo Chamber is a v funny satire of social media and cancel culture, so it's something he's already done a lot of research on ( as well as it happening to him personally ). Sounds like this was a last straw for him!

PurpleWhirple · 05/09/2023 23:29

Coyoacan · 05/09/2023 16:15

I love that apology. I might even think about reading some of his books now.

The heart's invisible furies is the only one if his that I've read and I recommend it to everyone, I absolutely loved it

IcakethereforeIam · 05/09/2023 22:30

Covered in the Telegraph (archive link)

https://archive.ph/lHQPM

Binglebong · 05/09/2023 21:49

One or two very odd replies to Glinner's post.

Superfood · 05/09/2023 21:47

Igmum · 05/09/2023 21:29

Really generous apology. That is definitely the way to do it. I'd love to see some of our politicians learn from this.

@NitroNine really interesting post, thank you. I've never read/watched BISP. It's on the lengthy but vague really-should-read-at-some-point list. Thank you for these comments

Genuinely, If you are interested in reading more about the Holocaust, I would be happy to recommend you a number of really good books for both adults and children. Let me know if you would like this.

I think JB's apology is wonderful, (and i have worked with him, and he's a nice bloke) but that book is... not good.

Igmum · 05/09/2023 21:29

Really generous apology. That is definitely the way to do it. I'd love to see some of our politicians learn from this.

@NitroNine really interesting post, thank you. I've never read/watched BISP. It's on the lengthy but vague really-should-read-at-some-point list. Thank you for these comments

Superfood · 05/09/2023 20:33

@NitroNine brilliant post. I'm Jewish and absolutely hate BISP. It's a dangerous and very misleading book.

Separately from that though, I LOVE his apology to Glinner, and the acceptance of it. I respect him hugely for posting that.

NutellaEllaElla · 05/09/2023 19:10

Hah

John Boyne properly nails his colours to the madt
PikesPeaked · 05/09/2023 18:54

Quite, NitroNine, but then being Jewish is not trendy or interesting. On the spectrum of oppression being misgendered is far worse than some ancient genocide.

SoundTheSirens · 05/09/2023 18:52

Not ashamed to say this whole exchange brought tears to my eyes when I saw it on X-Twitter earlier. It’s sad that it’s so rare nowadays but it’s truly beautiful when it happens.

BezMills · 05/09/2023 18:39

I'll kindle up the first in his new 4 part series

LessonsInPhysics · 05/09/2023 17:57

This apology made me actually cry.
My favourite author (of adult books) has seen the light.
Anyone who has not read the hearts invisible furies should do so now. So good I've read it twice.

Signalbox · 05/09/2023 17:16

I imagine Glinner will accept JB’s apology with good grace. He made his own heartfelt apology recently to Mark Meechan. He knows what it’s like to have been on the wrong side of things.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 05/09/2023 16:51

Genesis1v27 · 05/09/2023 16:48

A link to Graham Linehan's tweet, for posterity:

https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1698835803332301160

There are some very moving responses under that tweet.

Genesis1v27 · 05/09/2023 16:48

A link to Graham Linehan's tweet, for posterity:

https://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1698835803332301160

SquirrelSoShiny · 05/09/2023 16:45

Beautiful apology and I hope many more follow.

Please God the tide is truly turning 🙏

Wanderingowl · 05/09/2023 16:38

I managed to completely miss that! 😜

Datun · 05/09/2023 16:32

Wanderingowl · 05/09/2023 16:12

As good as it is to see that kind of apology, it's worth remembering that it's up to Linehan to decide if he wants to accept it or not. I don't doubt this could be stirring up a lot of complex emotions for him. And he may not be ready now, or ever, to accept it. As much as I think extending a golden bridge to those who admit they were wrong is really important, this is also a personal matter. I really hope it ultimately feels positive for Graham Linehan.

He already has

"Don’t know what to say. Apology accepted, obviously. I said some things in anger to John that must have made this doubly hard to write, so my particular thanks to him for looking past that. Very decent of you, John, thank you."

Both of them being rather graceful imo.

LizzieSiddal · 05/09/2023 16:30

Not to mention that there was some study by the London Jewish Centre that found that some horrifying percentage of children reading it thought it was a true story and that Bruno’s death brought an end to the camps.

Well that’s not John Boyne’s fault is it. That would be the fault of the adults presenting the book to the child and how it was discussed with them.

Coyoacan · 05/09/2023 16:15

I love that apology. I might even think about reading some of his books now.

bemorelemmy · 05/09/2023 16:14

FrancescaContini · 05/09/2023 08:16

Thanks for posting this. I haven’t read his books but for the love of God, can someone take a firm position on an issue without a forensic examination of everything they’ve ever written/said?

this! it's exhausting and unhelpful

Wanderingowl · 05/09/2023 16:12

As good as it is to see that kind of apology, it's worth remembering that it's up to Linehan to decide if he wants to accept it or not. I don't doubt this could be stirring up a lot of complex emotions for him. And he may not be ready now, or ever, to accept it. As much as I think extending a golden bridge to those who admit they were wrong is really important, this is also a personal matter. I really hope it ultimately feels positive for Graham Linehan.

Musomama1 · 05/09/2023 13:35

Quite moved to see such an apology to Glinner.

As others have said, let's hope it causes reflection, especially from the literary and arts world into the treatment of Graham Linehan.

I couldn't be more sure that he will looked back on as a rare person of immense backbone, particularly in the spineless comedy world. Let's hope the rehabilitation is sooner rather than later though.

RoadLess · 05/09/2023 13:10

DeanElderberry · 05/09/2023 12:36

I know BITSP is hugely problematic, not because it's antisemitic but because it's romanticising horror. Two little boys would not have become friends through the wire because the Jewish children were murdered when they arrived at the camps. Any boy large enough to survive would be worked (probably to death), not left sitting around.

But fair play to John Boyne on this one.

Not to mention that it turns the actual mass murder of Jewish children into a gothic fictional backdrop for the mistaken killing of a non-Jewish child, especially as the Jewish child would not have survived long enough to befriend a camp commandant’s child — there’s a sense he’s just there to morally educate the other child, like the ‘Magical Negro’ who’s just there to help the white hero on his journey. And the cutesy Auschwitz as ‘Outwith’ and Fūhrer as Fury stuff is trivialising.

Not to mention that there was some study by the London Jewish Centre that found that some horrifying percentage of children reading it thought it was a true story and that Bruno’s death brought an end to the camps.

Good intentions don’t make it ok.