Ban on peaceful protest smacks of totalitarianism
Niamh Uí Bhriain
On 4th January, seven pro-life people held a silent vigil outside the first de facto abortion centre in Galway. It was a peaceful event, and their signs urged a better option than abortion for women with an unexpected pregnancy.
Maria Mahoney, who took part, said they wanted to highlight that a doctor has two patients when a woman is pregnant, and also reach out to women with a message of support.
Abortion campaigners and their media allies reacted with shrieks of outrage, and calls for “buffer zones”, essentially a law which would criminalise anyone peacefully protesting outside an abortion centre.
Sen. Catherine Noone described the peaceful witness as “intimidating behaviour” which “will not be tolerated”. She urged Simon Harris to speed up the process of creating exclusion zones.
We’re treading on very dangerous ground when a law-maker feels she can say that peaceful protesters will not be tolerated because they oppose government policy.
It's a significant step towards totalitarianism, that should worry anyone who believes in freedom of assembly and freedom of speech.
Colm O’Gorman, head of Amnesty International, (now probably the most hypocritical outfit on the planet, and one entirely lacking in self-awareness) also called for a law to impose exclusion zones.
The human rights organisation founded to protect freedom of conscience wants people locked up because they are peacefully protesting something their conscience tells them is morally wrong. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
The hostility of Noone and her cohorts didn’t stop there however. When Professor Ray Kinsella tweeted a request for prayers for a change of heart for a woman scheduled to have an abortion, the pitchforks really came out.
Twitter agreed that the request for prayers was “evil” and could not be condoned. The only good outcome for a woman in crisis, it seems, is an abortion.
Prayers, support, love, compassion – anything that might interfere with an abortion being carried out will not be tolerated.
On the other hand, the attacks on Prof Kinsella’s tweet were countered with hundreds of support messages on social media. They recognised that this unwarranted reaction to a request for prayer indicated a hatred of faith and an intolerance of alternative views.
Harris was quick to reassure his FG colleague - and his fellow abortion campaigners - that he would move to outlaw peaceful protest. But he may come up against a Constitutional obstacle to his plans.
He will also find that the pro-life movement will not bow to Twitter mobs, nor to an unjust law which seeks to restrict our ability to be a voice for helpless babies and offer women a better answer than abortion.
Interesting apology from Tesco
On the Feast of the Epiphany, Irish women traditionally also celebrate Oíche Nollaig na mBan, so that women can have a well-earned rest after Christmas.
This year, Tesco Ireland marked the day by posting a photo of former President Mary Robinson on social media with her comment, “I was elected by the women of Ireland who, instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.”
If Tesco thought disparaging part of their most important customer base would do them any favours they were quickly disabused of the notion.
“Dear Tesco Ireland, I resent the implication that motherhood is a less noble vocation than politics... It’s a sad society turns mothers against their own children,” tweeted one woman.
Another pointed out “Mothering isn't something we do. Mothers is who and what we are. It is our life. You wanna rock the system? Go home and rear your children and be the best mother you can possibly be.”
Facing a backlash, the retail giant had the grace to issue an apology. “This [social media] post was intended to celebrate inspirational Irish women for Nollaig na mBan on Sunday. We are truly sorry if it caused offence, this was never our intention.”
The retraction showed that while taxpayer-funded quangos like the Women's Council may feel free to dismiss the value of rocking the cradle, retailers know they can’t afford to insult women who value full-time caring for family when it’s possible.
In the retail wars, the customer is king, and political correctness comes a poor second. That’s worth remembering.
From the ashes
While Ireland has now tragically repealed the right-to-life 8th amendment, we should recognise that this country continued to protect life for 50 years after most of Europe had fallen to the abortion industry.
However, even as Ireland hits rock bottom in relation to compassion and human decency, recent elections across Europe have thrown up some interesting results.
In December’s Andalusian elections in the south of Spain a pro-life political party founded only four years ago won 12 seats in the regional parliament and looks set to hold the balance of power in a coalition government.
Vox, whose strong pro-life pillar is central to its policy platform, exceeded all expectations in the elections.
In Ireland, Peadar Tóibín, Renua, and independents like Mattie McGrath and Carol Nolan are offering political change and a new alternative.
