OBA Remove Photo From Official Twitter Account

June 10, 2015

[Updated] The One Bermuda Alliance appears to have deleted at least two of its tweets, including the one containing the photo of Eron Hill, Chris Famous, and Makai Dickerson that bore the caption “Catherine Jenner Support Group.”

As of today [June 10], clicking the link that originally took you to that tweet leads to a message stating “page doesn’t exist” and checking the OBA’s Twitter feed shows the photo is no longer posted.

Fullscreen capture 6102015 121445 PM

Following the OBA’s tweet, Eron Hill — who was one of the people pictured — sent the OBA a letter saying the social media post was “spurious” and “highly defamatory,” and requested the party remove it and apologize.

The tweet by the OBA was sent in response to a tweet by the PLP, and the social media conversation spanned both Twitter and Facebook. You can read our original story, and see the screenshot of the tweets, here.

Update 5.12pm: OBA Chair Senator Lynne Woolridge sent a letter responding to Mr Hill, which we obtained, saying “This image was not created by the OBA. Nor did the OBA alter or tamper with the image. The words embedded in the image were not placed there by the OBA.”

“Your letter [PDF] shows a lack of maturity and understanding,” the Senator said. “No political party has a monopoly on compassion. We all share the health burdens experienced by our mothers, our sisters and our daughters.”

The full letter to Mr Hill is below:

As Chair of the One Bermuda Alliance, I have been passed your letter of yesterday.

It is curious that you chose to publicise your letter in the media on the same day without even allowing us to respond. That you did so makes clear for all to see that the letter was written for political purposes. This is unfortunate given the gender issues involved.

Your letter concerns an image of three men: yourself, Mr. Christopher Famous and Mr. Makai Devon Dickerson, wearing bras, under the caption “Catherine Jenner Support Group”. Presumably, this image refers to the former Olympian, Bruce Jenner, who recently underwent a gender reassignment, and who has since appeared in the US media.

This image was not created by the OBA. Nor did the OBA alter or tamper with the image. The words embedded in the image were not placed there by the OBA.

Your letter describes the image as “extremely juvenile, distasteful and disrespectful” of Ms. Jenner. We understand you to mean that it is wrong to mock those who change their gender. We agree, which is why the OBA was quick to condemn the image.

Your letter suggests that you wish to deny that you, Mr. Famous and Mr. Dickerson were involved in creating this offensive image [although your letter does not actually deny this expressly].

Presumably you wish to put some distance between yourselves and this image because it is a very poor attempt at humour that many would [and do] find extremely insulting.

But the sentiment in your letter – that you have been caused offence by the image – rings hollow.

The same day the image was on social media, one of the other men in the image, Mr. Makai Devon Dickerson, posted remarks concerning the image.

One commentator said of the image: “Maki Devon Dickerson is from the itty bitty titty committee”, apparently a reference to Mr. Dickerson wearing a smaller bra in the image.

However, Mr. Dickerson’s response does not denounce the image, nor the comment made.

Instead, Mr. Dickerson says: “Lmao long as I can fit it in my mouth I’m good.”

That Mr. Dickerson could “laugh [his] ass off? at the image and comment and then make a crass comment about women’s breasts is difficult to reconcile with the purported indignation expressed in your letter.

The statements by Mr. Dickerson are, in your words, “extremely juvenile, distasteful and disrespectful”. They are even more disturbing in the context of an event to promote women’s health issues.

Mr. Hill, your letter shows a lack of maturity and understanding. No political party has a monopoly on compassion. We all share the health burdens experienced by our mothers, our sisters and our daughters.

When you wrote your letter to the Premier, I wonder whether you stopped to think that the Premier’s wife is herself a cancer survivor. Perhaps in future you might pause for thought before firing off insults that have no place in mature political debate.

Mr. Hill, if you have concern for gender issues on our Island, then let all of us work together to do something positive. There are many examples of comments that drag us down – your party leader’s recent comments about women are one such example. But my point is that we need to rise above this rancour.

If you want to make a difference, then let’s elevate the level of discourse. To show you I mean what I say, I propose that both your image and our subsequent re-posting of that image, be removed from the respective social media platforms of the PLP and the OBA.

