Women Can’t Wait, Repeal the 8th

Written on February 25th, 2016 in politics Comments Off

… the Politics of Abortion and the Irish National Election – Published on The Bullet, Socialist Project’s E-Bulletin No. 1225, by Carol-Anne Hudson, Feb 23, 2016.

Abortion is one of the defining issues of the 2016 national Irish election, yet a vast majority of candidates have declined to give their views on the controversial subject. 331 of the 392 candidates have not declared a position, 33 candidates have stated support for keeping the 8th Amendment, and another 28 candidates have stated that they want to repeal the 8th. Labour, Sinn Féin, the Greens, Social Democrats, and a number of Left Independents have pledged to hold a referendum to remove the “right to life” 8th Amendment from the Constitution, which prevents the liberalization of the state’s abortion laws … //

… The History: “there is only one sin in Ireland and only women can commit it”: … //
… The Struggle: “Condemned to a life of motherhood and homemaking”: … //
… The Reality: “Candidates are reluctant to nail their colours to the mast”: … //

Conclusion: “How the battle for a woman’s right to choose can be won”:

  • Between 1983 and 2014, 161, 987 women travelled to England and Wales to access safe abortion services.[4] The people of the Irish Republic, for the most part, have very progressive ideas about the rights and roles of women in the 21st century and do not agree that a plane ticket is the solution. Many also believe strongly that the Catholic Church has no business in the private lives of citizens.
  • Indeed, since the death of Savita Halappanavar, the tone and language around women’s reproductive choice suggests a significant leftward shift in political consciousness. Polling results during the last few weeks show establishment parties losing support and left-wing parties who call for repealing the 8th steadily gaining ground. There is a great sense that the 2016 election will be a major turning point in Irish politics with potential for the most socialists to be elected in the country’s history.
  • For many Irish people, the struggle for free, safe, universally accessible abortion is both an individual and collective one; inside and outside the state. They know that in order to win the battle for women’s right to choose, people must struggle in the streets and at the ballot box.

(full long text).

(Carol-Anne Hudson is a Ph.D. Candidate in Comparative Public Policy in the Department of Political Science at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Her research explores the changing political economy of the welfare state, business participation in social policy renewal, and living wages).

Links:

US: the ugly secret hidden behind Seattle’s boom, on Socialist Worker.org, by Leela Yellesetty, Feb 24, 2016: Leela Yellesetty reveals the other side of the “new economy” that dominates Seattle;

Hungary to hold referendum on EU migrant quota plan, on RT, Feb 24, 2016 [2 VIDEOS];

Belgium suspends Schengen in fears of Calais ‘Jungle’ chaos [VIDEO], on RT, Feb 24, 2016;

TCHAD: Le viol collectif de Zouhoura par des fils de dignitaires embrase le pays, dans l’OBS, par Eduard Lamort, le 24 févr 2016: Après l’agression sexuelle filmée d’une jeune fille de 16 ans, des manifestations de colère se succèdent au Tchad. Les suspects sont des enfants de généraux proches du président Idriss Déby;

Against Correctness and the Taming of People, on Dissident Voice, by Joseph Hickey, Feb 23, 2016;

The US are using Volkswagen (VW) to test their TTIP power, on Current Concerns, Frontpage, by Professor Dr Eberhard Hamer, Feb 22, 2016 … // … German Association of Judges rejects to establish an Investment Court System for TTIP …;

Austria wants to get out of the EU – Interview with Helmut Schramm, co-representative of the EU exit referendum, Austria, on Current Concerns, page 7, Feb 22, 2016 … EU exit referendum in parliament – Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) requested plebiscite;

Rapport de renseignement russe sur l’aide actuelle turque à Daesh, dans Voltairenet.org, le 18 févr 2016;

Russian intelligence report on Turkey’s current assistance to Daesh, on Voltairenet.org, Feb 18, 2016 … and in more languages;

… and this:

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