Irish bashing

[ASAS]

Is it just me or have there been an unusual number of threads passive aggressively bashing our Irish sisters lately?

I'm not Irish so not particularly sensitive, but just seems to have come up out of nowhere. Prior to this most Irish threads were about the price of tinned tomatoes in euros and staff booking St Patrick's Day in NYC without authorization.

Peace and love, remember, peace and love.

Apols for my shocking grammar in that opening sentence.

It's quite weird. Every thread about the referendum has had posters saying 'fine but what about abortion?' as if the UK is some bastion of equal rights for all.

Nope. My family are Irish and I've not noticed it either.

I think it may be due to people thinking that voters are wanting same sex marriages but being opposed to abortion. Which is a pretty weird thing in my mind. To be so liberal all of a sudden over one aspect and totally shut down on another. It doesn't make sense.

My family are Irish but I don't have any sisters who use Mumsnet.

I've seen discussion around the same sex marriage issue and abortion lately, but not noticed any Irish bashing.

Agreed ASAS and White. I'm Irish and I'm finding some threads are making for uncomfortable reading. I am very much an abortion activist, however the equal rights to marriage ref has nothing to do with abortion. One step at a time!

Its just weird. All of a sudden a massively supposed catholic religion is spouting same sex marriages but haven't dealt with women choosing to have an abortion? Jumping steps comes to my mind here.

Same sex marriages are ok due to people not having babies in that particular setting then so that issue wont come up and we look hip? what is the thought process behind this, baffling? weird.

I think it may be due to people thinking that voters are wanting same sex marriages but being opposed to abortion.

Well most Irish people don't think that way, and it's a bit ignorant to assume that they do.

Some of the issues with legalising abortion in modern Ireland is a) anti abortion language has been enshrined in the constitution which is difficult to do and b) Ireland's historic theocracy means women's rights in general have not been top of the agenda. (The theocracy was due to British occupation btw.)

Why is it weird, crusts?

Catholics believe all life is sacred. They believe a foetus to be life. What's not to understand?

I support abortion rights, but I can see the other side of the coin.

Calling other people's views weird is never going to change how they feel. Discussion and understanding is what we need.

I know young Irish people who support gay rights but not abortion. Not everyone is coming from the same place as you.

Blaming the English and enshrining a constitution? err ok

'we look hip'?

Jesus, you think very little of the Irish, don't you?

What the fuck has equal rights to do with being hip?

Very hypocritical. Strange and weird.

I probably won't explain this as I mean to, but....

In regards to abortion, imagine you were in that hellish place where your worst nightmare, a child who is so ill inside your tummy they won't survive outside your tummy. Imagine the utter cruelty of your situation being labelled 'choice'. Imagine you are also in Ireland. Then imagine you Google, find yourself at mn and on top of everything else you see that it's just hard lines you live in a 'backwards' country.

There's been loads of abortion in Ireland discussion on here lately with almost zero praise for the people fighting in favour of safe access. Marian Keyes mentions it all the time. The women in Ireland are doing loads. I just think we should be praising them for that.

crustsaway not blame, just talking history - context helps shed light on why the situation is the way it is at present. I'm a reproductive rights advocate.

Word, ASAS.

No, I dont, not of the people but the government and the church, yes I do.

crusts you're coming across as spectacularly ill-informed.

read up on it first, maybe, before calling a nation weird for voting for equality for gay people.

The Gerry Adams/IRA one makes for very uncomfortable reading, particularly the Goady Fucker who proclaimed that Irish people were ignorant of facts about their own country - because someone else dared to point out that NI was actually part of the UK...

Yes, the island is called Ireland. Yes, the country is called Ireland. No, they are not the same thing. And yes, Northern Ireland is a sovereign state which forms part of the United Kingdom and not Ireland the country, even if it is geographically located on Ireland the island.

The level of ignorance and prejudice is very uncomfortable and disappointing, and the finger-pointing is a bit much. I love my home country for many reasons, although its access to healthcare and women's rights are substandard compared to the UK. I really dislike the snootiness and the allegations of backwardness, and as I've lived here in the UK most of my adult life I don't really think either country is in a place to cast the first stone.

English were slaves and killed during history too so im not sure why history has to be dragged up time and time again. The catholic religion has been seen to be very hypocritical as has most religions.

Again, don't know what's going on with my grammar, can barely string a sentence tonight.

Why is it hypocritical?

What has gay rights to do with abortion?

How is labelling someone's opinion 'strange and weird' ok?

Shouting people down never changed a thing. There are people inIreland fighting for abortion rights. And there are people who are against it. And whatever you think of their opinion, it is still theirs and they have the right to hold it.

I saw an elderly woman on TV saying she changed her mind about gay people when she found out her grandson was gay. It is that kind of thing that will change a lot of people's minds, not demonising them.

Read up on what? I have had first hand experience of my friends mother having to perform abortions illegally not so long ago. I have had first hand experience of men spitting shite from pulpits.