This is a third posting on abortion brought on by some of the news articles and facebook postings I've been seeing all over the place about how the debate is taking place.
In my first blog on abortion I mentioned it being interesting in seeing how a debate on abortion being legalised would pan out for a referendum (this is also referenced in the second blog where I added I take it back). I believe, even the current legislation requires a referendum to pass under our constitution (see blog 2). In this blog post I want to adress some of the things happening as this debate rages, literally.
On the pro-life side.
Recently the Taoiseach and other TDs stated that they have been receiving abuse for being supporters of the Abortion legislation.
Pro-Life campaigners have been spitting on TDs, calling to these people's homes at all hours, threatening to slit TDs throats and burn down their homes.
The Taoiseach himself has been in receipt of letters written in blood (some claiming to be the blood of the babies Enda Kenny is allowing to be aborted) and plastic foetuses.
These are not the way to make a political statement, unless you want the opposite of what you are campaigning for to occur. Actions like these will lead those who are on the fence to vote the other way because of how appalled they are by your actions. All that these kind of actions lead to is damage to a pro-life campaign because it makes pro-lifers look insane.
On the Pro-Choice (specifically the actions of the TDs) side.
The right to vote freely in an issue that is of conscience is important. I read this article heading on RTÉ's page and I genuinely thought the article was going to be about how the majority of Dáil parties are stopping their members from freely voting on this legislation under threat of 'party discipline'. The heading was "Dáil hears of widespread intimidation of TDs over abortion legislation." (link: http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0613/456422-abortion-legislation-tds/)
Not allowing free choice in the voting on this legislation is morally wrong. This is an issue of conscience and should be treated as such. It is not an issue of party loyalty.
Having said that there appears to be very few TDs who would vote against the legislation. Most TDs back it. Therefore the government have very little to fear in allowing a free vote as the legislation would pass in the Dáil anyway.
However, in not allowing a free vote it appears that the party leaders are desperate to hold onto control which is more like a totalitarian dictator than it is a democratic process.
TDs represent people in the Dáil. If there was a Labour, Sinn Féin or Fine Gael TD who represented a constituency that was anti this law by the very nature of what a public representative is that TD should be voting no. Not allowing this is ridiculous and possibly even tyrannical in nature.
Also an Independent TD made a point earlier this week I believe that also appeared uncivilised and so it requires attention here. John Halligan, Independent TD for Waterford elected on the 11th count with 10% of the vote, ex mayor of Waterford City made the following statement:
"this organisation (the Roman Catholic Church) has no right to be the State's moral compass and is in no position to lecture anyone on human rights with the Catholic Church's blood-stained history, from pre-Medieval times to the Crusades across Europe and the Middle East... (and the) irreparable damage they have done to human beings, particularly children, across the world." (Article link: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/john-halligan-td-says-church-is-in-no-position-to-lecture-on-rights-1.1428027)
I am in no way saying that I disagree that the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) has made many, many mistakes. However, these issues are not the topic of debate and bringing them up is just throwing dirt and being petty.
People who give advice on how to handle conflicts and disagreement discussions always tell you it isn't the place to bring up the mistakes of the past because the whole discussion becomes overwhelming and breaks down. This is exactly what this TD has done, and others like him undoubtedly.
Admittedly, I do not know his story, there is a possibility, and unfortunately not an unlikely one, that he or someone he is close to was abused by the church and that is sad. Plus there is loads of pressure from the backlash TDs are receiving from Pro-Life campaigners (see above) which is atrocious too. However, none of that justifies what this man has done and said about the Church. If it was a general statement said outside of any debate it would be fine but to scape goat the RCC like this and make it look bad when the debate has nothing to do with those issues is equally atrocious.
I feel the need to pause the discussion here to reiterate the fact that I agree with Mr Halligan and he is correct in his assessment of the atrocities committed by the Roman Catholic Church and I am not a Catholic, nor do I agree with much of what the Catholic Church does or says. I even agree that is should not be seen as the State's Moral Compass.
The fact of the matter is that the Catholic Church clergymen present in Ireland today did not support the 'Nazi' regime in Italy (which was called Fascism by the way, Naziism was in Germany) or take part or endorse the Crusades or take part in the blood staining the TD in question mentioned. There is a possibility that some of them were involved in the abuse of children but not all of them and you cannot tar the entire organisation by the actions of a few. If that were the case the entire Dáil could be written off due to the actions of one TD, which I am sure Mr Halligan would not agree with so why use a different standard for an organisation you Mr Halligan, disagree with than you would use for the organisation you a part of.
In related news:
The Labour Party has finally done something right, possibly the first thing since they fixed minimum wage after the shambles that was the Fianna Fail, Green, 'P.D.' government. The same TD quoted above called on Tánaiste and leader of the Labour Party Eamon Gilmore to condemn the Church for "attempting to intervene in the running of this State."
The Tánaiste responded: "All citizens of the State have every right to state their point of view to government on any issue which is of public importance."
I hope all this back biting can cease and we can just debate the issue without taking personal swipes at people and organisations just to be petty and throw dirt. I am not saying Mr Halligan is the only TD responsible for such actions either, he is just the one that is appearing in the news a lot at the moment.
Debate abortion when you're debating abortion, not everything else.
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