Alliance for Choice spokesperson Barbara Muldoon said the current legislation was outdated.
"Northern Ireland is already 41 years behind England, Scotland and Wales," she said.
A fact that the Unionist political establishment should be concerned about.
But they're not as the legislation in question concerns women’s reproductive rights.
"(That's) something that really seems inconceivable, that women in Northern Ireland would be denied a right that their sisters elsewhere in the UK have.
"We think, certainly in Alliance for Choice, that change is desperately needed, and it's due."
I fully agree.
8 comments:
So the unionist establishment are not interested because they're not concerned with women? Just plain old sexism?
No, it's because of sexism(although afew more female voices to challenge Iris wouldn't go amiss).
I really don't think that 100% of the DUP and UUP establishment agree with the present anomalous (sp?) state. But those that don't agree are afraid to stand up for their own beliefs because they're worried about how that would be received by their voter base. But if anything SF's and the SDLP's stance as self-declared socialsit parties is even more hypocritical, the Unionists at least don't pretend to be anything other than socially conservative on this kind of matter.
I'm sure you're right in regard to there not being uniformity within both the UUP and DUP on the issue. The UUP if voting on this have no party line and it is a free vote.
Maybe those who don't agree but go quietly into the night realise that extending abortion to NI is not a vote winner? Therefore reflecting public opinion (whether flawed or not) is widely accepted?
My own stance on abortion is pretty clear on RS, but to say that my view (because I'm a man) is sexist is complete nonsense.
No, it's because of sexism(although afew more female voices to challenge Iris wouldn't go amiss).
That should have read "it's not because of sexism". It's not a complete answer, today's been a bit crazy workwise, I'll write a fuller response later Ignited.
Lol, from one simple word omitted and I hit you with a rant!
Call that a rant??!!
Maybe those who don't agree but go quietly into the night realise that extending abortion to NI is not a vote winner? Therefore reflecting public opinion (whether flawed or not) is widely accepted?
But on issues of conscience that is moral cowardice; I’d use the comparison with the death penalty question- I have a suspicion that any nationwide referendum would be very close, yet MPs are allowed, without too much argument from their constituents, to follow their own conscience on the matter. For the Unionist electorate at least, abortion is not even in the Top5 of “hot” topics, more representatives should be more honest about this question.
My own stance on abortion is pretty clear on RS, but to say that my view (because I'm a man) is sexist is complete nonsense.
I think your stance is wrong…but that is a bit like saying I believe someone’s religion or politics or even football team is wrong, ie it’s a matter of individual private conscience and belief, not really something which can be objectively argued about. Where I object to many in the pro-life camp is that they would deny this same right to exercise this same private conscience to everyone in society in order that their own beliefs prevail. As an integrationist Unionist, I also believe we should have the same set of laws applying throughout the UK; pro-lifers in NI have the right to set out their argument to individuals, they don’t have the right to force individuals to follow that argument against the individual in question’s will.
My final point, specifically with NI, is that the ban on abortion has not:
1. Prevented unwanted pregnancies
2. Prevented N.irish girls from travelling to the UK to have abortions.
Pro lifers (and society in general) should be working more on Point 1.
Point 2) illustrates the hypocrisy of our present situation.
I wouldn't disagree with a word of that O'Neill. It summarises my feelings on the issue perfectly.
Have gone over the same ground here before:
http://threethousandversts.blogspot.com/2008/07/humanist-group-demand-british-rights.html?showComment=1217503920000
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