Opinion

Thousands of unborn lives at stake in what SF do or fail to do

Sinn Féin’s knowledge of legislation recently passed by Westminster will have undoubtedly alerted the party to its profound and widespread ramifications. Abortion is indeed a sensitive and emotive issue, requiring compassion and grace for both mother and baby, for in every case there two human lives involved.

Tragically Sinn Féin seems to totally ignore the baby, the unborn child. Why? The science of embryology has conclusively shown that what is in every pregnant mother’s womb is a separate unique human being.Why has Sinn Féin expressed little compassion for the unborn child – after all it is only the unborn child’s heart that every abortion stops? Does Sinn Féin not consider as a very good and positive achievement that today over 100,000 people are alive in Northern Ireland because the law here has, since 1967, been wisely much more protective of the unborn child than in the rest of the UK? Indeed some of those 100,000 people may well be your supporters.

We understand Sinn Féin does not support the extension of the British 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland. This is good since only 2 per cent of more than nine million abortions in Great Britain (since 1967) were for babies with a life limiting condition or the result of sexual crime. Unfortunately Sinn Féin completely fails to mention is that what will apply in Northern Ireland from October 22 is much, much worse. Essentially, what Sinn Féin has welcomed is that Northern Ireland will have for all intent and purpose abortion on request up to 28 weeks. Accordingly, Northern Ireland will then have the most ‘permissive’ legislation in Europe, where on average the limit is 12 weeks or GB where it is 24 weeks. Sinn Féin knows babies are now viable from 21 weeks.  Additionally, until at least March 31 2020 the whole situation in Northern Ireland will be completely and utterly unregulated.


It would be most helpful if Sinn Féin would explain how what it has welcomed gives any “dignity, equality and respect” to the unborn.

It is puzzling how Sinn Féin, as a proudly avowed all-Ireland political party, think it would be appropriate for Northern Ireland’s law to be considerably more ‘liberal’ than the Republic’s where it is only 12 weeks on request not viability or potentially beyond.

It is positive to hear that Sinn Féin wants a functioning executive delivering good government and legislating in the interests of all – surely that must also include unborn children who need our protection the most. We implore you  to have an executive formed before October 21; thousands of unborn lives are at stake in what you do or fail to.

A & A SHEPPARD


Ballymena, Co Antrim

Edge-of-seat scream play Brexit has finally lost capacity to surprise

THE soap opera that is Mess-minster has stretched the Brexit plot beyond farce into a new dimension of anger, dread, and loathing as a reaction to the very sound of the word. A tragi-comedy about as welcome as a looped recording of Baby Shark. Yet we, the audience, are also players in an edge-of-the-seat scream play that has finally lost the capacity to surprise; a spoiler alert of economic doom – cue the drum roll on a bleak future for these islands. Boris Johnson is the latest character drafted in to liven up a political franchise. He is both the new lead and a metaphor for the crucible of Westminster that has floated the slag of betrayal, double standards and ancient bitterness that is English democracy. Boris is the man for all reasons – a plague personified on all the political houses that have sworn fealty to the London parliament. Boris a contemporary Nero who fiddles without need of a violin. The music at the end credits of a collapsed empire. His Frankenstein deal of discarded ideas an obvious fig leaf for too many embarrassments of English nationalism and Irish denial. The financial and social pain of Brexit will also serve as the birth pangs of a new Ireland as the European Union doubles down on the backstop on steroids to further punish and humiliate the English elite and their local familiars. The EU always had to make the British exit a painful and unenticing process for other wavering members. They can at least take comfort in a mission beyond completed. Britain leaving without a deal would require further discouragement for those who would follow. Time to batten down the hatches, convert any savings to a stable currency, book any required operations in eastern Europe, stock up on medicines and food, and be prepared for economic and social upheaval not seen since the 1970s. Well maybe – maybe not. We can’t be sure, but it seems a fair bet. Mess-minster, if it was the theme of a soap would be taken off air after the first episode – fiction has to be believable.

GERARD HERDMAN


Belfast BT11

Demise of Christianity

The Irish News front page (September 30)tell us that the major Churches unite to oppose abortion law. If abortion is a healthcare matter why have only 16 per cent of GPs in the Republic agreed to participate in this? Why have some hospitals, including my local one in Letterkenny, refused to participate on moral grounds? Are ‘Irish News’ readers aware that some posts in Dublin hospitals are being advertised that the successful candidate would have to participate in the termination of the unborn human? This is clearly not only morally wrong but discriminatory to people of all Christian faiths as well as Jewish and Muslim believers.

After the vote to decriminalise abortion in the Republic the Administrator in the Catholic Cathedral in Letterkenny said that the electorate had decided to end 2,000 years of Christianity in Ireland. He was right.

SEAN O DOIBHILIN


Letterkenny, Co Donegal

Recommended viewing

Many years ago John Hume suggested a foolproof solution to the flag problem – either we fly all flags and everyone is happy, or we fly no flags and everyone is happy. 


Now that the film Unplanned is screening all across Ireland from last weekend, I urge people on both sides of the abortion debate to watch it, as I have. That way, abortion supporters can justify their views, pro-lifers can justify their views and everyone is happy.

JOHN AUSTIN


Limavady, Co Derry

Welcome return to the airwaves

It was an absolute pleasure once again to be able to listen to Sean Coyle on the radio. I am sure there are many others who would agree. I did not have a digital radio but my son gave me one to enable me to tune in to his show. My very best wishes to Sean and his team.

CHARLOTTE MORRISON


Belfast BT6