Niamh Uí Bhriain
On March 10, the rally to Save the Eight Amendment is expected to draw record numbers, but this will only happen if you make the effort to be there. This is our last chance before the referendum in May to show the Irish people, and the Government, that we must retain the Eighth Amendment and keep Ireland’s pro-life culture alive.
At this defining hour for the Irish nation, mothers and babies need you to stand for life.
There are just 11 weeks left to save the Eighth, and opinion polls show that support for repeal is slipping, but we need to do much more between now and voting day.
Until recently, repeal was just a slogan on a jumper, but since the Government has endorsed the Oireachtas Committee’s abortion proposal, it is increasingly becoming clear to voters that repealing the Eight Amendment would introduce an abortion regime that would be even more extreme than the British model of abortion.
The time has come when each and every one of us needs to speak up. We need to stand in the gap to protect vulnerable women and helpless babies. We must, as a united and determined movement, stand against this proposal and march together to say no to abortion.
The ‘Rally to Save the 8th’ on March 10 matters because it sends a powerful life-affirming message to voters nationwide, and reminds them that wanting to protect women and children from abortion is a mainstream view – it’s the desire of middle Ireland, of ordinary, decent people.
Most people see abortion as a terrible and tragic thing and most people would rather abortions did not take place. The rally shows voters that huge numbers of people believe we can always provide a better answer than abortion.
Attention
The rally also shows that there are much greater numbers of people who feel passionately about protecting preborn children than there are in the ranks of those who want abortion legalised.
The media might give most attention to those agitating for repeal, but the sheer numbers at the rally makes it hard for the media or the government to ignore such a huge public event calling for the Eighth to be retained.
For the tens of thousands who attend, the rally is a hugely motivating experience and we need that motivation, that energy and that compassion now as our campaign to save the Eighth goes into top gear in the weeks before the vote.
The Life Canvass, which has brought a united, game-changing focus to the ground campaign will be boosted and carried by the tremendous energy that comes from the ‘Rally to Save the 8th’, as will the myriad of events and campaigns which are all required to win this referendum.
None of us want to look back and think that we could have done more to save lives, to protect mothers and babies, and to stop this abortion push which would destroy what is best about Irish culture. At this defining hour, take a stand with us on March 10 and rally to Save the Eighth.
Niamh Uí Bhriain is a spokeswoman for the Save the 8th campaign.