Courtney McGrailDear Editor, Tim Kaine, the Democratic candidate for US Vice-President, claims he is personally opposed to abortion but he does not think that he should impose these views on others: “I am personally opposed to affronts to life, such as abortion, but I will not advance that view through law.” This is also the prevailing view of many politicians in Ireland today.
They are opposed because they know that abortion is killing – why else would they be opposed? Their position is that in abortion one can kill another human being and no third party should intervene.
It is like saying “I personally oppose killing endangered African lions, but I will not stop others from killing them” or “I personally will do nothing to pollute the environment but I will not advance that view by law”.
All of this is nonsense. If we really believe that abortion is the killing of another human being then we will do all in our power to work to enact laws to protect the rights of the unborn child as we do to protect endangered species and to protect the environment.
Those who permit abortion just as those as who argued for slavery and segregation laws deny the inherent worth of a human being.
It is that profound belief that is bringing together again men and women from different faith communities – and even those of no faith at all – to work with all their strength to retain in the Constitution of Ireland, the Eighth Amendment affording equal protection to child and mother.
Unlike Tim Kaine and many Irish politicians those who truly understand the dignity of the human person know what truth and justice demands of them – that they work to bring about legal protection of the most vulnerable and defenceless of our society.
They know too that history is on their side.
Yours etc.,
Fr Tomás Walsh,
Gurranabraher, Co. Cork.