Questions that David Benson-Pope has refused to answer

TXT messages sent to David Benson-Pope's mobile phone by Investigate over the past few days:

Message from Investigate to DBP: Yes or No: do you deny knowing Suzanne Bird (Mistress Glory

From Investigate: Do you deny ever engaging in BDSM?
PS David, unlike other media, I WILL be running your refusals to comment

Message from Investigate to DBP: Yes or No: do you deny knowing Suzanne Bird (Mistress Glory)?

Morning David. Do you deny ever engaging in BDSM? Yes, or No?

Do you deny that you have ever engaged in BDSM, yes or no?

THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE. NOR HAS INVESTIGATE BEEN SUED.

Comments

[sonic]

The only flogging that has been proved in this case is you and this dead horse.

Thank goodness for proper investigative journalism, like Nicky Hagar who has just got rid of Brash.

Where was investigate in that story? believing the brethren's every word.

Poor Ian.

[Andrew]

Sonic, I think you’ll find that a hallmark of ‘proper’ investigative journalism is giving people impacted by ones story that right to respond. Ian appears to be doing that, while Nicky did not.

Your asking where Ian was in respect of Nicky’s story makes as little sense as would asking the opposite.

Ones approval or disapproval of the subject area has nothing to do with the ‘properness’ of the journalistic approach.

[ian]

Good to see you again, Hedgehog...

Now tell me this: regardless of the political spectrum involved, is it ever OK for an adult to have adult-child sexual discipline fantasies, and if so, in what circumstances is this appropriate?

[DenMT]

What is the justification behind naming 'Mistress Glory' in such a public forum?

Is she not entitled to her privacy? Have you no shame at all, Wishart?

DenMT

[Mort Whitman]

Ian talking about 'proper' investigative journalism. When are you going to address the concerns I raised yesterday under the comments section of your original Benson Pope/SM club story?

Yours
Mort

[ian]

Mort, I'm sorry, were they addressed to me? So hard to tell with all your smartass prolixity.

You didn't address my point: if it wasn't seen as a disorder still, why was a kink psychiatrist in the US complaining that it was?

[DenMT]

No-one really expects high journalistic standards of you, Ian, but what is your justification for stripping this woman of her privacy?

- She advertised for a 'slave' on Trademe. Did she reveal her name in doing this? Is it in some way illegal?

- She defended DBP when the allegations arose. Aha. So in retribution, you 'out' her. Nice work, slick.

- She is integral to the story. Hmmm. I am more interested in hearing your tape, which could be played anonymously, with no-ones privacy necessarily affected. However the lynchpin to your credibility on this one is naming someone, to establish the link with DBP? I'm flummoxed.

While I was disgusted at the Labour MPs for trying to rattle the Brash by asking 'How's Diane' - publishing someone's full name is another league. Furthermore, one could argue the 'public interest' would be greater if this woman you named was say, the head of a trade union. I wouldn't agree, as a right to privacy is something I believe very strongly in.

It's no wonder that no other media outlet will touch your prurient drooling with a ten-foot pole.

DenMT

[belt]

Ian, I'm generally a fan of your investigative work and have followed your work since your first book.

I haven't commented on the DPB story until now - it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Even though I feel it isn't for you to pass judgement on the man's *private* *legal* *non-work* activities, I can still understand the point you want to put across about the man as a case can be made that there is an overlap. Put up the evidence, let the reader decide.

However.

The man has clearly indicated that he will not comment on this issue.

I find it disappointing that you are now publishing questions that remain unanswered by DPB.

What is to (theoretically) stop you from saying: DBP, do you deny paying for an 5 year old girl to be part of a torture session, Yes or No? And then stating you never got an answer. It's a low, low, low technique.

And, justifying your own public naming of a 3rd party as acceptable "because DBP" did it... don't you think you should exercise a higher standard?

Come on Ian, look into your self and consider raising the bar a little.

Let the hard evidence be the story - not questions that have no answers.

[dave]

NO, It was Mallard who said " hows Diane."

[ian]

She's advertised for a "slave" on trademe, and she came out in defence on DBP when the first allegations against him were raised.

She is integral to the story and if I had not named her leftie halfwits would be dissing me with "where's the evidence?"

