Alan Shatter condemns ‘obscene and insensitive’ anti-abortion posters

By Christine Bohan

Image: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

12/12/12 9,822 Views 70 Comments

MINISTER FOR JUSTICE Alan Shatter has condemned anti-abortion posters targeting him personally which have been erected in his constituency.

The Minister said the posters were obscene and insensitive and compared them to the ‘fundamentalist bullyboy’ tactics used during the divisive debates on abortion in the early 1980s.

The posters say: “Every child matters except to Alan Shatter” and along the bottom an additional slogan says “Stop Abortion”. The Minister said the posters have an “entirely outrageous and entirely inappropriate bloodied photograph” on them.

“The persons or organisation responsible for these untruthful and illegal posters are apparently too cowardly to include their identity on the posters,” said Shatter.

The posters were erected overnight and have been put up close to Wesley College school in Ballinteer and reportedly beside a creche in the area.

The debate on Ireland’s abortion laws has intensified over the past six weeks over the death of Savita Halappanavar and Ireland’s response to the ABC judgment in the European Court of Human Rights.

Minister Shatter said he had campaigned for years for greater protection for children, for reform of Ireland’s child protection services, for a Minister for Children and for the children’s rights referendum.

“It is regrettable that a minority of individuals are now reverting to the insensitive and disgraceful tactics deployed by the fundamentalist bullyboys who targeted both me and others in the early 1980s when, in advance of the 1983 referendum, I predicted many of the difficulties that have arisen as a result of the incorporation of Article 40.3.3 into our Constitution,” Alan Shatter said in a statement this afternoon.

The lack of humanity, insight and compassion of those responsible for these posters is starkly illustrated by their positioning adjacent to Wesley College school, close to where I live, and their reported positioning outside at least one creche in my constituency.

He added:

They [the people who erected the posters] have no concern for pregnant women who have tragically miscarried, experienced still births or a pregnancy with a child suffering a fatal foetal abnormality, nor have they any concern for any mother whose pregnancy had to be terminated where its continuation posed a real and substantial threat to her life.

Shatter said he appreciated that abortion is an emotional issue for many people. “However, obscene and targeted postering of this nature contributes nothing of value to considered public discussion and debate on an issue that for too long previous Governments have failed to comprehensively address,” he said.

The Minister noted that that majority of people in the State want the government to act on the recommendations of the expert group on the ABC ruling.

Read: Ireland told to expedite abortion legislation or regulation >

Read: Human Rights Commission to submit review of abortion report to Government >

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Comments (31 Comments)
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Ian Stephenson 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Sounds like a fundamentalist “youth” organisation methinks !

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  Conor Kirwan 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Yes, an organisation coming out in “defence” ;)
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  Kitty Prendergast 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Spot on guys. I received one of their offensive leaflets through my letterbox yesterday. It made me so angry. I am still undecided on where precisely I stand in the debate on abortion, but I am 100% against having hard line propaganda posted into my home. It went straight on the fire.
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Seán Ó Briain 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Not a fan of Shatter, but this type of lark is immature.

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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Succinctly summed, Sean.
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Stephen Nolan 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Fascists being fascists, shocker!

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Daisy Chainsaw 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Anti choice terrorists strike again! Too cowardly to take ownership of their dirty work.

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  eric nelligan 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  As opposed to the pro abortion crowd who only want the ‘choice’ to kill the defenceless.
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  Kevin O'Brien 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Kill what? A foetus at that age isn’t alive. It’s a bundle of cells.
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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  No Eric..
  ..as opposed to those of us who recognise that an adult woman should not be reduced to a spurious ‘equality’ with her dependent foetus; especially when it is dictated by a callow ‘youth’ cadre in thrall to a cult of ocscurantist superstition, directed by a supposedly ‘celibate’ bunch of mammy’s boys who have a history of enslavement and abuse of women and children, so as to elevate themselves morally above real fathers and mothers, who have to make difficult decisions concerning the welfare of their extant, as opposed to their potential, children.
  
  We are also pro appendectomy, but are not going to nail you to a couple of planks and extract yours.
  
  Does that help?
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  Gamma 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  @Kevin, to be blunt, we’re all just bundles of cells.
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  Jonathan FitzGerald 21/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  “Obscurantist” … Nice.
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Penguin Nation 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
If a pro-choice organisation launched such a clearly inflammatory campaign, the pro-lifers would be up in arms screeching about democracy and all the other aul tropes their fire out. The message is exactly what you would expect from these far right nutters, but I suppose it’s their right to say their piece. The good thing about these campaigns is it loses them a lot of support. The graphic billboards are disgusting, and it goes to show how little their care about children once they’re out of the womb that they’d put one near a creche and a school.