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Comments (34)

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  1. Raymond Ray says:

    O.B.A. has removed it; what do you want them do now, kiss your “cooo”? Get real! It hadn’t been posted by the Premier or any of the Senators just someone that thought it was appropriate…

    • sebring says:

      regardless of what the involved said i think it brought attention to a cause . and men should be concerned about breast cancer also. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancerinmen/detailedguide/breast-cancer-in-men-what-is-breast-cancer-in-men

      • Betty says:

        OBA have seemed to missed the boat here once again. All the OBA had to do was to remove the Twitter off their OFFICIAL TWITTER Account, and send an Apology. The OBA has still failed to offer an Apology. This suggest they are not willing to step up, and close this matter down once and for all. This also indicates a little bit of Arrogance is been displayed.

        Senator Lynne Woolridge letter also is incorrect on many fronts. What she accuses the Dickerson and Hill off in this letter is very incorrect. Thus, indicated she was grasping at straws. Her Letter includes many inaccuracies, it should have been short and sweet with an Apology, and nothing more. it is clear she failed to seek the correct legal advice to write such an inaccurate letter. The poor PR of the OBA is not helping them regain any favors or love. Disappointing on all levels.

        OBA needs to offer up an Apology, close this matter, and get on with the business of creating JOBS for people. This childish approach is not worthy of a Government.

        OBA needs to stop its knee-jerk reactions, just because Mary Doe took their candy, now they will give Mary Doe a bad candy…….#cannotmakethisstuffupreally

        Praise to the young men for standing up for Breast Cancer…

  2. Who's Moderator? says:

    I am extremely interested to hear what former Senator Toni Daniels and the other OBA defenders have to say about this retraction, particularly as they can do no wrong.

    Where is the Report promised to be made public by Mr Thad Hollis?

    Where is the Strategy as the “It’s the PLP’s fault is wearing a little thin?

    • Betty says:

      Sad thing is, Toni Daniel is still suffering from #OBABlindfaithfulnessdenial

  3. C'mon says:

    Really, so they took it down which is an admission of wrong-doing but don’t have the respect to say sorry and let this matter be done with. Wow.

    • Crystal Cave says:

      Maybe you didn’t ‘ook at the picture above – it says sorry. Sorry if you missed that.

      • Betty says:

        It says Sorry this Page does not Exist, but no real Apology to the indiviudals whom they insulted…..#OBAfailuretomakeanapologyisfullofArrogrance.
        #cannotmakethisstuffupOBAfallingontheirswords….really

    • Pastor Syl says:

      So, by your logic, NOT taking it down would be telling the world that they did nothing wrong? I am not on Twitter, so I am wondering whether the PLP has taken their meme down. If not, perhaps they are following the same logic as you.

      From my point of view, the OBA taking down a meme that, according to Ms. Woolridge’s letter, they neither created nor captioned, and that some “bright” spark thought, erroneously, was an appropriate response to the one posted by the PLP, says they wish to get past this latest distraction from the very real issues that face us. And that, again from my point of view, is a most productive attitude to adopt.

      • Betty says:

        SYL< just the mere fact they Posted it on their OFFICIAL TWITTER ACCOUNT….indicated they took OWNERSHIP for the MEME, regardless if they created it or not. Why Post something so distasteful in the first place. This is unacceptable, for a Government. IF it was created by one of their #Diehardblindfaithfulnesssupporter was why they fell into such a trap so quickly. Blindness can often be a major problem, when folks can not see beyond their party and overlook the real issue at hand, which I find you do very often.

        An Apology is what is now required to close this matter once and for all.

        • jt says:

          Please feel free to weigh in on Dickersons comments.

        • Zevon says:

          And the things Jamahl posted indicated the PLP took ownership of his meme.

  4. Jah Bless says:

    They don’t care about us.

  5. Life Goes on says:

    That is that get over type of mentality that the OBA have, sickening

  6. Vote for Me says:

    Common sense prevails. A quick apology should settle the matter. Well do to Mr. Hill and the Premier.

  7. Mutual Repect says:

    yawn. Much ado about nothing as usual

    • flikel says:

      Wasnt the Opposition Leader criticized for his alleged remarks about women? This was considered to be a significant issue, but you classify these remarks as nothing?

