Comments on: Pro – Life Group Members Plan to Leave Students’ Union if Demands Not Met

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:38:14 +0000

ABORT THE PLAN! ABORT THE PLAN!

By: U wot m8?

U wot m8? — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 22:05:39 +0000

U wot m8?

You cannot compare membership of a union to citizenship, or whatever it is that binds a person to pay taxes in the state. You have a right to freedom of and freedom from association with organisations outside of the government. You are not bound to unions in the same way you are bound to the revenue commission. Apples and oranges, mate. They’re well within their rights to disassociate just like hundreds of examples of conscientious objectors throughout history. Conscientious objection is not “throwing one’s toys out of the pram”.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 16:29:02 +0000

Eh, no Conor.

The students are simply looking to exercise their right not to associate with a union that advocates the legalisation of something (abortion on demand) that they find ethically repugnant.

Would you be happy to be forced into a union subscription where the union in question lobbied for racist policies? If not, then you should support the students’ protest, regardless of whether you agree with their views on abortion.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 16:06:01 +0000

@Conor You say that Pro Lifers are “now determined to throw their toys out of the pram”!!! This is about abortion, the killing of unborn babies, it’s a quite insensitive analogy you are using here mate.

By: Samuel O'Connor

Samuel O'Connor — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 20:58:37 +0000

In reply to Conor Ryan.

Mr. Ryan,

Thank you for your reply, however fatuous and unlettered. I think there is a very fundamental difference between the Students’ Union of University College Dublin and the elected legislature of a sovereign nation.

A union is something which is supposed to operate for the benefit of its members, it isn’t an organisation which has any power over them. If any other union in the country takes a course of action which it’s members don’t like they are free to leave.

As for democracy, well you and I (and Mr Gallagher) know that the Union is far from being democratic. If they want to talk about democracy they can’t keep people in an organisation against their will.

A cursory glance at Article 40.5 of the Irish Constitution ought to enlighten you on this matter.

By: JN

JN — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 02:23:40 +0000

One’s vote in a democracy must never be judged by how extremely they’re willing to over-react when they don’t get their way. The SU need to stand firm on the pro-life reactionaries, and remember that the majority of students in Ireland are at least in favour of some degree of liberalisation over abortion law.

By: Conor Ryan

Conor Ryan — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 22:21:33 +0000

So under the principle being invoked here by Mr. O’Connor, if a referendum happens and I don’t like the result and the subsequent change of law, I should just write to the Government demanding they either ignore the democratic will of the voters or strike me off the list of citizens and exempt me from having to pay anymore taxes? Handy that, if only it was how democracy operated in reality!

An interesting foray into the strange perspective of an anti-choice brigade who upon finding themselves on the losing side of democratic opinion on this issue, are now determined to throw their toys out of the pram