Taoiseach Leo Varadkar expressed his ‘very strong view’ to the DUP (June 20) and instructed them not to use ‘the petition of concern mechanism’ to block same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland.
The DUP and all political parties are perfectly entitled to use this legitimate form of politicking.
Like Nicola Sturgeon he appears to have a problem accepting Northern Ireland legislature.
Time for Leo – like Nicola – to sort out their own political problems, before poking their noses into ours.
Dr OWEN GALLAGHER
Glenavy, Co Antrim
Distorting claims is suggestive one’s defence lacks confidence
Aidan Convery (June 27) falsely claims that I “played fast and loose with the definition and criteria of life” by decrying embryonic life as “insentient beings” and as “inanimate entities unworthy of being considered fully human”. Inebriated with his own panache for emotive rhetoric he implies that I supported the concept that ‘late term unborn’ (which presumably means late termination) feel no pain.
I respectfully challenge anyone to reference, verbatim, the letters where these remarks, or even the inference, were made.
In my letter of 3/3 I argued that it was morally inconsistent of anyone to urge us to vote for political parties holding the absolutist stance on abortion but who have supported paramilitary groups responsible for the destruction of fully formed human life. These parties have also encouraged, implicitly or explicitly, sectarian violence, have consistently obstructed the rights of minority groups and negligently wasted millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money which could have been used to alleviate real suffering.
If you wish to defend such ethically indefensible calls then your moral compass requires adjusting.
Giving precedence to embryonic life over ‘fully formed sentient life’ (the latter surely deserving of, at least, the same respect as the former) lacks moral fortitude.
I have consistently stated that abortion is an ugly blot on the human landscape and our efforts should be geared towards its reduction. The absolutist claims all abortions, under any circumstance, are wrong.
Such intransigence militates against the reduction of the very thing which the absolutist wishes to eradicate.
As an aside, my own observation is that such intransigence is a concomitant of strong religious belief. All rational people will acknowledge that abortion (irrespective of the individual reasons for seeking one) will always be a feature of human existence, so our resources would be better used in seeking ways to reduce it rather than wasted on the utopia of elimination.
As with others of a similar hue, Mr Convery has failed to offer any viable reduction strategy.
He conveniently ignored my recommendation that the Catholic Church abandons its absurd injunction on the use of contraception. There is no doubt that this single act alone would significantly reduce abortion rates in the poorest regions on earth, with the added benefit of reducing the spread of the Aids virus.
There is no moral justification for condemning contraception to the detriment of abortion and Aids.
There is no moral justification for making it illegal to have an abortion in the case of fatal, foetal abnormality. There is no moral justification for pretending that “absolutely no abortion under any circumstance” will reduce suffering in the world, while knowing full well that the opposite is certainly true. That is moral cowardice.
Distorting what is said in my letters lacks rectitude and is highly suggestive that one’s own defence lacks confidence.
DANNY TREACY
Templepatrick, Co Antrim
Culture and tradition most abused words in our language
As we approach the marching season I look forward to the no-nonsense approach taken by the PSNI as exemplified by their attitude to St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the Holy Land area. I expect to see the police to enforce the on-street drinking ban and tell us how many bottles they confiscated and how much damage was caused on the ‘Eleventh’ night. I imagine the BBC will cover every anti-social action with interviews of frustrated people intimidated and angry at the disturbances around bonfires.
Perhaps I am expecting too much, given that the police can take down a poster in Ardoyne that advertised suicide awareness help but find it difficult to take down a terrorist banner in Moygashel. Culture and tradition must be the most abused words in our language.
Here in July we have the Eleventh night, where bonfires with effigies of people are burned followed by an abundance of military-style marches through areas where they are not welcome. Military uniforms emerge, banners and more flags on display and blood and thunder speeches. How interesting that the last time a country expressed their culture in these fashions was in Germany in the 1930s.
Culture in most places develops over time and becomes more inclusive and relevant, but not here. Again ‘tradition’ carries an almost sacred right ascribed to it. If things should continue simply because they are traditional no matter who they offend or how much the world changes, then someone has an argument for bringing back the Nuremberg Rally, or maybe we just imitate it here.
FRANCIS RICE
Belfast BT11
Poor display of judgment
I thought The Irish News editorial (July 4) was just a tad naïve and especially so given it was juxtaposed with Fionnuala O Connor’s piece discussing the Westminster amendment legislating for free abortion provision by NHS England for NI women.
As soon as the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, announced he was to legislate at Westminster ‘to authorise civil servants to allocate funds to the various Stormont departments’ it was immediately apparent that he was paving the way for Westminster MPs to table amendments for a standalone Irish language act and for any other outstanding issues. Surely?
BERNARD J MULHOLLAND
Belfast BT9
Political wilderness
A week ago I referred to this place as a political wasteland. In the short few days since it has come to resemble a barren wilderness – wild and impassable.
Remember before the last assembly election when political leaders tripped over each other to pronounce that there would be ‘no red lines’ on the page of political negotiation?
Today the writing on the page is virtually obliterated by red lines. Thick and obdurate.
Like a school child’s bad piece of homework – disfigured by the teacher’s red marker.
At the bottom of the page there should appear the electorate’s stark comment – ‘Take back this disgraceful piece of work and rewrite properly before school starts in September’.
The present piece of homework will be consigned to the nearest bonfire.
JOE McBRIDE
Maghera, Co Derry
Learn to take it on the chin
So Jeffrey Donaldson takes offence because a Green Party MP knocks the DUP. Compared to some of the antics and statements emanating from his party down the years it pales into insignificance.
I think back to the disparaging remarks about the Irish language by the DUP’s Sammy Wilson and Gregory Campbell and the not to be forgotten Ian Paisley who took every opportunity he could to call the spiritual leader of 1.2 billion people the anti-Christ. For the length of time this parliament lasts, probably months, learn to take it on the chin Mr Donaldson.
SEAN MAG AONGHUSA
Belfast BT13