Wasn't it DBP or one of his mates who shouted out in Parliament, "How's Diane?" Diane had done nothing "illegal", but that didn't stop the TV networks and papers identifying her and running her photo.

Incidentally, Glory is not universally liked in the Dunedin BDSM community for the way she conducts herself.

[Spirit Of 76]

And really, would all of these social liberals who promulgate that DBP has done nothing wrong, want him looking after their post-pubescent daughters unsupervised ?

Call me a prudish ultra conservative if you like, but I'd prefer it if cabinet ministers don't enjoy being leashed and eating out of dog bowls, or getting tiger balm smeared all over their balls.

The only solace we can take from all of this is that when the Mullahs take over, people like DBP will probably be put to the sword first, and give the rest of us time to study up on the Qur'an.

[Mort Whitman]

Ian, Heidi's welcome to address the concerns I have raised about your ethics in reporting this story. But seems as you yourself are fond of sources, I thought it would be better to go direct to the source, as in yourself, for response.

Do I take your no comment to the issues I raised as proof you have something to answer too?

Yours
Mort

[ian]

No Mort...I have nothing to answer for. The words you challenged me on appeared in the abstract, as you well know, and they reflect the overarching view within psychiatry.

You vacuously claimed it was not the view post 1994. I pointed you in the direction of a psychiatrist who was himself involved in BDSM complaining just a couple of years ago that it remained the view within his profession.

There is no case left to answer.

Clearly, like a couple of others posting comments here, you endorse adult/child sexual discipline fantasies.

No wonder you hide behind a celluloid identity.

[ian]

DenMt...

Again, I'll ask the question Sonic could not answer:

At what point does it become acceptable for adults to engage in adult/child sexual discipline fantasies - let alone when they're in charge of social policy and CYFS?

Secondly, this applies to Mistress Glory as well, who offers the service.

Answer the question directly DenMt, or crawl back to your sewer and stay away from this board...

[Andrew]

Hang in there Ian.

Hilarious to see some folks take blowtorch to you while hoisting Nicky on their shoulders as the last bastion of honuorable reporting.

Has nothing to do with the journalistic method and everything to do with the outcome anticipated from the reporting.

I saw folks over at DPFs stand by Nicky’s use of stolen emails because it ‘confirmed suspicions’. Apparently the ends justify the means, moreso if the ends are what one already desires.

[ian]

Belt

Appreciate where you are coming from, but I need to clear up a misconception.

Publishing questions that have not been answered is a recognised journalistic technique, used more overseas than it is here admittedly.

Benson-Pope has been asked these questions time and again by journalists for more than a week now.

If he doesn't like it, he can sue me. It is appalling that a Minister of the Crown facing these allegations can refuse to answer any of them, and actually specifically forbid reporters from printing denials, yet use vague legal threats to prevent the mainstream media from reporting the story.

I, and others, will keep asking the questions until we get an answer. Part of the problem with our media generally is that they don't keep asking the hard questions. That's what makes live interviews compelling.

As for Glory, it's not a he-did-it so we can thing. You actually have to give enough information to validate, and given the adult/child sex fantasy thing I think the community have a right to know of her involvement.

[Spirit Of 76]

I applaud your efforts Ian because there needs to be a marker point, a reset button, for social liberalism. There has to be a line in the sand stating what is acceptable, and what's not.

Otherwise, what do we need to be 'tolerant' and 'inclusive' of next ? Bestiality ? Ephebophilia ?
Necrophilia? Paedophilia ?

And it's no joke, when considering the "animal houses" of Denmark and the NVD political party of Holland.

Pretty damned sick.

[Mort Whitman]

"The words you challenged me on appeared in the abstract, as you well know"

Ian, I assure you they do not.

Yours
Mort

[stan]

well Spirit of 76 they think you're sick for killing animals for food (assuming you're not a vegetarian like them)

[John Boy]

Thanks for pushing this Ian. There has to be a line in the sand somewhere in respect of personal behaviour, especialy for those setting govt policy. If DBP resigns will his mates have a whip round? In respect of Sonic's "flogging a dead horse" I wonder if its an innocent use of a phrase or does he know something we don't?