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!