Irish attitudes towards abortion and children
Kind Irish Dad
crusade to "keep abortion out of Ireland". This is frequently followed by
their depiction as rather pitiable creatures, blinded by the denial implicit
in their anachronistic views. After all, there is de facto acceptance of
abortion in Ireland by dint of the sheer numbers of women and girls
travelling to the UK each year to avail of them. Right?
The conclusion hoped for by this line of attack is that the battle has been
fought and lost, leaving no more than the logistics and legislative tweaks
to be sorted out. Any resistance offered at this late stage is utterly
futile and can be dismissed as no more than bloody minded heel dragging. So
the question is: have we now crossed that psychological and spiritual
threshold which allows us to accept abortion as a normal and necessary
practice, integral to any healthily functioning society in the western
world? Collectively, I don't believe that we have and I believe that much
remains worth fighting for. Consider the following account of a woman's
experience of abortion, related to us by her friend.
"My friend's pregnant again. Fifth time in six years, all by the same man,
and she's already chosen her next abortionist. Last time, it took 50 minutes
from anaesthetic to home-time, and she felt so chirpy afterwards that she
walked home and called me as she passed an Italian deli to see if I wanted
anything." And her friend tells her that .... "there isn't a day that passes
that I don't see at least one child who makes me thank God I've had four
abortions, and vow to have four more, if I have to. When did all children
start acting as if they're auditioning for The Exorcist?"
The above quote is taken from an opinion piece in the Guardian (UK), written
by the one and only Ms. Julie Burchill. Now the first thing to point out
here is that it would be very silly to take seriously anything penned by the
aforementioned .... erm .... "lady". Perhaps it was due to some grave
wrongdoing in a previous life that the poor lass has been condemned to the
role of a belligerent polemicist, trapped in her state of perpetual
indignant outrage. Much more interesting though, is what this tells us about
the Guardian's readership. Clearly, the editor decided that these sentiments
would not cause undue offence to any significant proportion of readers.
Quite the opposite, perhaps. After all, Ms. Burchill's opinion pieces appear
in the Weekend supplement .... ideal, middle-class light entertainment, just
the ticket for rousing a hearty chuckle as the croissants are washed down
with another cup of freshly brewed coffee on a Saturday morning.
What would be the likelihood of seeing anything like this in an Irish
national newspaper? Pretty slim, I think you'll agree. Why is that? Is it
because we're more prudish and backward than our sophisticated, enlightened
neighbours? Are we still under the yoke of our lapsed Catholic consciences,
doomed to grapple with our deep rooted guilt complexes? These may be
contributory factors, indeed, but a more straightforward explanation exists,
in my view. Quite simply, the majority of Irish people take a somewhat
kinder view of children than that expressed above and would regard such a
disparaging description of them as being rather poor form.
In the context of the debate currently raging here, the contrast in language
could hardly be greater. Few contributors on either side seem to regard
abortion as anything less than a very serious issue, a view certainly not
echoed by Ms. Burchill. Among the growing number of those who derive such
smug pleasure from pointing out the hypocrisy of "exporting our problem" to
England, there are remarkably few who are prepared to acknowledge in even
the slightest way that there may be some downsides to the English system,
let alone enter into any discussion about them.
Maybe it's because of my admittedly limited Irish male view of the world but
I am completely at a loss to see how the attitudes expressed above are in
any way "good" for women or children. Misogyny is a charge often laid
against men who voice their opposition to abortion. However, considering
that most women still choose to have children at some point in their lives,
I believe that Ms. Burchill's words harbour more misogyny than most women
will ever encounter from a man. Another threadbare platitude trotted out
with weary predictability is the notion that abortion opponents suddenly
stop caring about new human life the moment it exits the womb. The intended
implication is that the availability of abortion will help us to build a
kinder, cuddlier society. It's an idea that appears pretty ludicrous when
held up against the crass contempt oozing from the above quote, isn't it.
