Squabbling celebs should all be ignored
REGARDING the wrangling and squabbling of in-your-face film stars and royalty and other wealthy people over who did what to whom: this is life, and unfortunately things like this happen behind closed doors all over the world, to ordinary people!
If they are so obsessed by who gets what, give it to a good cause and start again.
Your talent should shine through if you were any good at all.
There are too many far worse things happening in the world at the moment to worry about these pampered celebs.
GEOFF ISMAY, Waterford.
Age-old argument
FROM time to time the tug-of-war emerges between those in favour of abortion and those who, under the name of pro-life, repudiate it.
The two fronts are now up in arms in America, as according to a leaked information, the United States Supreme Court seems to be poised to rule that the 1973 decision granting federal constitutional protections of abortion rights and a subsequent 1992 decision that largely maintained that right would be completely repudiated. It is an age-old struggle!
What fuels the pro-life argument is the religious-ethical argument that a fetus is a living being and that abortion would allow it to be killed, a consideration disputed by the pro-choice side in an eternal dilemma that will hardly be solved. The latter’s argument is that what women do with their bodies is their prerogative and that nobody has any right to restrict it.
For them, being denied access to abortion is an infringement of both a human and a civil right. They also claim that, in many cases, this ignores the repercussions on women’s physical, moral, and social well-being after carrying pregnancy to the full term. In this context it’s quite surprising a legal restriction of this freedom of choice has not been appealed yet to the International Court of Justice which, among other things, is there to precisely protect all human and civil rights. CONCETTO LA MALFA,
Dublin 4.
Unfair loitering laws
IT was one of those odd headlines that you often miss, but the story is common in many countries. Sierra Leone has a law against loitering [that activists are seeking to overturn], which initially sounds reasonable, but it is often just being used to move people on. This is a law that often affects those in poverty that do not have a place which to go.
There are about 30,000 laws in America, but how many of them help those in poverty rather than make their life worse? There are too many people who are in poverty or need despite whatever efforts they make in life. Nobody deserves to be punished or imprisoned for being poor. DENNIS FITZGERALD, Melbourne, Australia.
Anne’s final Countdown
NOW that Anne Robinson is thankfully leaving Countdown, could the producers bear in mind a few essential points when looking for her replacement as presenter. This quiz show had always been enjoyable, light-hearted entertainment with the added bonus of stimulating the brain.
Sadly, it has turned into more of a chat show with guests in Dictionary Corner being interrogated rather than given the opportunity to enlighten us with their expertise. Unlike Ms Robinson, I have no interest about whether or not a contestant has a degree or if their partner can cook. Let’s hope Countdown’s new host doesn’t make the show all about them. JENNI SMEDLEY,
by email. ... I CAN once again enjoy watching Countdown live instead of recording it so that I can fast forward the bits I don’t like. GEOFF PRITCHARD, by email. ... I HOPE the new Countdown presenter will have personality, charm and light-heartedness. My family find old-fashioned Anne Robinson to be such a bore droning on and on. Let’s face it, the poor lady is past it and should be put out to grass.
LEN WILLIAMS, by email.