  8. Ed Case says:

    I imagine some sort of apology will follow. It would be right as it would acknowledge the wrong doing and take responsibility for it.

    One this you will never see in your lifetime – is PLP doing such a thing – because they never ever say sorry. They never ever take responsibility. Bunch of tw*ts.

  9. WHAT says:

    again bad strategy by OBA – they remove it and then do a letter in response?

    They should have released the letter first and then removed it.

    oh well as they didn’t do what he asked no doubt he will now be suing?

    cause adults don’t make idle threats right?

    • Raymond Ray says:

      @ WHAT: Correct; “cause adults don’t make idle threats right?” When will he, (this young fella) make an apology for the KKK “joke”?

      • Shame says:

        Ya pretty dumb if you’re asking that question. It wasn’t him, it was posted hundreds of time by many people, nobody complained when it happened, it was dug up 4 weeks after by the same person who originated the feed that included the picture subject to this saga. Go figure! Stop the desperate attempts to justify and go read a book. The internet is doing you an injustice Mr. Ray

        • .am says:

          And how many of the other people that posted it claim to represent ‘the people’?

    • Pastor Syl says:

      @ WHAT: How about the letter and the removal being simultaneous? How about the possibility that the person who posted the meme being someone other than members of Parliament, Cabinet, or the Senate and it being that person’s responsibility to remove it. Maybe coordination wasn’t possible. How about not trying to find fault with EVERYTHING. It’s so tiresome

  10. Alvin Williams says:

    A government black operation that came to nought and of course the operators had no connection with the government? We don’t need an official secret act to see through this.

  11. The Kid says:

    Ms Woolridge, my congratulations. Your reply was the most reasoned, logical and well written repliy I have ever read from any and I mean any political party in the last 50 years… well done and please keep it up. My faith in the world is restored…Thank you, you have my vote and my support

    The Kid

    • LOL says:

      LOL!!! the fake bloggers are at it again. How much do you make an hour? I almost wet my pants when I read that comment

  12. Varied says:

    All right now. Ms. Woolridge has put together a pretty good response here. Depending on what Mr. Hill (or any of the other individuals in the photo or ‘in the loop’ regarding the first altered picture with the Catherine Jenner thing) respond with, we may get a clear picture of everything.

  13. Serious Though says:

    missing something,

    You apologize and them slap the person!

    Confused …

  14. Raymond Ray says:

    OBA Chair Senator Lynne Woolridge sent a letter responding to Mr. Hill, which we, (Bernews) obtained, saying “This image was not created by the O.B.A. Nor did the O.B.A. alter or tamper with the image. The words embedded in the image were not placed there by the O.B.A.”
    Mr. Hill, if you have concern for gender issues on our Island, then let all of us work together to do something positive. There are many examples of comments that drag us down – your party leader’s recent comments about women are one such example. But my point is that we need to rise above this rancour.
    If you want to make a difference, then let’s elevate the level of discourse. To show you I mean what I say, I propose that both your image and our subsequent re-posting of that image, be removed from the respective social media platforms of the P.L.P. and the O.B.A.”

    • Raymond Ray says:

      I see that, “Betty” character is out ranting about the same old shtttttt! My advice to you and other like you “Betty” is, “hold your breath for an apology that’s not owed to anyone.”
      You and the rest are a sorry bunch of…well, I would rather not print how I view u’lot.
      The more letters posted on these sites don’t make what you or any of what the other P.L.P cronies have written to be the truth/s.

  15. jt says:

    I will admit to not following this…was the captioned/docoterd photo of these three posted on Twitter somwhere other than on the OBA site?

    • PBanks says:

      Apparently it was circulated through FB or WhatsApp or something, and made its way to being viewed by the OBA social media person/s. Then it became ammo to use against the PLP.

      It’s all a mess.

  16. Enough says:

    If this is the best the PLP can come up with, giving out about someone re-posting a photo of three guys in bras, then the OBA have nothing to worry about!

    Great to see the opposition focusing on the real issues at hand and supporting the ones making a difference to Bermuda……just there to criticize and make noise for the sake of it, that record is getting old…..