Normally we find scrolling through the comments section on articles in the Journal to be akin to sado-masochism. But once in a while, there is a rose among the thorns, pun fully intended.
The story in question is about an online petition organized by Saorlaith Ní Shuibhne from Cork which we posted about recently on the recent controversy involving the Rose of Tralee contest and the #RepealThe8th movement. As it turned out the campaign received over 6000 signatures and the letter was sent in to RTE as promised.
When we looked down through the comments after the article on the Journal we saw the usual Pro Life v Pro Choice exchange, but we also noted that the vast majority of contributions were by men, and we added our own comment to this effect.
But right at the very top there was this comment by Fintan of Laois which we thought was worth a share…
It’s amazing that anyone can turn a hair when an obviously intelligent modern young woman remarks that she’d like to see Irish women having the same rights concerning their own reproductive systems as their sisters in most of the civilised world already enjoy.
Well done to her for highlighting this remaining vestige of the power that a corrupt, discredited and hypocritical religious cult once abused in so many ways in Ireland.
Given that David Quinn and Breda O’Brien, both obnoxious and pathetic in equal measure, devoted their respective weekly columns in the Indo and IT to condemning the young Australian women, it is clear how the Iona “institute” and other far-right, American Evangelical fundamentalist-financed lobby groups would love to see discussion of Ireland’s savage anti-woman legislation smothered.
There can be little doubt that they and their most ardent running dogs are behind the formal complaints, but they are only adding grist to the mill of those who want their odious cult to butt out of medical matters.
There can hardly be a day when Quinn, O’Brien and the other Ionanists wish they had never gotten their solicitors to threaten action over Panti calling them “homophobic” – which is a bit like calling the Pope a Catholic. RTÉ caved in, failed to tell them to take a hike, and gave them nearly €100,000 of your and my money.
But, as the SSM referendum result showed, they may have all that dosh in the bank, but they are still limping badly after shooting themselves in the foot.
First Person Plural 