PR: PD's Serve No Cause in Opposing a Pro-life Referendum
16.11.2000
Bishop Brendan Comiskey's latest assault upon Youth Defence is at best misguided and at worst sinister. That an Irish Bishop should accept without question the word of the pro-abortion lobby, in the guise of the Dublin Abortion Information Campaign and the Trinity College Students Union, above the word of those doing all in our power to defend the defenceless, is tantamount to treachery. Had he bothered to contact us we would willingly have provided him with the truth about the incident at Buswells Hotel.
Two of our Committee members were threatened with physical violence (by a large group of pro-abortion campaigners) if they did not leave the public bar. Like the Black civil rights activists of old, they knew what would happen if they refused, but with the courage of their convictions, they had to refuse. They were left beaten and bleeding on the floor without so much as raising a finger in self-defence. One of them was treated in hospital for a head wound which received seven stitches. The other had his glasses taken off him and smashed. Two of the pro-abortion lobby are being charged with assault.
Instead of attacking his own side in such a public manner, Bishop Comiskey would be better employed criticising those who seek to legalise the murder of unborn children. The fact that he has publicly condemned pro-life activists on several occasions but has never seen fit to condemn the proponents of abortion would obviously call his integrity as a Shepherd into question. (Perhaps it would be better if his next venture into public literature were a letter of resignation). There was nothing either socially or morally reprehensible about our actions and we have a duty to stand for the truth, even if that means publicly correcting a Bishop.
In conclusion, we look forward to joining Bishop Comiskey as he follows in the footsteps of his esteemed Dr. M.L. King and takes to the streets to protest for the most basic human and civil right of all - the right to life.
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