Sir, - The abortion referendum leaves me profoundly disappointed andsad. I am not sure precisely what the people said No to. There were somany disparate views on the No side that it is quite impossible to saywhat the result of the referendum tells us.
As one who voted Yes, I am angry at the role of Dana and YouthDefence and have no doubt that their intervention brought about thevictory of the No vote. God alone knows what the consequences will be.Were they fully aware of the harm they were doing? One think is veryclear, if the pro-life movement around the country had been fullyunited behind the Yes side, the Government's proposal would have beenoverwhelmingly carried.
Another aspect of the defeat for the Yes vote was the disgracefullylow turnout - less than 43 per cent. This is utterly outrageous whenone considers the vital importance of the issue. We are dealing, afterall, with the lives of defenceless unborn children!
We kept hearing excuses about the bad weather. A hurricane would nothave kept me from exercising my vote! My mother, who is unwell andalmost 80 years old, insisted on voting. Indeed, the poor people ofZimbabwe are risking their very lives in voting to remove Mugabe andyet they turned out in huge numbers. The indifference in this countryis sickening! It really should be compulsory to vote.
I should just like to thank Bertie Ahern for keeping his promise tothe electorate by giving us this referendum. The wording of hisproposal may have split the pro-life vote and this is most unfortunate,but I think his intention was honourable and he was motivated by agenuine concern for the protection of unborn children.
I shall be voting for Fianna Fáil in the forthcoming electionbecause I believe it is the only party in the Dáil with pro-life views.In the meantime, it is vital that the pro-life movement in thiscountry, in its various forms, gets its act together, overcomes itsdifferences and continues to fight for protection for the child in thewomb. - Yours, etc.,
ANTHONY REDMOND,
North Great George's Street,
Dublin, 1.