Sir, In reply to Ivana Bacik's letter in your March 7th issue I want to say that I am one of the so called "hypocrites" who cannot bear to think that one woman may have had an abortion performed on Irish soil. I am the same person that cannot bear to think that any, one woman may have had an abortion in any land at any time. I don't believe that those of us who are against abortion are against it only if it occurs on Irish soil. We are against abortion because it is a denial of the right to life of the unborn.
The unborn are not in a position to defend themselves and as a parent of very young children, I'd like my children to know that not only would I defend them now when they are vulnerable, and in the future as long as I'm physically able. I would like them to know that I also defended them while they were being carried in my wife's womb for that very important nine month period at the outset of their lives.
Can I ask Ivana Bacik for the proof that the increased provision of contraceptives actually reduces the number of crises pregnancies?
I believe that sex education is very important in the whole scheme of things, and I believe very emphatically that parents are rich in an educative potential which no one else possesses.
In a unique way, they know their own children, they know them in their unrepeatable identity. They have a duty to inform themselves of the truth and meaning of human sexuality, and to pass this on to their children, on an individual basis and by their own living example.
We should stand up against being referred to as hypocrites. It is time that we proclaimed the truth and instead of calling on our legislators to provide for safe abortion in this country, we should call on them to provide us with a Referendum on the matter i.e. the opportunity to protect full the life of the unborn in our Constitution.
Since when is abortion solely a woman's reproductive health service issue? As a man who cares deeply about this issue, I want to play my part in protecting the right to life of all unborn children. - Yours, etc.
Eaton Square,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.