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  Penguin Nation 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  *they (damn autocorrect)
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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  autoscrewup…where’s me space gone??????????????????????
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David Clarke 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Well said Alan. Fundamentalist, uncaring and insensitive bigots who obsess on religious dogma to the detriment of those who are actually affected.

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Kerry Blake 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Is it not illegal to put up posters which do not identify the organisation who put them up?

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  Jim Walsh 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  I think so. Surely they can trace the origin of these posters and the people responsible?
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  Kerry Blake 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  You would imagine it would be possible but, then again have they managed to identify those behind the automated phone call scam from a while back?
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  Desmond O'Toole 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  It IS illegal. There are specific rules for when posters can be fixed to public property, and in any event such posters must show the printer (for election material) and publisher. Failure to include these details or to put up posters which fall outside of local authority rules is treated as littering, which is a criminal offence. The council can also remove such litter and bill the culprits for the costs of that removal.
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  Sean Beag 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  It’s also a breach of the public order act to display offensive material in such a manner. Of course the problem arises when you can’t identify the owner.
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  Shanti Om 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Wonder if the fact that they named him directly and made an accusation about him would constitute libel?
  Or the fact that they were obviously put there to try and intimidate him into changing his stance – would that come under harassment?
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Jean Cross 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
When they’re not doing this stuff they’re ranting about the abortionists/gay/ feminist/everybody other than their crazy selves waging a war on Christmas. What is going on inside their heads?

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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  A barndance…
  
  ..of angels on their pin-heads.
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Kellyanne Ross 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
more youth defence crap. the youth defence are away with faries i came across their facebook page and the stuff they put up is disgusting . lies more lies . there getting desparate .

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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Try the ‘Youth Offence’ page for return of serve.
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  Noddy Mooney 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Or try the Yuff Defence page for a bit of satire.
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Eric Mongan 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
of all the issues in the country at the moment i’m just sick of these pro lifers adding to it. them and they’re posters are a waste of space and time.

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Joe Sixtwo 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
The fanatical religious right will stop at nothing to keep their grip on power. American evangelical Christian groups are pouring money into these filthy campaigns. The same people who supported the murderer Paul Hill (who has since been executed in the USA)

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Mind The Baby 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Got the leaflet version of this in my letterbox yesterday. It has Youth Defence printed in the corner. Hardly rocket science to figure it out. Surprised other media outlets are reporting that Youth Defence have denied it’s them

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  Conor Farrell 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  By any chance would you be able to take a photo of the leaflet and post it? And if you or anyone else can grab a photo of the big poster version, that would also be hugely appreciated.
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Sally Aquilina 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
just saw one of Kenny on St Stephen’s Green saying he lied in the election campaign about his stance on abortion (cos that’s the biggest lie he told). Poster is clearly marked Youth Defence

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Clau Emmett 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
saw that while driving, such a disgrace! it is very clear who is behind this. stand your ground shatter!

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Gis Bayertz 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Dogma!

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Shane Mc Donnell 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Choice in serious circumstances guys thats what will happen

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Shane Mc Donnell 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Wait till the referendum on this lol

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sakipol 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
I haven’t seen the posters, but it does seem that they are not helpful in promoting a mature debate on this matter.

Fortunately, Youth Defense (Obv despite the anonymity) are a small minority of people with prolife views. Most of us abhor their tactics.

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Vincent Dolan 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Whoever put those posters up needs to be hung, drawn & quartered. Unbelievably damaging to the broader pro-life argument.

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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  ‘broader pro-life argument’??
  
  Do let us hear it.
  I’m waiting for its overdue delivery down the uterine Christmas chimney since 1983.
  
  Leave your sleigh on the roof as long as you like, Vinnie. I’ll clean the gutters in the spring.
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  zedabelzer 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Hung drawn and quartered? Really Vincent?? Coming from one of the biggest pro-lifers (as you like to ‘broadly’ call yourselves) on these boards, that’s pretty ironic.
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Liam 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
“Every child matters except to Alan Shatter” , when anti-choice groups use terms like this, it is only for emotional manipulation, trying to guilt people into agreeing with them, how many times does it have to be stated to them that until the fetus is born, it is not a child?

