I do not see Eddie's speech any worse than some of the posts I've read here, like, "Abbot should be shot". etc unless it is taken seriously by a psychopath.

phanto, I'm no fan of McGuire, but your attempt to blame McGuire for the comments of the men around him (whose comments were far worse) is pathetic.

runner,

"...Somehow they think they have a right to spit out venom and scream victimhood when someone tells a joke...."

Strangely enough, runner, you habitually spit out venom with no provocation at all...

What's your excuse?

'It's just a joke' and 'Women/feminists have no sense of humour'.

1. Women - and this woman - have heard 'it's just a joke' so many times that when we hear 'it's just a joke', the only possible reaction is 'here we go again, again, again, again, again...' We would be truly delighted if men came up with something new - both the jokes, and the excuses.

2. We have no sense of humour .. well, yes we do. But if you're a woman, why should you still find the thousandth plus 'joke' that involves killing, raping, demeaning women funny? Especially when there's always the possibility lurking in the back of your mind, that no matter how old, confident, balanced, polite, unconfronting you are, it just might happen to you, totally out of the blue, when you're walking in your local park, or down the street, or watching tele in your own home.

I can see that such banter - jokes that put down women - acts as bonding between boys and men. But why should women find them humorous? Indeed, I'd suggest that if women did find them funny (entertaining) then they would have failed their male-bonding purpose. Of course women do finds them funny (peculiar) in one respect - that men seem to have a need to put down women to feel like one of the boys!

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/opinion/when-youre-part-of-the-club-the-club-forgives/news-story/ee55cc749f3dde38acd977146fbedd15

Josephus: 'I do not see Eddie's speech any worse than some of the posts I've read here, like, "Abbot should be shot". etc unless it is taken seriously by a psychopath.'

Many of the posts here are no worse - yes, they are just as bad. And this forum is nowhere near as bad as other internet sites.

When you out your opinion on line, presumably you want others to read it and take it seriously and maybe you hope to influence others to agree with your view. But if I read something that makes a personal attack, 'Abbott should be shot' or 'Juliar', or a general attack 'nazis' - whether referring to feminists or conservatives, it instantly devalues what you say. You may have a legitimate argument against Abbott, Gillard, feminists, conservatives etc. but you instantly lose, if can't state your case without resorting to invective. (Please don't use Trump as an example of the success of invective; it will come back to bite him, and America).

I am constantly amazed that so many people don't seem to realise this. Of course, you may just want to let off steam, but can I suggest you join a boxing club and take it out on a punching bag. Just not a woman, or a cat. Or join a volunteer group and help people less fortunate than yourself.

'Unless it is taken seriously by a psychopath'. Well, that happens. Do you want to be the one who triggers a psychopath? Or will you say 'it was only a joke'.

http://www.thewire.com/politics/2011/01/did-sarah-palin-s-target-map-play-role-in-giffords-shooting/21575/

Aidan:

I wasn’t blaming Maguire for the comments made by the others. They have to take full responsibility for what they say. I am blaming him for being a bully. They would have known he was a bully and that if they did not go along with him there could be consequences for them. They are victims of his bullying because they do not feel free to challenge him and he knows that and it is why he asked them to join in – he knew he could control them and they would not have had the courage to stand up to him. What would you have done? Risk the ire of a journalist or run the risk of losing your job?

Cossomby:

You talk of the thousands of put downs and insults that get hurled at women every day. No one woman has to bear the brunt of all that. Each woman may have to endure it at most a couple of times in a year. That is a couple too many but let’s not dramatise what any one person has to put up with. Such exaggeration does your integrity no good.

Yes there is a possibility of you being attacked on the street but you are just as likely to be hit by a bus. Should we take buses off the street? Stop exaggerating the issue it just looks desperate. Men are no more dangerous to women than buses.

If you are really worried about being hit by a bus then move to the country. Take some affirmative action and avoid men as much as you possibly can. Set up women only societies where you can almost guarantee you will not be insulted by men. There are lots of things you can do.

Constantly complaining about the behaviour of men whilst doing nothing to change your situation is just nagging and nags are cowards. They are too frightened to stand up for their convictions and take control of their own lives.