A cultural change to reverse the worst of what came so late to Ireland may become a reality sooner rather than later.
Maria Mahoney, who took part, said they wanted to highlight that a doctor has two patients when a woman is pregnant, and also reach out to women with a message of support.
Abortion campaigners and their media allies reacted with shrieks of outrage, and calls for “buffer zones”, essentially a law which would criminalise anyone peacefully protesting outside an abortion centre.
Sen. Catherine Noone described the peaceful witness as “intimidating behaviour” which “will not be tolerated”. She urged Simon Harris to speed up the process of creating exclusion zones.
We’re treading on very dangerous ground when a law-maker feels she can say that peaceful protesters will not be tolerated because they oppose government policy.
It's a significant step towards totalitarianism, that should worry anyone who believes in freedom of assembly and freedom of speech.
Colm O’Gorman, head of Amnesty International, (now probably the most hypocritical outfit on the planet, and one entirely lacking in self-awareness) also called for a law to impose exclusion zones.
The human rights organisation founded to protect freedom of conscience wants people locked up because they are peacefully protesting something their conscience tells them is morally wrong. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
The hostility of Noone and her cohorts didn’t stop there however. When Professor Ray Kinsella tweeted a request for prayers for a change of heart for a woman scheduled to have an abortion, the pitchforks really came out.
Twitter agreed that the request for prayers was “evil” and could not be condoned. The only good outcome for a woman in crisis, it seems, is an abortion.
Prayers, support, love, compassion – anything that might interfere with an abortion being carried out will not be tolerated.
On the other hand, the attacks on Prof Kinsella’s tweet were countered with hundreds of support messages on social media. They recognised that this unwarranted reaction to a request for prayer indicated a hatred of faith and an intolerance of alternative views.
Harris was quick to reassure his FG colleague - and his fellow abortion campaigners - that he would move to outlaw peaceful protest. But he may come up against a Constitutional obstacle to his plans.
He will also find that the pro-life movement will not bow to Twitter mobs, nor to an unjust law which seeks to restrict our ability to be a voice for helpless babies and offer women a better answer than abortion.
Interesting apology from Tesco
On the Feast of the Epiphany, Irish women traditionally also celebrate Oíche Nollaig na mBan, so that women can have a well-earned rest after Christmas.
This year, Tesco Ireland marked the day by posting a photo of former President Mary Robinson on social media with her comment, “I was elected by the women of Ireland who, instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.”
If Tesco thought disparaging part of their most important customer base would do them any favours they were quickly disabused of the notion.
“Dear Tesco Ireland, I resent the implication that motherhood is a less noble vocation than politics... It’s a sad society turns mothers against their own children,” tweeted one woman.
Another pointed out “Mothering isn't something we do. Mothers is who and what we are. It is our life. You wanna rock the system? Go home and rear your children and be the best mother you can possibly be.”
Facing a backlash, the retail giant had the grace to issue an apology. “This [social media] post was intended to celebrate inspirational Irish women for Nollaig na mBan on Sunday. We are truly sorry if it caused offence, this was never our intention.”
The retraction showed that while taxpayer-funded quangos like the Women's Council may feel free to dismiss the value of rocking the cradle, retailers know they can’t afford to insult women who value full-time caring for family when it’s possible.
In the retail wars, the customer is king, and political correctness comes a poor second. That’s worth remembering.
From the ashes
While Ireland has now tragically repealed the right-to-life 8th amendment, we should recognise that this country continued to protect life for 50 years after most of Europe had fallen to the abortion industry.
However, even as Ireland hits rock bottom in relation to compassion and human decency, recent elections across Europe have thrown up some interesting results.
In December’s Andalusian elections in the south of Spain a pro-life political party founded only four years ago won 12 seats in the regional parliament and looks set to hold the balance of power in a coalition government.
Vox, whose strong pro-life pillar is central to its policy platform, exceeded all expectations in the elections.
In Ireland, Peadar Tóibín, Renua, and independents like Mattie McGrath and Carol Nolan are offering political change and a new alternative.
A cultural change to reverse the worst of what came so late to Ireland may become a reality sooner rather than later.