The full article is available at the URL below and is well worth reading. As
an unmitigated piece of sociopathic dementia it is singularly outstanding.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3959141,00.html
Yours Paternally,
Kind Irish Dad
P.S. My spellchecker suggests that "Burchill" should be replaced by "brutal"
Ergoge the Niffirg
<kindirishd...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>Irish anti-abortion campaigners are sometimes described as being on a
>crusade to "keep abortion out of Ireland". This is frequently followed by
>their depiction as rather pitiable creatures, blinded by the denial implicit
>in their anachronistic views. After all, there is de facto acceptance of
>abortion in Ireland by dint of the sheer numbers of women and girls
>travelling to the UK each year to avail of them. Right?
>
snip
>
>"My friend's pregnant again. Fifth time in six years, all by the same man,
>and she's already chosen her next abortionist. Last time, it took 50 minutes
>from anaesthetic to home-time, and she felt so chirpy afterwards that she
>walked home and called me as she passed an Italian deli to see if I wanted
>anything."
As it's the RoI and not NI i prefer not to comment on the referendum
(except to say personally I, as a male should not tell a woman what to
do with her body in such situations).
However, on ten point quoted, 5 abortions n 6 years, there are other
methods of not having kids.
--
Egoreg
Never ask a Donegal man to translate for you
Bodmòr
>>>and she's already chosen her next abortionist. Last time, it took 50 minutes
>>>from anaesthetic to home-time, and she felt so chirpy afterwards that she
>>>walked home and called me as she passed an Italian deli to see if I wanted
>>>anything."
>>
>>As it's the RoI and not NI i prefer not to comment on the referendum
>>(except to say personally I, as a male should not tell a woman what to
>>do with her body in such situations).
>>
>>However, on ten point quoted, 5 abortions n 6 years, there are other
>>methods of not having kids.
>
If she does then she's showing a ludicrous inabliity to learn from
past mistakes and a callousness that seems psychopathic in its
extremity. I've seen at least one woman within 8 hours of an abortion
and the fuckin last thing she was was chirpy.
Nik Warrensson
westprog XP
"Féachadóir" <Féach@d.óir> wrote in message
news:rqsi7uc9jns91kcu9...@4ax.com...
> Scríobh Ergoge the Niffirg :
> >>"My friend's pregnant again. Fifth time in six years, all by the same
man,
> >>and she's already chosen her next abortionist. Last time, it took 50
minutes
> >>from anaesthetic to home-time, and she felt so chirpy afterwards that
she
> >>walked home and called me as she passed an Italian deli to see if I
wanted
> >>anything."
> >As it's the RoI and not NI i prefer not to comment on the referendum
> >(except to say personally I, as a male should not tell a woman what to
> >do with her body in such situations).
> >However, on ten point quoted, 5 abortions n 6 years, there are other
> >methods of not having kids.
> How do we know this anonymous woman exists?
Rule one in all discussions on Usenet and everywhere else - ignore
everything that Julie Burchill says. One of the first things I read by her
was a review of Never Mind The Bollocks and she mentioned abortion in that
as well.
J/
SOTW: "Walk On The Wild Side" - Lou Reed
Derek Bell
> "My friend's pregnant again. Fifth time in six years, all by the same man,
> and she's already chosen her next abortionist. Last time, it took 50 minutes
> from anaesthetic to home-time, and she felt so chirpy afterwards that she
> walked home and called me as she passed an Italian deli to see if I wanted
> anything." And her friend tells her that .... "there isn't a day that passes
> that I don't see at least one child who makes me thank God I've had four
> abortions, and vow to have four more, if I have to. When did all children
> start acting as if they're auditioning for The Exorcist?"
Someone should tell her friend about contraception.
> What would be the likelihood of seeing anything like this in an Irish
> national newspaper? Pretty slim, I think you'll agree. Why is that?
Because we have better Journalists than Julie Burchill?
Derek
Kind Irish Dad
Féachadóir <Féach@d.óir> wrote in message
news:rqsi7uc9jns91kcu9...@4ax.com...
> Scríobh Ergoge the Niffirg :
man,
> >>and she's already chosen her next abortionist. Last time, it took 50
minutes
> >>from anaesthetic to home-time, and she felt so chirpy afterwards that
she
> >>walked home and called me as she passed an Italian deli to see if I
wanted
> >>anything."
