Abortion The Irish Solution

People who are morally opposed to abortion hold a valid position. Those who support a woman’s right to choose-what happens to her own body—also hold a valid position. Yet some of us who are morally opposed to abortion are also disturbed by the fact that we export over 10,000 women to Britain annually for abortions. Like cattle these women are exported-many are young and vulnerable. They are forced to leave these shores to seek abortions. So as individuals we hold our position which is right and proper—but is the state entitled to hold a moral position? Peter Mathews on a recent Vincent Browne show-clearly held a moral position. But as an elected member of parliament is his role not to legislate without referring to his own morality? The legislative process is in limbo-as successive legislators have failed to deal with this issue. Abortion is legal in Ireland -if there is deemed to be a risk to the life of a woman. However Dail Eireann has refused to draft legislation---and the medical council guidelines are clear. ‘The deliberate and intentional destruction of the unborn child is professional misconduct!’ So why won’t the major parties face up to the judgement of the Supreme Court and frame legislation around it. Is it because all government members of parliament hold moral positions like Peter Mathews? Or is it because they are afraid of the backlash throughout middle Ireland at the next election? If this is so, how has this divisive and fundamental issue become so politicised in recent history. When one undergo's a searching moral examination of oneself—is there a logic that says, ‘Well abortion is illegal here-who cares, if they get the boat to heathen England?’ There are two other countries in Europe that like us don’t allow abortion; they are Malta and the Vatican City. Hugely Roman Catholic countries. Is Ireland not supposed to be a secular pluralist state? Are the Irish people saying that we hold a moral position above our fellow European Union colleagues? That we in the Emerald Isle have the inside knowledge on morality—and the right to life. Are we saying that we know how to treat our women with unwanted—or unmanageable pregnancies? In order for a populace to hold such fine opinions of themselves should they not be leading the world by example? Where is our example with our greed culture and our sexual abuse scandals that have rocked our complacency. When one is weighing up our morality—one asks with how much respect did we afford the born. Especially if they were poor and subjected to the arm of the state through exposure to religious thugs. Let us face the truth here Ireland has an ethos—it is sown in our souls from years of Catholic indoctrination. We do not trust our individual morality. Why not allow for the world as it really is-and we will make our choices accordingly. Do we depend on legislation or indeed the lack of it-to shape our decision making. We are like sheep locked in a pen. If all other modern European states save for Catholic Malta and the Vatican-have legislated on this-where is our morality in relation this matter? Of course much of the reality that confronts us in this small Island comes from our right wing friends in the states. Not alone are they determined to wash us with neo-liberalism. Destroying communities and building their churches in the shape of out of town outlets. Retail— is the new religion folks—these people also bring us their sick brand of Christian rightist dogma. Ireland is their last stand on issues like abortion—and their fight against feminism. One does not need to favour a limited form of abortion—to find these people and their agents reprehensible. Abortion will always be a moral crisis for the individual. The state has a duty to legislate without reverting to personal morality. The Irish people watch the cattle boats leaving weekly!

