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BYRON BAY’S Peter Tiernan is being bombarded by threatening calls and messages from anti-vaccination activists and fears “one absolute nutter” could attack him or his family.
All because some activists think he is Reasonable Hank, a pro-vaccination blogger who has been enraging the anti-vaxxers for years.
The problem is Mr Tiernan, a 51-year-old physiotherapist who works in the Byron Shire, is not Reasonable Hank and never has been.
“It started with a message on Facebook messenger to my wife that they needed to discuss something about her husband, then it was phone calls at work,” Mr Tiernan said.
“They are sending private messages to me with my profile picture saying we know who you are and where I live and where my kids go to school.
“They sent messages knowing the day I had off from work and they have called my work.
“I’ve gone to police but they are not interested. I’ve had lots of calls with number withheld. One woman said they had been around to my house, they say they are going to expose me but it’s a monumental case of mistaken identity but that is the quality of their research.”
Mr Tiernan has had to take down his Facebook page and change his phone number.
“All it takes is one absolute nutter to believe all this stuff,” Mr Tiernan said.
I hope Mr Tiernan sees this. He needs to sue. That’s why the police won’t do anything. It’s a civil matter. The anti vaxxers are screaming that if he doesn’t sue, he’s admitting that it’s true. That’s how these crazy minds work and the only way to shut them down is by taking them to court.
He won’t sue, most likely cos it’s him. No police contacted the blog owner as he claimed on his radio show. And really imo the guy’s been an awful role model for you MJ. Treat others how you wish to be treated. Simple really. Your facebook page is in breach of Melb Uni’s social media guidelines, and for good reason, imo it’s one of the most awful spaces I’ve seen online, I don’t think your other employers will be impressed either.
hope you still not at the university MJ. 🙁
) maintain a standard of conduct and work performance required by the University and demonstrate professionalism and courtesy in dealing with other employees, students, contractors, visitors and members of the public;
(d) apply authority in accordance with University standards, expectations and delegations;
(e) respect the opinions and beliefs of others and their right to practise their beliefs;
I’ve actually met the real “Reasonable Hank” at a social gathering. This guy is most definitely not him and the real “Hank” doesn’t live in Byron. However it does demonstrate that when anti-vaccination advocates hunker down in their alternate reality, their entire world becomes one great big conspiracy and nothing – absolutely nothing – will change their minds.