Protest outside NUIG

h2005

zarquon wrote: »

I think you'll find it is a debate. Proposing to keep an existing law in lieu of a constitutional change is very much a debate. It is nonsensical to say that someone who opposes your belief is not engaging in debate just because you happen to disagree with them. You are entitled to your opinion though and the ability to express it, it's just a shame that you feel those who oppose your opinion do not deserve the right to express or put forward their opinions or proposals.

People need to make up their mind whether they want to live in a democratic or dictorial society. Just look at eastern europe and the middle east to see how the latter functions and decide if that's the type of society you want to live in.

The term pro-choice is laughable. It is really "pro-abortion choice". Pro choice as a general term points to democratic choice which is being forcibly removed from NUIG as the moment therefore it's really "pro choice if you agree with the powers that be" otherwise it's "anti-choice" to practice what you believe.

Pro-choice is pretty straight forward for me. You can either choose to or choose not to have an abortion. Not much else to it.

Ficheall

I would have voted against the referendum last year, though I am pro-choice.
Firstly, the main idea was to change the SU's stance from being "neutral" to being "pro-choice". I don't see what exactly the difference is, as far as the information provided is concerned.
Secondly, there was no clear definition of what was being voted on - full reproductive rights? What are they? "Well, y'know... a woman's right to have an abortion and stuff..."
And the "every available measure" which the SU were to take to enforce this right - no details as to what that might entail either. If anyone could link to more information on either of these this time around, it would be much appreciated.
Thirdly, you can get some right eejits "representing" the student body - as with politicians in general, I suppose... It's an important issue though, and I'd hate to see it degraded by tactics such as "Come march with us against abortion and get a free goodie bag..."*



*In reference to free goodie bags offered to those who attended previous marches for free fees.

Squeeonline

I am also pro-choice and didn't like the idea of the SU taking a side on this. The first referendum was terribly worded but I didn't want to be against it because then I'd be one of them.

If the anti-choice side had won the first referendum, I couldn't have lived with myself. I know a lot of people felt the same way. They didn't want to be seen to be on the same side as that prominent Mayo family or people who display graphic/disturbing images on shop street.

Ficheall wrote: »

I would have voted against the referendum last year, though I am pro-choice.
Firstly, the main idea was to change the SU's stance from being "neutral" to being "pro-choice". I don't see what exactly the difference is, as far as the information provided is concerned.
Secondly, there was no clear definition of what was being voted on - full reproductive rights? What are they? "Well, y'know... a woman's right to have an abortion and stuff..."
And the "every available measure" which the SU were to take to enforce this right - no details as to what that might entail either. If anyone could link to more information on either of these this time around, it would be much appreciated.
Thirdly, you can get some right eejits "representing" the student body - as with politicians in general, I suppose... It's an important issue though, and I'd hate to see it degraded by tactics such as "Come march with us against abortion and get a free goodie bag..."*



*In reference to free goodie bags offered to those who attended previous marches for free fees.

Mrs OBumble

h2005 wrote: »

Pro-choice is pretty straight forward for me. You can either choose to or choose not to have an abortion. Not much else to it.

But Irish women already have that. They simply have to fly to England to exercise the first option.

Which makes me think it's more complicated than that.

renegademaster

renegademaster wrote: »

ok, let's be real clear, opinion is one thing but actively encouraging the illegality of abortion over allowing people to choose whether they have an abortion or not, is not a debate

There are a lot of things that we don't have a choice in and a lot of people believe abortion should remain one of them. Life threatening situations for the mother are obviously a different matter.

zarquon

So is the SU taking a pro euthanasia stance or is the right to choose to end a life only deemed more convenient at one end of the life spectrum.

ben.schlomo

zarquon wrote: »

So is the SU taking a pro euthanasia stance or is the right to choose to end a life only deemed more convenient at one end of the life spectrum.

Really should take your agenda to a different thread.

zarquon

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Really should take your agenda to a different thread.

Because you disagree with it? Seriously it's bad enough that the SU and students are removing material they disagree with but now on a public forum those aligned with the SU by means of being of the same opinion are now telling people to move out of threads discussing the issue? I have as much right to post in this thread as you do!

It seems that a cohort of people do not like democratic process. If only Enda Kenny was more like Adolf Hitler, i'm sure Ireland would be much more progressive then :rolleyes:

ben.schlomo

zarquon wrote: »

Because you disagree with it? Seriously it's bad enough that the SU and students are removing material they disagree with but now on a public forum those aligned with the SU by means of being of the same opinion are now telling people to move out of threads discussing the issue? I have as much right to post in this thread as you do!

It seems that a cohort of people do not like democratic process. If only Enda Kenny was more like Adolf Hitler, i'm sure Ireland would be much more progressive then :rolleyes:

You do like a rant and an overreaction dont you, oh and a :rolleyes:. This thread is about the protest and what theyre protesting about, its not about the NUI SU or euthanasia or agendas that arent in line with yours. You are derailing it with your ramblings and as has been said by students in NUI material from both sides is regularly removed, are you a student, does it affect you in some way or is just affecting just your religious beliefs. As for my suggestion, you should move your pro life stuff to an appropriate thread in a forum designed for it, politics maybe. That make it easier for you? Cue the :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Redhairedguy

Let's keep this discussion focused ladies and gents. The topic of pro-life vs. pro-choice is much bigger than is able for the auld Galway forum. NUIG... SU... free speech... agendas... That's all fair game.

