Thread by @marcowenjones

So counted approximately 90 tweets from @FDD 's Ben Weinthal within a period of around 48 hours. Mostly scurrilous accusations and loaded questions with baseless accusations of homophobia or supporting the execution of gay people.

2/ Perhaps the fundamental and dangerous irony of @BenWeinthal attack is that is potentially endangers minorities while masquerading as a defence of gay rights.

3/ Amid this harassment, Weinthal stated that he is a “journalist who reports on the persecution and murders of people from the LGBTQ community in MENA”.

4/ However, If you believe that members of the LGBTQ community are at risk in a particular country, & constantly bait someone living in that country to enter a debate that you believe to be potentially life-threatening, then you are showing reckless disregard for their safety

5/ Furthermore, and especially if you do not know the sexuality of whomever you are interrogating, you also risk endangering a person of the community whose rights you claim to be defending by drawing attention to their stance on what you have highlighted as being

6/ a controversial issue at least, a life-and-death situation at worse issue. I for one have no qualms condemning and desiring the abolition of the death penalty in every country in the world, including Qatar, which has never executed anyone for homosexuality.

7. It is also not clear why Weinthal is asking for my opinions on LGBTQ issues, I am not an academic expert on the topic. Despite that, I am a strong LGBTQ ally, so it is ironic and suspect that Weinthal is attacking me

8. But I think the @FDD should be concerned they have a fellow who is engaging in this bizarre and potentially harmful behaviour

9/ Finally thought it was interesting that in 2015 @BenWeinthal asked why US embassy in Saudi, UAE and Qatar didn't hoist a pride flag. Well here's a photo from the US embassy in Qatar in 2018.