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  Gamma 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  it may not be a child but it is human life. I’m not a child but I still have the right to life. All you’re doing by dehumanizing a foetus is giving pro life trolls ammo. I heard some tool say that we won’t call them babies because we know it’s wrong. I’m pro choice but I’m not gonna blind myself to what it means
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Peter Richardson 13/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
I decided not to comment until I looked at the signs. It gives me a good insight into the mentality of these thoroughly nasty zealots. It shows how the Spanish Inquisition was able to thrive for many centuries.

The anti-choice lobby bellows at us, barracks us and treats us with contempt because they think that only they Are right. The anti-choice group are united by their contempt for anything that does not fit within their fundamentalist views.

We must be careful that we don’t allow the anti-choice group expand their right wing, fascist and bullying influence. Their invective and their actions tell us who and what the anti-choice lobby really are. By their actions we can know them.

It strikes me that Mr. Shatter’s Judaism, as well as his courageous speech, has focused hostile attention on him. I hope that I am wrong about this but the signs show a sinister and unsettling group at work.

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  Shanti Om 17/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  I know Peter, “ye shall know them by their fruits” eh?
  There’s the unsolicited phone calls, offensive posters, blatant misrepresentations of the constitution and the facts.
  These actions reveal liars.. Devious, manipulative, completely devoid of compassion and empathy. They claim empathy and compassion for the foetus, but the apparent concern ends the moment the umbilical cord is cut. Then there is hatred toward those who do not fit their world view.
  
  I wonder if you were to get hold of the people running the show – not the followers, the higher ups in the movement, would they test well on the scale for psychopathy? Their methods seem to suggest that there is likely some present in influential sectors of the movement.
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Shane Mc Donnell 13/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
In serious circumstances! Personally I don’t see it been legalised completely in every circumstance

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Tim Stevens 21/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Is it any wonder the state brushed this issue under the carpet !

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D J Moore 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Alan Shatter accuses someone/thing of being “insensitive”??

Oh the irony….

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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Just out for a spin DJ??
  
  Or just out?
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Benny benson 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
I believe in divorce contraception don’t go to church or anything like that I have aright to believe in these, also I don’t believe in abortion it’s so wrong and disgusting. I have a right not to believe in this either. Use your intelligence people, once your conceived your a very tiny baby,like it or not your are not a clump of cells, your are a tiny growing human. Fact. I believe most people the world over don’t believe in abortion. Please don’t give me the bullsh1t about choice that’s just brainwashing. Where’s the baby’s choice. The tiny baby is innocent, where’s the baby’s choice. We need to speak up people with similar views be brave. I know what I am talking about. Contraception divorce good, abortion is bad and sad.

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  Lauren Halligan 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  You’re totally right that you can believe what you like, but please do it in an informed manner. I fertilized egg is called a zygote, which is literally just a dot smaller than a pencil point and consisting of genetic material.
  
  This eventually grows into an embryo and eventually a foetus. Neither of these is a “baby” to begin with. They cannot (before 20 weeks as far as i know-open to correction) survive without the mother’s system.
  
  I like to have a choice in what my body gets up to, thanks.
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  Gamma 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  ok as a pro-choice supporter this “it’s only a zygote” crap annoys me. yes its a microscopic clump of cells but it is still a human life. to say that it’s not a life because it needs the mother to survive means you think every parasitic/saprofitic organism is non living.
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  Shanti Om 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  To play devils advocate here..
  You say where is the foetus’ choice. That’s a great question. How do you know that foetus wants to be born?
  There’s a lot of kids out there living in abusive homes who might tell you they wish they had never been born. There are fatal foetal abnormalities which means being born means having the pleasure of the single most traumatic and presumably painful event in life – only to die anyway without ever really getting to “live”. Or die in utero.
  There’s babies born to women addicted to drugs that suffer withdrawal symptoms upon birth.
  
