Sinn Fein should respect views of its members

Posted by Jim on August 8, 2017

Letter to the Editor in todays Irish News from Catherine Sewell St Joseph’s AOH Division Dungannon

SF should respect views of its members

I commend Francie Brolly (July 26 for speaking out in defence of the unborn and for taking his colleague Mary Lou McDonald to task for her radical pro-abortion position in demanding the repeal of the 8th Amendment.

Mary Lou has made it abundantly clear that Sinn Féin policy favours the introduction of stringent abortion laws across Ireland, which will inevitably lead to a dramatic reduction in the Irish population; something external conquerors have been trying to achieve for centuries through war, forced famine and emigration.

I find it hard to believe that, apart from Francie, every other member of SF supports the introduction of abortion into our country. All the more so given that a recent poll has shown that over 70 per cent of Sinn Féin voters in the north oppose any change to current abortion laws here. Other SF members should show the same courage that Francie has in speaking out against the evils of abortion and their party’s misguided position on the matter.

Finally, SF might want to apply its mantra of respect and equality to its own members and elected representatives and allow them to vote with their consciences on the issue.
A bit of respect and equality by Mary Lou towards the 8th Amendment and the protection it affords the unborn wouldn’t go amiss either.

CATHERINE SEWELL
Dungannon, Co Tyrone