sympathy with the devil

I am not accustomed to expressing positive opinions about any article carried in the Daily Mail.

However in this instance such an action is regrettably necessary.

After the pop star Stephen Gately was found dead recently, only one writer in the British isles commented on his demise with honour and integrity.

This writer was Jan Moir of the Daily Mail.

Alone amid the array of sacharine and duplicitous accolades from the pop star's family, friends, and hangers on, all of whom scrambled with indecent haste to aver what they did not know, namely that no foul play had taken place, Jan Moir was the only person to actually place value and dignity on Stephen Gately's life and to wonder quite frankly what the hell killed him.

She was the only one who dared hint that he may have been murdered or have met his death through the use of drugs.

She was not sensationalist.

She stated the bare minimum.

What we social anthropologists call the bleedin obvious.

It is not normal for men in their 30's to die after an evening at a night club.

In expressing concern about the manner in which such a young man met his end, and in expressing a degree of scepticism about the official explanation, Jan Moir has acted with courage and tenacity.

And restraint.

She made no comment about the stranger Stephen Gately and his male lover brought back to their apartment.

That stranger and indeed the male lover most newspapers including The Daily Mail are content to erroneously call Stephen Gately's husband, have a lot of questions to answer.

The storm of criticism that has been fostered against Jan Moir is a sure sign she has spoken the truth.