Our problem dates back to the 1970s’ rise of Animal Rights. This bizarrely named movement was responsible for the criminal and environmentally destructive activities of an army urban sociopaths. However, the lasting legacy of their actions is not limited to the environment. It also spawned a mindset of collective ignorance among urban populations.
Based on the absurdly anthropomorphic assertion of animals having rights, these guys here in Ireland objected mink being farmed for its fur and liberated hundreds. One of these predators swam off shore to kill 200 nesting seabirds (the entire colony) in a single night. They are now outnumbered.
These narks once dropped hundreds upon a road to injure Co Antrim foxhounds as a protest against alleged animal cruelty.
The false belief that animals have rights has led to the creation of the Cats Protection League, and a significant increase in the number cat homes. One manager of these cat homes boasted that he gave 10,000 of these predators each year to the public.
This has caused a massive decline in wild birds in the last thirty years. It is now impossible for any ground nesting species of bird to rear their chicks. Eighty percent of them have disappeared and are now facing extinction.
Dogs’ value has declined since the decline of hunting and dog fighting. They are dangerous and dangerous because they are not well controlled. Every year, at most, one child is killed by the family dog in Britain or Ireland.
The real issue behind this Stormont Private Member’s Bill is not the cruelty endured by the prey that is pursued by the dog, and certainly not driven by public health and safety concerns, environmental control or the safety of children, but rather it is nothing other than a patronising and moralising gripe that the dog owner enjoys the experience.
They don’t know that every herbivore who has lived since the Devonian period 400,000,000 years ago has had a happy ending.
JACK DUFFIN
Belfast BT11
Time to stop inflicting additional suffering on victims, families, and friends
In recent days representatives of Sinn Féin have been playing mental gymnastics in how to respond to a Christmas video by Gerry Adams which was clearly in poor taste and offensive to victims and survivors.
It would be much more interesting to hear the response from Sinn Féin on an important statement, from their former comrades, from the ETA prisoners’ collective (EPPK), made on November 29. Their supporters were asked to stop holding events to celebrate the release of their comrades. It added: “From now on, we only want to be received in a private space between relatives.”
Their statement recognised that “there are people who have honestly expressed that they feel pain with the public [celebrations]… They are people hurt by the actions of our past militancy and we understand that they may feel pain.”
Although this statement may not have been enough for many Basque Country victims, it is an important gesture.
If paramilitary organizations and political parties in Northern Ireland made and acted on a similar statement could we avoid the spectacle that makes it so offensive to victims of the killings?
Were we able to have a more private and discreet funeral for Bobby Storey than we did?
Could we stop the showing of strength in loyalist groups?
It is time for victims and survivors to be free from further suffering and to adopt a more inclusive, ethical, and graceful approach to remembering and commemorations. This is the philosophy of Maureen Hetherington, QUB sociologist Gladys Ganiel.
TIM ATTWOOD
Belfast BT11
Republicans don’t have to stop using language of the past
Tiocfaidh ár lá is a political phrase and I don’t consider that it’s a basis for someone to have to apologise. Gerry Adams is an Irish speaker and a strong believer in republicanism. He is fluent in writing and speaks fluently. He has been known to speak Irish on several occasions when he is interviewed. The English translation for Tiocfaidh ár lá is our day will come (in terms of an united Ireland). A large number of Irish people, both north and south, believe that a united Ireland will be coming. They don’t apologize for it and, like Gerry Adams. In fact, in Gerry Adams’s boyhood days in Belfast he could have been imprisoned for thinking like that or for singing a rebel song. I remember when during the Anglo-Irish negotiations of 1985, papers were reporting on concessions being offered by the Irish government and thinking, ‘My god, they will be apologising for the 1916 uprising next’.
Gerry Adams has made an enormous contribution to securing peace and stability in Ireland, even though it was at great personal risk. He and republicans like himself don’t have to stop using the language of the past.
JAMES G. BARRY
Templeogue, Dublin 6
The society must wake up to the reality of abortion
Some politicians lack a sense of irony and have a moral compass that is broken. They campaign for the protection of foxes and, without shame, stridently advocate for the so-called ‘right’ to ‘terminate’ children in the womb.
In the report ‘Assembly to debate controversial abortion bill’ (December 12) Michelle O’Neill refers to abortion “services” being “delivered without further delay”.
In the same report, Green Party leader Clare Bailey astonishingly tries to link violence against women with the ‘right’ to abortion. There is no irony. One of the worst acts of violence against women is abortion – even if it is ‘chosen’.
Women deserve better than abortion, and unborn children do not deserve to be denied their most fundamental rights.
Our society needs to be aware of the dangers of abortion and those responsible for it. They asked Westminster to impose the most severe abortion regimes in the country, on Northern Ireland, with no consultation with the electorate.
FR PATRICK MCCAFFERTY
Belfast BT12