Back page of this week's Galway Independent

hamsterboy

Hi All
Anyone see the back page of this paper today
Full page ad by the pro-life brigade.
This will be accepted by most but I wonder what the reaction would be it it were a pro-choice full page ad....
Just sayin....

HB

EDIT:ad now attached

mikom

Thanks for the heads up.
Toilet training a puppy at the moment.

thesandeman

They must have forgotten that they are called the Galway INDEPENDENT!
What a way to alienate half of the few readers they already have.

zarquon

thesandeman wrote: »

They must have forgotten that they are called the Galway INDEPENDENT!
What a way to alienate half of the few readers they already have.

That argument doesn't work when it comes to an advertisement supported newspaper. All of the ads in there are from vested interest businesses or groups. Should fine gael supporters boycott a paper if they see an ad for a sinn fein member. Should Tesco pull their support due to the inclusion of Dunnes ads? Should a muslim be up in arms if they see an advert for a christian event or vice versa?

There's nothing stopping the pro-choice lobby from placing their own ads. We live in a democratic society with freedom of speech.

If you feel alienated, no one is forcing you to read your free paper.

thesandeman

I don't read it. I read this thread and saw the pic posted by the OP.
My point is that anybody who does read it and are pro-choice may be inclined to just dump it if one of the first things they see is a full page advert for the anti people on the cover. The same might happen if a Fianna Fail supporter was greeted with a full page ad for Fine Gael on the cover.
Bad marketing decision by the Independent in my opinion.

snubbleste

It's just an ad.
Having said that, the Advertiser's cover has frequently been a Dunnes advertorial, and in Tesco they turn it back to front to avoid customers looking at it :cool:

inisboffin

Oh dear Lord. That date adds up to a six. I'm not going to that pagan rite for sure...:p

Predalien

In fairness if they refused the ad the anti-choice crowd would have been screaming about censorship and their freedom of expression being infringed.

Mrs OBumble

Predalien wrote: »

In fairness if they refused the ad the anti-choice crowd would have been rightfully screaming about censorship and their freedom of expression being infringed.

Fixed that for ya.


(I don't support abortion in the vast majority of cases. But I don't oppose the law changes either: I don't think that a law change will make much difference to the number of Irish women who actually do have an induced abortion.)

ArtyC

Totally ridiculous. I was in a pub on shop street and there was an anti choice poster on the door in the ladies loo.

zarquon

Would it be totally ridiculous in your opinion if there was a pro-choice poster on the door? People are very dismissive of what they don't agree with. Boths sides of the debate have the right to free speech irrespective of which side you are on.

ArtyC

zarquon wrote: »

Would it be totally ridiculous in your opinion if there was a pro-choice poster on the door? People are very dismissive of what they don't agree with. Boths sides of the debate have the right to free speech irrespective of which side you are on.

Obviously. Right to free speech fine. I also believein right to choice but I don't think either party should feel the need to advertise and push what they believe. It's a very personal opinion.

Playboy

Whats peoples problem with abortion? There are too many people already in the world and its increasing too fast. Most people who have kids dont take care of them properly and people are growing up with all sorts of social, psychological, substance and health issues. The last thing this world needs is people who cant take care of themselves or do basic family planning to have more kids who will then have more kids and on and on ad infinitum. Abortion should always be an option for people... if they dont feel they can take care of a child then it is probable that wont be able to. Who does that help? Are these religious do gooders going to adopt and take care of all the disadvantaged kids in the world? Any sane person would be worried about bringing any kids into these world the way its going.

Seaneh

Playboy wrote: »

Whats peoples problem with abortion? There are too many people already in the world and its increasing too fast.

Ireland, like most developed countries, has more people dying than being born year on year, so really that point is a total nonsense.

Playboy wrote: »

Are these religious do gooders going to adopt and take care of all the disadvantaged kids in the world?

Having a family member who adopted twice, once in Ireland and once from Russia, I can tell you that there are a massive amount of families in Ireland looking to adopt and very few Irish kids put forward for adoption. So really, if there was more kids available, the demand from prospective parents is there to full the need for homes.


Adopting from Ireland can take from 4-7 years (took my uncle and his wife 5) as there is that much of a "waiting list" for kids here. Adopting from Russia took my uncle and his wife just over a year.

There are more than enough eager families in Ireland to soak up any "excess" children.

Playboy

Seaneh wrote: »

Ireland, like most developed countries, has more people dying than being born year on year, so really that point is a total nonsense. .

eh no its not. Look at the statistics of how fast the worlds population is growing. Our environment cannot handle that many people, resources are finite. Western countries might have an issue with low birth rates but immigration is the answer. We need to stop looking at countries in isolation and see the world as a whole. Developing countries are bursting at the seams but we wont let them in to share in our wealth. Until developing countries develop to a standard where population can be controlled through education then we need to find some sort of solution. We cant afford a situation where both developing countries and developed countries are massively increasing their populations... it will cause war as countries compete for scarce resources... its already happening.