WallyGUFC

Where is the evidence that the SU has removed posters, and that the pro-life crowd have done the same? Maybe it's just students doing it themselves, without any affiliation to the SU. Maybe it's drunken people stumbling home through the college at 3 in the morning.

Also, why do the SU even have a stance on this? Surely they should just be neutral. Posters up now saying there's another referendum soon to change the stance back to neutral.

Why were the protesting outside rather than in front of quad or library?
Are they students?

I'm not sure what the college or students union can do to stop people tearing down others posters.

Mike747

There was a poster up today: 'anti-women, anti-gay, pro-life bigots go away'.

I don't follow the logic, how does being pro-life make you anti-gay?

Squeeonline

Mike747 wrote: »

There was a poster up today: 'anti-women, anti-gay, pro-life bigots go away'.

I don't follow the logic, how does being pro-life make you anti-gay?

The implication is that largely those who hold one conservative value frequently hold at least one more.

Wompa1

Squeeonline wrote: »

The implication is that largely those who hold one conservative value frequently hold at least one more.

Yeah that's what's being implied. It's offensive, tear it down I say! Tear it down!

Isn't there a way that both sides can be dissatisfied?

Redhairedguy

Wompa1 wrote: »

Isn't there a way that both sides can be dissatisfied?

Bring back the floods!!!

endacl

inisboffin wrote: »

Whether we like it or not, two 'arguments' are creeping into this thread. One is the actual 'pro-choice vs pro-life' debate (and arguably the latter name is an even dafter name for a 'side'). The other is the discussion whether or not removing materials from campus is in breach of free speech. There is also the point of a SU taking a 'stance' for one side or the other. Although hard to separate these discussions, I think we have to in order to discuss on topic.

It could of course be argued that taking down the posters is an act of free speech.

inisboffin

endacl wrote: »

It could of course be argued that taking down the posters is an act of free speech.

It could.

emt16

Deleted User wrote: »

Why were the protesting outside rather than in front of quad or library?
Are they students?

I'm not sure what the college or students union can do to stop people tearing down others posters.

From what I heard, they are protesting outside the Quad so that the vice president of student experience sees them on a daily basis and changes the poster policy i.e. gets someone to police the erection of posters.

The only thing is, the vice president is on sick leave

Robbo

emt16 wrote: »

From what I heard, they are protesting outside the Quad so that the vice president of student experience sees them on a daily basis and changes the poster policy i.e. gets someone to police the erection of posters.

The only thing is, the vice president is on sick leave

You'll get that alright from that lot, erection policing. Be pure, be vigilant, behave.

shruikan2553

Probably not the case this time but there was a group thrown out of a society for being a bit zealous but were still putting up posters withe the society's logo on it so everyone on both sides were told to take them down.

Thankfully Im nearly done so I wont have to put up with what is probably going to become a yearly vote on the stance of the SU.

mrkiscool2

There are a family in NUI Galway who firmly believe that being gay is a sin and that abortion is murder. They are the ones who led the campaign for this referendum

Again, it's not the SU tearing down posters. It's people who are either a. Firm believers in pro-choice b. Other societies looking for space or c. People who are disgusted by some of the "statistics" (Like 16 million fetus were aborted in Russia one year and that it was murder-utter nonsense). Take your pick but the SU does not actively go around tearing down posters. In fact, the only time the SU actually pays any real attention to poster boards and who is taking down other peoples posters is elections, and that starts this Sunday at 6pm!

WallyGUFC

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

There are a family in NUI Galway who firmly believe that being gay is a sin and that abortion is murder. They are the ones who led the campaign for this referendum

Again, it's not the SU tearing down posters. It's people who are either a. Firm believers in pro-choice b. Other societies looking for space or c. People who are disgusted by some of the "statistics" (Like 16 million fetus were aborted in Russia one year and that it was murder-utter nonsense). Take your pick but the SU does not actively go around tearing down posters. In fact, the only time the SU actually pays any real attention to poster boards and who is taking down other peoples posters is elections, and that starts this Sunday at 6pm!

Like a family that live on the grounds? Or a society? Or what? I'd be fascinated to know more about people who hold these views, and how they are so out of touch with the world.

emt16

http://www.rabble.ie/2014/03/04/irelands-phelps-family-and-nuig/

inisboffin

From the SU FB page:

"The referendum “That NUI Galway Students’ Union repeal the result of RFC13/1 (position on Abortion), which mandated the Students’ Union to adopt an active pro-choice position in relation to abortion. Henceforth, the Students’ Union shall adopt a neutral position with regard to abortion.” did not pass.

NUI Galway Students' Union remains pro-choice #nuigsu14"

saidinmilamber

This was up on campus yesterday. These people need to sit down, have a cup of tear, and stop thinking about what other people's genitalia are up to.

Foxx92

Jesus Christ

FouxDaFaFa

Jesus Christ, nothing exciting ever happened when I was there.

:pac:

Foxx92

FouxDaFaFa wrote: »

Jesus Christ, nothing exciting ever happened when I was there.

:pac:

Not exciting, just a very small number of very loud people who have been voted against by the greater student body on every decision so far this year, and more defeats to come tomorrow

_Whimsical_

Sounds like its hotting up this afternoon, "scuffles" have broken out and Gardai have been called. Something to do with a marriage equality protest, or so I glean from GA fb.