A few days back, Carl Duffy wrote a guest blog on this site called ‘How to Trigger Claire Hanna”.It provoked quite a bit of interest and I’m sure there were people who were not pleased to see such an unfavourable depiction, a politician I have in the past admired. Why was their such interest in Carl’s piece?
First,I’d say because of the provocative title and because of the quality of the writing, which skilfully moved from showing the warm and friendly woman many of us believe Claire Hanna to be, to an angry and even bullying Claire, if we’re to believe Carl’s description (and I have no reason to doubt it).
The second reason people were interested,I’d suggest, was the topic under dispute:abortion. Now, put down that club. I’m just going to note a few facts and raise questions around them.
In the year 2023/2024, there were 2,792 abortions performed in the South of Ireland. In 2022 there were 208,384 abortions performed in England and Wales. In 2021, there were 628,626 abortions performed in the US. So how significant are these figures?
Well,that depends. If you believe that these were babies, you will be rightly horrified at their killing, maybe especially at the scale of the killing. None of us knows the pressures the mothers of these babies were under, but equally none of us knows the pressure rapists or war-mongers or members of armed forces are under. Or mothers generally.
If on the other hand you believe an abortion is simply flushing clear the system of the woman involved (and yes, of course there was a man involved, which never seems to be talked about), then the only criticism might be that the time of hospital staff was devoted to these women and not to women or men suffering from cancer, cardiac conditions and other common killers. To perform an abortion would be of no more consequence than blowing your nose or trimming your fingernails.
Those who support the right to abortion have never been able to tell me – so far – when the non-human embryo becomes a human being. Clearly those countries that permit abortions up to 12 weeks believe the conversion to a baby occurs somewhere around the 12-week mark, those who permit abortions until 24 weeks of pregnancy believe it occurs after 24 weeks.
What I have never had explained satisfactorily is why the moment of conception is not the obvious starting point for the life of a human being. I am willing to listen to any explanation and in fact would welcome it, given that so many people must believe that abortion is closer to nose-blowing than murder.
Two final points: it’s sometimes argued that discussion of abortion is traumatic for those who have experienced a miscarriage. I know how difficult such a matter must be, but if you believe that what is miscarried is not human, why be upset at its loss? And talk of women’s health is a factor, but more crucially the health – and life – of the baby is at stake.
Sometimes anti-abortion is dismissed as Christian fundamentalists and brain-washed Catholics, clinging to an out-moded belief. I would consider myself a Catholic, but there are core aspects of my faith that I am happy to dismiss, starting with Purgatory, Hell and the need for Baptism. In the matter of abortion, I have yet to hear an argument in favour of legalised abortion that is logical and clear.
As for the idea that I as a man have no right to a say in the matter of abortion, since it’s just women that are directly affected: that makes little sense. We don’t allow women to make decisions about dangerous driving, theft, lies to women or men. The rules apply regardless of gender.
Ditto with abortion.
That’s a pretty fair minded piece Jude. Carl’s piece was very well presented too. My only quibble with his article would be when Claire asked him a perfectly logical question he said he felt his opinion was not important as he wasn’t a public representative. A little disingenuous perhaps? However I agree with his opinion on abortion. It is a horrible sin before God. It has been used as a birth control method. That can’t be right. The Church tells us what sin is, it also tells us to show mercy. Cast the first stone and all that.
Well put ,AJ. But I’m stressing that my views on abortion are not in response to Catholic teaching- I am looking for an explanation of the move from bunch-of-cells to human being. I mean it whenI say I’ve never heard any such explanation – anger, namae-calling, faux empathy – but no clear explanation.
I agree Jude, I used to believe once the sperm hit the egg, that was that. My biology knowledge could be written on the back of a stamp. I do think abortion has been used by the ultra right to pontificate to women about their bodies but some women have taken that to extremes. As a man I will never understand the pressures that come with expecting a child, especially out of wedlock. (Showing my age there.)