Seaneh wrote: »

Having a family member who adopted twice, once in Ireland and once from Russia, I can tell you that there are a massive amount of families in Ireland looking to adopt and very few Irish kids put forward for adoption. So really, if there was more kids available, the demand from prospective parents is there to full the need for homes.


Adopting from Ireland can take from 4-7 years (took my uncle and his wife 5) as there is that much of a "waiting list" for kids here. Adopting from Russia took my uncle and his wife just over a year.

There are more than enough eager families in Ireland to soak up any "excess" children.

Well people should be adopting from abroad. Why does it have to be an irish child? I think its riduculous that it takes 4-7 years to adopt a child in this country but any idiot can go out and have one. If its someone elses child we have all these rules and conditions but any drug addicted psychotic sex abuser can knock someone up if they feel like it. There are so many damaged children in the world but we are intent on bringing in more. More mouths to feed and behavioural issues to deal with while the people who pay their taxes and obey the law get squezed for every penny to support them. Well **** them... if you cant take care of a child then abort it or give it to someone who can. Stop this endless cycle of absued abusers. If people want to abort a child then it is their body and they should be allowed to make that choice (to a certain point in the pregnancy)... is it fair to allow a child to be brought into the situations that are reported on the news every day.

Just Like Heaven

It's just an ad, nothing to get offended about. Apparently pro-life and youth defence are gonna receive millions in funding from churches in the US throughout 2013, so the barrage of adverts like this everywhere will probably start getting a little annoying though.

Playboy wrote: »

Whats peoples problem with abortion? There are too many people already in the world and its increasing too fast. Most people who have kids dont take care of them properly and people are growing up with all sorts of social, psychological, substance and health issues. The last thing this world needs is people who cant take care of themselves or do basic family planning to have more kids who will then have more kids and on and on ad infinitum. Abortion should always be an option for people... if they dont feel they can take care of a child then it is probable that wont be able to. Who does that help? Are these religious do gooders going to adopt and take care of all the disadvantaged kids in the world? Any sane person would be worried about bringing any kids into these world the way its going.

A lot of the points you make are right, but the fact that some children are growing up with social/psychological and substance abuse issues has nothing to do with the debate for/against abortion. Personally, I'm for abortion, but your argument is completely mad/weak.

Playboy

fewtinsoffroth wrote: »

A lot of the points you make are right, but the fact that some children are growing up with social/psychological and substance abuse issues has nothing to do with the debate for/against abortion. Personally, I'm for abortion, but your argument is completely mad/weak.

why? If people want to abort a child then why do you think stopping them will somehow make them a good parent?

Redhairedguy

Regardless of my stance on abortion, my main problem with the Pro-Life lobby in Galway is their militant aggressive tactics about the issue. Pictures of fetuses on display in public places, and shouting at people who disagree with them calling them 'baby murder supporters'. This is not a generalisation. This is from personal experience.

Also, one thing that really gets my goat about the whole pro life stance is the people who speak with such conviction about it. Being personally vocally abused by a middle aged man, whom when questioned whether he had any children of his own replied in the negative, seems especially untenable. As a whole, this entire thing is very much a woman's issue, and I don't believe any man (except maybe a potential father) has any say in what a woman can or cannot do.

I am always very interested to hear from young women, especially young mothers on this issue, and while of course there are different stances, the main thing I've come to understand is that none of them see legalising abortion as an inherently wrong thing. Which speaks volumes to me.

Don't get me wrong, the Pro-Choice lobby can be every bit as militant and aggressive, but at least I can have a conversation with them...

Randall Floyd

Redhairedguy wrote: »

Regardless of my stance on abortion, my main problem with the Pro-Life lobby in Galway is their militant aggressive tactics about the issue. Pictures of fetuses on display in public places, and shouting at people who disagree with them calling them 'baby murder supporters'. This is not a generalisation. This is from personal experience.

Also, one thing that really gets my goat about the whole pro life stance is the people who speak with such conviction about it. Being personally vocally abused by a middle aged man, whom when questioned whether he had any children of his own replied in the negative, seems especially untenable. As a whole, this entire thing is very much a woman's issue, and I don't believe any man (except maybe a potential father) has any say in what a woman can or cannot do.

I am always very interested to hear from young women, especially young mothers on this issue, and while of course there are different stances, the main thing I've come to understand is that none of them see legalising abortion as an inherently wrong thing. Which speaks volumes to me.

Don't get me wrong, the Pro-Choice lobby can be every bit as militant and aggressive, but at least I can have a conversation with them...

