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Sorry, Oprah! Irish women knock out boxer Mike Tyson

Convicted rapist not welcome in Belfast

By
KENNETH HAYNES
,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, November 6, 2009, 12:45 PM
Updated Friday, November 6, 2009, 1:00 PM

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Sorry, Oprah! Irish women knock out boxer Mike Tyson | Irish News | IrishCentral




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Former Irish lecturer Mike Tyson

Protests by Irish women's groups have knocked out boxer Mike Tyson.

The former heavyweight champion and convicted rapist was scheduled to appear along with Irish boxing legend Barry McGuigan Friday at "An Evening with Mike Tyson."

But the evening ended early for Tyson, who has been trying to reform his awful reputation with recent appearances on "Oprah."

While a spokesman said the event had been called off "due to unforeseen circumstances," the cicumstances were actually in plain view as women’s advocate groups expressed their disgust at the planned event.

Tyson was jailed for three years in 1993 after being found guilty of the rape of beauty queen Desiree Washington.

Eileen Calder of the Rape Crisis Centre in Belfast said she felt sick when she heard Tyson would be visiting the Northern Ireland capital.

“Believe me, if this was the other way around, he would not even be allowed into the country.

“The United States does not allow convicted rapists in, they are interested in protecting their citizens.

“I would appeal to boxing fans to look beyond his boxing to what he has done — he is a convicted rapist.”

She also body-slammed McGuigan for agreeing to take part.

“Barry needs to hang his head in shame,” she said.

“I have always been a huge fan of his, I even considered naming one of my children after him. He has done so much great work for charities and integrated education. I can’t believe he has agreed to take part in this.”

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Posted by Madeleine on Nov 10, 2009, 05:48 AM EST
We are politically correct to the point of insanity in the US. Most people in the US don't bleive Mike Tyson did what he was convicted of anyway, he was offered early release after two years if he would just confess and he refused.The man who fought for his conviction spent a whole year on every TV show "discussing" the case and then went on to become district atty. Geraldo Rivera had him convicted through his TV show the minute he was arrested, The girl he supposedly raped said she didn't want money, she just wanted him to get help and a few weeks after he was convicted went around to publishers trying to sell her book on the rape, no one bought it. No one believed her. Anyone who didn't see the documentary "Tyson" should see it, you would look at mike Tyson in a whole diffent light. He paid his debt to society but no one talks about him with out saying "the convicted rapist" Mike tyson. He hasn't been able to make a living since. Oprah is an idiot and has her own problems right now. Tyson is not trying to redeem himself, he does have a right to talk about his side of it though,he did briefly in his documentary. I never believed he did what they say he did and any woman worth her salt after hearing the evidence would know that. Political correctness is killing us, literally, here in the states, I guess it has traveled around the world. They missed a really interesting evening with Mike Tyson in my opinion anyway.
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Posted by plasticpaddy on Nov 08, 2009, 01:46 PM EST
You couldn't be more wrong about the plitical correctedness comment mickeyl... the U.S. is definitely more converned with that than Ireland.
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Posted by mickeyl on Nov 07, 2009, 06:57 PM EST
Don't watch Oprah. Tyson is crazy, no doubt, but he paid for his crime! That has to mean something. Obviously certain people consider that once another human being has committed an offense that they deem unforgivable, there is no hope of redemption, forgiveness or of that person being ever being permitted to continue in the pursuit of their livelihood. I'm not making light of what Tyson did or saying that in certain situations such actions are called for to protect the innocent. However this appears to be a situation that offers a golden opportunity for certain individuals to vent their own unresolved anger and act out their own maladjustments while futhering their own political causes at the same time. You guys are even more PC than we are here in the U.S. and that's sad.
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Posted by Tony Barry on Nov 07, 2009, 06:15 AM EST
Great job Eileen Calder.....wish more people would ignore this peice of garbage......who invited him?


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