> >
> >As it's the RoI and not NI i prefer not to comment on the referendum
> >(except to say personally I, as a male should not tell a woman what to
> >do with her body in such situations).
> >
> >However, on ten point quoted, 5 abortions n 6 years, there are other
> >methods of not having kids.
>
>
I've no idea whether or not she exists and short of asking Ms. Burchill
herself, I wouldn't be able to find out. I was more interested in the fact
that it was deemed to be appealing to Guardian readers, by virtue of its
publication, and whether this indicated significant differences in attitudes
towards abortion and children than those generally found in Ireland.
Kind Irish Dad
> --
> An Féachadóir - Lig futh agus cluinfidh na clocha thú!
> Read the SCI FAQ: http://www.geocities.com/welisc/ifaq
Kind Irish Dad
Donn <e.@.c.h.u.i.s.c.e.e.a.l.a.i.o.n.t.a> wrote in message
news:f95j7u0dfnm8j2kv6...@4ax.com...
> Féachadóir <Féach@d.óir> wrote:
> >Scríobh Ergoge the Niffirg :
> >>>"My friend's pregnant again. Fifth time in six years, all by the same
man,
> >>>and she's already chosen her next abortionist. Last time, it took 50
minutes
> >>>from anaesthetic to home-time, and she felt so chirpy afterwards that
she
> >>>walked home and called me as she passed an Italian deli to see if I
wanted
> >>>anything."
> >>
> >>As it's the RoI and not NI i prefer not to comment on the referendum
> >>(except to say personally I, as a male should not tell a woman what to
> >>do with her body in such situations).
> >>
> >>However, on ten point quoted, 5 abortions n 6 years, there are other
> >>methods of not having kids.
> >
>
> about anything. But seeing that the carefully temperate Kind
> Daddie let slip the fact that he respects the opinion of his
> spellchecker I'd be a bit wary of his take on the issue anyway.
>
Hey c'mon now! You're being a bit harsh there aren't you? Even Kind Irish
Dad can make one or two typos when rattling off 800+ words. Telling the
world that I use a spellchecker is just a tacit admission of my fallibility.
I'm only human, you know.
I like your reference to my being "carefully temperate" - there's really a
furious volcano of rage burning away just beneath the surface - is that it?
Naaw! I really am just a big cuddly Dad, y'know.
This is the end of my un-spellchecked reply.
Kind Irish Dad
>
>
> --
> Donn
> Labhair an teanga Ghaeilge liom.
Kind Irish Dad
Derek Bell <derek_...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:340ab0a3.02022...@posting.google.com...
Well, on the whole, I'd agree with you there. And long may it continue.
Kind Irish Dad
>
> Derek
Mark Devlin
> > There really are some women (and men) who don't have a conscience
> > about anything. But seeing that the carefully temperate Kind
> > Daddie let slip the fact that he respects the opinion of his
> > spellchecker I'd be a bit wary of his take on the issue anyway.
> >
> Hey c'mon now!
Up to now, Donn, I have very virtuously avoided any ugly 'Now I warned you'
gloating. I shall continue to do so.
--
€ kr...@REVERSEocixotSMALL.edLETTERS www.toxico.de
unki
Donn <e.@.c.h.u.i.s.c.e.e.a.l.a.i.o.n.t.a> wrote:
>There really are some women (and men) who don't have a conscience
>about anything.
I'm one of them myself. I have no decency in me - a borderline sociopath
in fact. But what can ya do!
Ergoge the Niffirg
>Scríobh Ergoge the Niffirg :
>>>"My friend's pregnant again. Fifth time in six years, all by the same man,
>>>and she's already chosen her next abortionist. Last time, it took 50 minutes
>>>from anaesthetic to home-time, and she felt so chirpy afterwards that she
>>>walked home and called me as she passed an Italian deli to see if I wanted
>>>anything."
>>
>>As it's the RoI and not NI i prefer not to comment on the referendum
>>(except to say personally I, as a male should not tell a woman what to
>>do with her body in such situations).
>>
>>However, on ten point quoted, 5 abortions n 6 years, there are other
>>methods of not having kids.
>
>How do we know this anonymous woman exists?
We don't.
I'm not convinced I exist let alone anyone else.