The 2014 all Ireland rally for life held in Belfast on
Saturday July 5th was the largest pro-life demonstration held in
that city to date. Estimates suggest the attendance was in the region of 8000
and included pro-lifers from all over Ireland. The Rally was addressed by a
number of speakers including Bernadette Smyth of Precious Life, Niamh Ui Bhrian
of the Life Institute and Former MEP Dana Rosemary Scallon. All the main
pro-life organizations were in attendance and marched from Custom House Square
to the city hall and back.
Bernadette Smyth, told the assembled crowd that they were
sending a clear message to both Taoiseach Enda Kenny and to David Ford the
North’s justice minister “that the lives of the unborn must be protected” at
all stages.
Ms Smyth said that the rally was a clear demonstration that
the majority of people in the Republic did not want any moves that would
liberalise abortion legislation. “Our clear message to the Taoiseach is that
people will not be silenced when the lives of unborn children are at risk,” she
said.
Ms Smyth added that the rally was also telling the North’s
justice minister, Alliance leader David Ford that he should not attempt to
bring in legislation that would allow for abortion in cases of foetal
abnormality.
Niamh Ui Bhriain told the gathering that “abortion
campaigners seek to broaden abortion laws by using the distress felt by every
family facing such tragic news and such a distressing diagnosis”.
“Seeking to push abortion on vulnerable families really is
the worst form of discrimination, and for these unborn children, who are
severely disabled, this is a lethal form of discrimination,” she said.
Ms Ui Bhriain continued by saying that the voices of the
majority of parents were being ignored in the debate surrounding abortion for
babies with disabilities, and that the rally was providing these families with
a voice.
“We’re seeking to support families who need compassion and
real help, and both governments, North and South, must listen to parents in
these situations who want a better answer than abortion,” she added.
Dana Rosemary Scallon told the crowd that there existed a
“secular humanist global agenda which has no respect for the sovereignty of
nations” and which sought to bring in widespread abortion. “We must stand up for
life,” she said.
Once again questions need to be asked about how such an
event is reported. Why for example is the print and broadcasting media so
biased against unborn life? And why do they persist in championing abortion and
pushing it at every opportunity?
According to a BBC report thousands of pro-lifers took to
the streets of Belfast city centre in the Rally for Life demonstration, which
they then depict negatively as an anti-abortion rally, rather than one that
celebrates and upholds the lives of the unborn in Northern Ireland. The
pro-abortion Irish Times as expected underestimated the attendance putting it
at only 4000.
