A short story from today’s Philadelphia Inquirer:
Irish abortion ban challenged¹
DUBLIN, Ireland – Three women filed a lawsuit in a European court against Ireland’s abortion ban yesterday, saying the government violates the human rights of pregnant women by forcing them to travel abroad for abortions.
The three women took the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. A verdict is expected next year.
If they win, they could force Ireland, one of a handful of European countries that still outlaws abortion, to liberalize a system that inspires 7,000 Irish women annually to travel to other European countries, chiefly England, for abortions.
The Irish government fielded a high-powered legal team, including Attorney General Paul Gallagher, to defend its policies. Gallagher said the abortion ban reflects “profound moral values deeply embedded in Irish society.
One would hope that, if they win, the government of the Republic of Ireland would have the good sense to say, sorry, no, but if you think that this crazy court has the jurisdiction and authority to order us to change our national policy, well then just count us out of the European Union.
The problem with super-national governments is that they lose touch with the people and culture of the individual countries contained within them. The Republic of Ireland is a free, functioning democracy: if the Irish people wanted abortion legalized, they could have and would have elected legislators who would legalize it.
Instead, the plaintiffs are seeking to get a non-Irish body to impose the morés of Europe in general on a people who don’t share them.
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¹ – The Philadelphia Inquirer, Thursday, 10 december 2009, p. A-9
Another great post, Dana. Very on point! This looks like Roe V Wade redux, an unelected court will shove abortion policy down people’s throats whether they want it or not.