Let’s hope this vote can change a whole culture
WRITING this on Thursday night I have no idea how the nation will vote on repeal or otherwise of the Eight Amendment to the Constitution. What I do hope is that, whatever the result, a process of deep healing can follow the referendum.
I sincerely hope that women who have had abortions, whether they regretted them or not, will feel free at last from the kind of vicious stigmatisation that was for so long the norm in this country.
Regardless of how Ireland has voted, I hope we can turn a new page in our history.
The birth of a baby is a cause for joy and I am no advocate of ‘abortion on demand’ or a ‘licence to kill’, to quote those slogans from the campaign, but I look forward to the birth of a new Ireland, where real compassion replaces a judgmental, merciless and stigmatising past that still casts a long and dark shadow over our country. John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co. Kilkenny.
Separated at last
THE repeal of the Eighth Amendment signifies the separation of church and State, a marriage that should never have been consummated in our State while claiming to be a republic. Tony Moriarty, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6w.
Tasteless celebrating
IT HAS been disturbing to watch some of the celebrations over the repeal of the Eighth Amendment.
The whooping and cheering, the chants of ‘our bodies, our choice’, presents this repeal as an unalloyed good, a triumph.
Do these people really not see anything wrong with abortion?
It’s perfectly possible to argue that a woman has this right to choose without loudly celebrating an act that ends another life.
Terence Healy, Waterford city.
It’s not over…
MANY people would like to imagine that we can now say goodbye to the abortion debate for good, that the referendum has put it to bed.
That’s highly unlikely to be the case. Look at the case of the United States, where the Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade from 1973 enshrined a legal right to abortion. Now, 45 years on, there is still no hotter or more contentious issue in American politics. Expect the fight to continue here too.
Aidan Keane, by email.
No voice in the Dáil
EVEN if the Yes victory is as big as the early tallies suggest, there’s something democratically distorted here.
Let’s say the No vote is as low as 30%. That’s still an awful lot of voters and those voters were not represented by any of the main political parties. In fact, as far as I am aware, only Renua, with no TDs, campaigned for a No vote.
What party is that 30% expected to vote for in the next general election, when it’s clear that no major party is bothered with representing them?
The same problem was evident with the gay marriage referendum, where again all the main parties united.
It is disturbing that such a large part of the electorate should be given no voice in parliament.
Margaret Doyle, Cork city.
Papal indulgence
IN THE week when Ireland voted overwhelmingly for a Repeal of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution on abortion, it is heartening to hear that Pope Francis will grant a plenary indulgence to attendees at the World Meeting of Families in Dublin later this year.
A plenary indulgence is a reduction of the time sinners spend in hell for their sins. Abuse and sale of such ‘tickets out of hell’ was one of the major factors in the Protestant Reformation in Europe.
After the result in recent Irish referendums, it looks like there will be a very long queue in Dublin for the indulgence of His Holiness! John O’Sullivan, Carrigaline, Co. Cork.
Cheque in the post
FINANCE Minister Paschal Donohoe need not worry too much about setting aside funds for a rainy day. Aren’t we due a tsunami of back taxes from Apple? Vincent O’Connell, New Ross, Co. Wexford.
Remember Shay
PHILIP QUINN, in his article on English-born players who played for the Republic of Ireland (MoS, May 20), did not mention the very first English born player, Shay Brennan, who made his debut for the Republic of Ireland v Spain at Dalymount Park in 1966.
Shay’s parents were Irish. He played for Manchester Utd and later managed Waterford.
Jim McCourt, by email.