In Reply To Eilis O' Hanlon [Sunday Independent 15/07/2012

An Open Letter to Eilis O’Hanlon [Sunday Independent 15/07/2012] I once had a dream where I caught a glimpse of the best spin doctor in the world. He was educating his colleagues –who all sat around a large table. Their mouths gaping as the best spin doctor in the world-told them how it was. When I awoke—I remembered what it was he had said. ‘My friends there are only two people in the world you need to convince. Mother and father! Think about it—these people are comfortable but not rich! She is standing at the kitchen sink—whilst he sits by the fire reading his newspaper. These are the people my friends who are appalled and offended. You are looking at the consciousness of a nation! Convince these people and you will set the trend. So the scene is set for your article. I have no doubt the mother and father will be with you all of the way. Yet you have made so many sweeping generalisations and the underbelly of your thesis attacking the left—leaves you bereft of argument. To begin with—the Irish media has very few left wing commentators! The frenzy around the ‘Brian Murphy,’ case was more associated with sensationalism. It was a major news story. Posh schoolboys involved in behaviour allegorically belonging to the 'Underclass.' Also you dismiss some of the analysis which identifies this awful carnage with Dance Music and the band themselves. Yet three more people were stabbed at their concert in Milton Keynes on Saturday. There were other concerts held recently—[Stone Roses,] where there was no trouble. But that doesn’t suit the agenda does it? The word Knacker as you politely explain for mother and father—is a derogatory term. Yet you go on to associate this term with the ‘Underclass.’ Which is prospering under the guidance of neo-liberalism. But to be a Knacker must you come from a certain area. Is there really a correlation between Knackerdom and long term social welfare dependency? If so what is the Knacker who comes from Foxrock’s excuse? Is Knackerdom not a state of mind that manifests itself through either a culture of hopelessness—or auspiciousness? To be fair—you do reel in a little later in the article—I will come to that. You refer to no go areas around Dublin. Although I am from Dublin I now live in rural West Cork. I am no apologist for knife crime by the way. I am puzzled by how you can target deprivation and immediately conclude the trouble makers were from certain areas. How do you know this? I have googled and found that one person who was arrested was from West Dublin. I also found that 135,000 people attended the festival over the weekend. In the context of this one wonders what all the frenzy is about? The reason I respond to you Eilis is that you accuse people of not facing up to issues of class. I am I can assure you—and when you refer to an ‘Underclass.’ I agree with you. Yet is the creation of this 'Underclass.' and how it sprang to life that we will disagree on. Unlike many on the right, I have no fear in outing my ideology. This 'Underclass.' has spawned from what used to be just called poverty. Neo-liberalism sent a flood of support into these communities offering cheap credit and cheap commodities. Right wing ideology likes to blame welfare on this. Welfare has nothing to do with neo-liberal ideology, only in a very loose way-as products and services can still be sold. Welfare is a state responsibility it is why we have citizenship. It is called social justice—and it is part of the right wing agenda, to associate welfare with crime—and fecklessness. I quote from your article! 'The problem was identified a long time ago, when Ken Aluetta of the New Yorker popularised the term 'Underclass' to describe that group of poorly educated long-term welfare recipients, and others on the criminal fringe, who were unassimilated with, and hostile to, broader society.' I see now that you have moved from a concern about knife crime to your real agenda. I want to state Eilis that I have no problem with you holding these views. But is it right not to express your ideology for your readers so they will be aware of your politics? Yes you did try to reel back a little—by allowing that the decent people living in 681—may be afraid of the 'Underclass.' in 683—I appreciate that at least,if it is not a little patronising--and most likely a rare occurance. Then you attack again with, Quote, 'In the Celtic Tiger years, the only ones left behind were these very long-term generational feckless who didn't want to improve their lot. Their lot was improved anyway, because we could afford it, thereby entrenching them further in an adolescent state of dependency.' Finally if it is true that the underclass like stabbing people,my God! What do the neo-liberals and the ‘Overclass,’ like doing? Killing people by closing vital services to the old and disabled? Long waiting lists for essential surgery---insufficient mental health services for young people? I watch as Ireland steps right—and it is only the left declaring their ideology.

Is Twitter the new middle-class machine

God be with the days when a group of women living in an upmarket estate could seriously affect the price of their houses. Depending on the mood that was in it—they could talk the prices up or down. It was a simple and reliable process when one bright spark would suddenly announce to the group, ‘We are looking for €500,000 for ours. Much coffee was spilled and envious looks exchanged. Later the grapevine headlined it –and auctioneers were contacted. Around the same time a group of lads drinking coffee after a game of golf. Their slant was a little different—as they would not be looking for anything. Comments like we will get €500,000 for ours went unnoticed as somebody else boasted they had just bought the wife a new car. Those were the days my friends with shopping trips to New York and family holidays to Florida. Irish people had made it at last on the world’s big bad stage. Second homes were sought in Turkey—Hungary and Bulgaria. The mighty euro spoke and all was good. I often have nightmares wondering what things would have been like on twitter—at the start of the boom. Would auctioneers and estate agents have dominated my timeline. Would I have followed a bank? Don’t forget the favoured phrase during this utopian dream was ‘I secured a great rate!’ The borrower was in a position of great power. He could make a bank official squirm with a well placed reference to the opposition. It was a great game to play and I am sure many people sorely miss the buzz. Of course with twitter one will always get the dissenting voice. Perhaps people with some sort of moral soul may have warned us. We may have had soft voices telling us about how this greed will ruin society. Would we have listened coldly and then continued on the yellow brick road. But that is what is good about twitter. It allows for the dissenting voice complete and unabridged. When I joined twitter a few years ago—I was pleasantly surprised by the range of ideas presented. There was left and there was right—with a large centre. Good socially conscious articles came through politico and elsewhere. It also opened up the world. I discovered there is a sizable opposition in the United States for example. A core group of people who would put many of our so called socialists to shame. I learned new things about the world also. Sad facts like that despite our celebrated aid agencies three quarters of the world’s population don’t have enough to eat. To put this tiny point in perspective—I first heard this stat way back in 1975-in a school debate. I have spent the last few days chatting to new people. I have also done some serious analysis of my timeline. I am watching to see what type of discussions are taking place. I am disappointed. Yes there are some strong tweets re-topical issues, and the occasional comment re –ideology. I am afraid that most of the tweets are bland in the extreme. Men do it subliminally by trying to be witty and sound superior. However women are the worst offenders. With tweets that reflect their every thought and action! The reason we got sucked into the greed was that people didn’t question? We were led by the hand. Most of us went along with the false pride-of our tiger economy. There descended from the heavens a great shower of blandness. Where nothing was really questioned or forensically examined. Questions such as will this rising tide lift all boats? Or will it be only me and my neighbours in our suburban cocoon. Has this middle-class culture made a bid for twitter? When people avoid getting to the core of issues. Where much of the conversation concerns trite nonsense. I know some twitter users who like all their followers. They even like convicted bullies and lefty arty farties like me for Gods sake! I hear earnest activists going on about issues that are vital and important to society. They are fighting a losing battle to win over the concerns of the comfortable and the bland.