Madam, - The professor of psychiatry at the Mater Hospital, Patricia Casey, has hit the nail on the head with regard to abortion ("Politicians criticised over abortion", The Irish Times, May 31st). As she said, time is running out "on the unthinking and uncritical acceptance of abortion" - the claim that politicians can be personally opposed to it while supporting the right to it. If any politician said they were personally opposed to the use of nuclear weapons but marched in support of their use, how would the media react?
I consider that it is only because it is politically correct to accept abortion that the blinkers are on with regard to logic in this context. Something like Bertie Ahern's claim that he actually supported those of us who marched against the invasion of Iraq? - Yours, etc.,
Mrs MARY STEWART, Ardeskin, Donegal Town.
Madam, - Your edition of May 31st contains some very disingenuous musings from Dr Patricia Casey, a professor of psychiatry, no less. She wonders why politicians such as John Kerry, a practising Catholic, personally oppose abortion but politically support the availability of pregnancy termination.
From my much less exalted academic position, may I suggest that this viewpoint is not at all perplexing. Such politicians - and a large proportion of the public - believe that public policy should be made from a standpoint of secularism, not the imposition of personal or religious zealotry on their fellow citizens. - Yours, etc.,
M. GLENNON, Jones Road, Dublin 3.