  Not every child would choose to be born if they knew what they were getting into, to say any of those examples would choose birth is completely ludicrous. So this “what about the choice of the foetus”, it’s very noble and all, but it’s also highly assumptive.
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  Doireann Ní Chonghaile 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  If so many people don’t believe in abortion, why is it legal (in one form or another) in the majority of countries in the world?
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  Ed Kavanagh 13/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Because it pushed as a form of population control by those who own 95% of the worlds resources. If you do believe in a God then would you think he or she would agree with abortion. If you don’t then you are free to kill whoever you choose with no repercussions. Live is previous full stop. You cant make exceptions to that principle
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  Nick Beard 13/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  So much for abortion not being pushing your religious beliefs on people, Ed!
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  Patricia Boland 16/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  You are a guy, Benny, not a woman, this issue does not really affect you personally, in fairness. Its a human rights issue for women, and is always an optional procedure, remember, never forced on a woman.
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Anthony Hesketh 13/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Life begins at conception. This is not religious dogma but scientific fact . Clearly life is a development process from conception to death . If we abandon a scientific response to when life begins, when and how do we agree when protection should be afforded to the embryo/foetus/child ? At 13, 16, 20, 24 weeks ? Each starting point is entirely arbitrary and of course each foetus/child will not reach the same point at the same time as others. Viability depends on scientific advance more than innate qualities in the child.It was variously thought to be 32, 28 and now 24 weeks gestation.Perhaps it is no surprise that the pro aborts harp on about a ‘woman’s right to choose ‘ to avoid these issues . If we allow a woman the right to choose when to abort ,do we allow it till birth as most of the pro abort organisations want ? I do not know if Youth Defence gets it money from the USA , but I do know that the big abortion providers are massive businesses with billions of dollars at their disposal . They want to expand their empires everywhere . I note that no one is talking of the poor Indian dentist now that we know the case was manipulated by the pro aborts for their own interests . Nothing worse than cynical manipulation!

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  Shanti Om 17/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  1. If life begins at conception, how do you square treatment of ectopic pregnancies? Failure to abort naturally results in a life threatening situation for the mother.. Would you prefer that they both die?
  
  2. In the UK 90% of abortions take place in the first trimester. The majority medically, as in – take a pill, bleed, vomit, cry and feel like crap, then go back to check the miscarriage is complete.
  
  3. This majority of “pro aborts” who want abortion up to 9 months, are you sure you didn’t just make that up to make your argument more hysterical and emotionally charged?
  If a woman doesn’t want to be pregnant she gets it over and done with as soon as possible, she doesn’t wait around for 8 months and then decide “I think I’ll have an abortion now”, so this is completely irrelevant.
  Abortions which take place at this late stage in pregnancy are frequently as a result of life threatening complications within pregnancy. These are the abortions that the pro life side say that they are ok with.
  
  4. Let the HSE do them, this removes the money making element that you worry about.
  
  5. Savita’s husband approached the pro choice group and asked for their help. This is not manipulation, this is seeking support. Until the report comes out there’s no sense harping on about her death constantly. Besides – this debate is far larger than any one incident. But misrepresenting the facts as known serves no constructive purpose.
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Professor Mehoop 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Don’t cry Alan. You’re a big boy and more than capable of firing off the shots when it suits you.

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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Get back in your woodwork, prof..this is the ‘adults only’ page.
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  Professor Mehoop 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  So we can say whatever we like once we agree with Flinter. #flintersrules #liberalmehoop
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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Dont go agreeing with that flinter bolix. Bad idea. Very, small minority to be joining.
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  Professor Mehoop 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Took the words out of my mouth Flinter. Words right out. Rock on.
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Anthony Hesketh 13/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
If he thinks the posters are bad , he should watch an actual abortion.We can’t debate abortion without a full understanding of what happens in the abortion. We regularly see pictures of starving African children . These images are disturbing but they bring home to us the reality of starvation !

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  Nick Beard 13/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  I’m guessing you’ve never seen an abortion in person? Yes, imagine the horror of someone taking a pill and then bleeding. Everyone watching would be scandalised (except I’ve seen it and I found it bore no resemblance to the description of pro lifers who, oddly enough, never seem to have personally witnessed one themselves).
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Shane Mc Donnell 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Sally
What did he say??

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Declan Byrne 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Get back in your box Shatter

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  Damien Flinter 12/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Back in your cellar, Byrne…we’re doing adult issues.
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Mary Mcmahon 13/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
Obscene pictures of an obscene procedure,in late term abortion the organs are harvested,so much for a bunch of cells,human flesh been turned into a commercial commodity.In the U S A there are people who argue abortion should be availabe up to 12 months after birth,as the baby does not develope a personality till then,these people are professionals

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  Shanti Om 17/12/12 Comment reported, thank you Report this comment
  Where are these people arguing for abortion post birth? Or are you confusing an paper in an ethics journal (which was by virtue of being an ethics paper playing devils advocate) with a lobby group?
  
  Late term abortions are extremely rare too. Most frequently as a result of emergencies and complications rather than simple choice. In our nearest neighbour, the UK, 90% of abortions take place within the first trimester, and the overwhelming majority of them are carried out medically – ie, the doctor gives you some pills and tells you to come back in a couple of days to ensure that the miscarriage has completed. Your example sounds like the propaganda pushed by the more extreme elements of the pro life side, and is not indicative of the reality.