+1

WallyGUFC

Those pictures they have up on Shop Street occasionally are asking for trouble. And if they had the cheek to call me a baby murder supporter...There's a way to protest and not rub people up the wrong way. They havn't mastered it!

_Whimsical_

Redhairedguy wrote: »

Regardless of my stance on abortion, my main problem with the Pro-Life lobby in Galway is their militant aggressive tactics about the issue. Pictures of fetuses on display in public places, and shouting at people who disagree with them calling them 'baby murder supporters'. This is not a generalisation. This is from personal experience.

Also, one thing that really gets my goat about the whole pro life stance is the people who speak with such conviction about it. Being personally vocally abused by a middle aged man, whom when questioned whether he had any children of his own replied in the negative, seems especially untenable. As a whole, this entire thing is very much a woman's issue, and I don't believe any man (except maybe a potential father) has any say in what a woman can or cannot do.

I am always very interested to hear from young women, especially young mothers on this issue, and while of course there are different stances, the main thing I've come to understand is that none of them see legalising abortion as an inherently wrong thing. Which speaks volumes to me.

Don't get me wrong, the Pro-Choice lobby can be every bit as militant and aggressive, but at least I can have a conversation with them...

I fully agree with you about the Pro-life lobby. I can't imagine a balanced person being attracted to their point of view as they deliver it. In fact I'm sure they must be responsible for putting people off taking an anti abortion stance.

The other aspect of your opinion is interesting and one I'm surprised to see so many people agree with. I don't think that it's the nine months of carrying a child that makes a woman opt for an abortion but rather the several decades being a parent. While I don't think a man should have a deciding voice on the issue I do think their opinions should be equally valid in this debate. The male role of provider and father within society has eroded but it's sad to think some see the opinion of a sex that should play a pivotal role in every child's life be sidelined to irrelevant. I know lots of men who take a very active and loving role in the parenting of their child and men who hope dearly to do this in the future.
Maybe saying a male opinion is less worthy is an acceptance that in our society a man can walk away from an unwanted pregnancy and drop any of societies expectations of a father as he feels like it. A move away from that acceptance might prevent lots of women facing the anguish of an abortion that is the only route if they don't feel they can handle sole parenting. I just really don't feel it's a positive step to say this whole issue is solely one for the girls.I'd be happy to hear what men have to say on it.

I'm not taking you on personally here Red Haired Guy btw or trying to put words in your mouth by saying you hold those opinions.Just interested to see that the idea is popular.

Redhairedguy

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I fully agree with you about the Pro-life lobby. I can't imagine a balanced person being attracted to their point of view as they deliver it. In fact I'm sure they must be responsible for putting people off taking an anti abortion stance.

The other aspect of your opinion is interesting and one I'm surprised to see so many people agree with. I don't think that it's the nine months of carrying a child that makes a woman opt for an abortion but rather the several decades being a parent. While I don't think a man should have a deciding voice on the issue I do think their opinions should be equally valid in this debate. The male role of provider and father within society has eroded but it's sad to think some see the opinion of a sex that should play a pivotal role in every child's life be sidelined to irrelevant. I know lots of men who take a very active and loving role in the parenting of their child and men who hope dearly to do this in the future.
Maybe saying a male opinion is less worthy is an acceptance that in our society a man can walk away from an unwanted pregnancy and drop any of societies expectations of a father as he feels like it. A move away from that acceptance might prevent lots of women facing the anguish of an abortion that is the only route if they don't feel they can handle sole parenting. I just really don't feel it's a positive step to say this whole issue is solely one for the girls.I'd be happy to hear what men have to say on it.

I'm not taking you on personally here Red Haired Guy btw or trying to put words in your mouth by saying you hold those opinions.Just interested to see that the idea is popular.

I get what you're saying, and I, in no way wish to diminish the important role that a man/father has in his (or someone else's) child's life.

What I actually meant, though albeit slightly veiled, is that I think it is unjust for a man to dictate what options a woman may or may not have in the event of an unplanned pregnancy. What I REALLY mean here is, that there are men in senior positions of power in this country, notably within the religious (opens floodgates....:pac:) and political community, who are so vehemently outspoken. And these are the people whom folks listen to.

They are entitled to their own opinions, but when it actually comes down to brass tacks, I don't think their words should hold more weight (if any) over that of any young woman. Therefore, I will always put preference in what a woman says on the issue.

Also, a quick fyi. Any man that abandons their partner after she falls pregnant with their child, wanted or unwanted, is simply a scumbag. I've had the immense displeasure of knowing some guys who have done this, and suffice to say that I hope I never fúcking see them again.

45mhrc7evo1d3n

One of the anti-abortionists tried to hijack the question and answer section of the Mary Robinson event at NUIG last night with a rambling rant. Thankfully Fintan O'Toole refused to entertain him (in a very polite and measured way) and received a huge round of applause for stopping him in his tracks.