Gulags In Connemara?

Once again it seems the Labour Party here in Ireland is reminding us Catholics that we are only second class citizens and we are not allowed to engage in the political (democratic??) process here in Ireland.   Minister for Comunications, Pat Rabbitte (Labour)  has now said that while he will allow the Church to "state its position" with regard to abortion in the upcoming debate, he is "surprised" at Cardinal Brady's reference to lobbying.  Indeed he believes the Church's intention to lobby and do what she can to prevent the legalisation of the killing of the unborn to be a "retrograde step" - he sees it as the Church dictating to politicians.

How ironic!  Here is a man who claims to be a democrat, but wants to prevent allowing those who disagree with him having an opportunity to influence the legislature in a manner which is permissable to every citizen of this republic and every organisation.   On every issue that comes before the government numerous agencies, think tanks, associations, human rights groups, lobby the government to try and get their particular viewpoint not just heard but included in the various acts and laws which are being formulated.  It seems the only group that is not allowed to do this now is the Catholic Church - she alone is excluded.  That, my friends, is not democracy and any politician that would even hint at such an exclusion is not a democrat and not even within an ass's roar of being one. 

Now Mr Rabbitte says that it is the Catholic Church dictating to politicians - that is a very negative and ideologically biased view - but I believe he sees it that way because he profoundly disagrees with Church teaching - well, that's his problem.  But if he wants to talk about dictating, well we have had plenty of examples since his party took power.  Members of his party, and the party they are in bed with, have used every opportunity to dictate policy to Catholics.  They have insulted our Holy Father the Pope, hiding behind Dail privilege to do so.  They have tried to force our Cardinal out of office for a mistake that many politicians and others have made at some point in their career - so much for separation of Church and State.  In that incident they decided to speak "personally" so to present a veneer to let us think they respect the divide - but it was a thin veneer - a speaking with forked tongues.  They have even suggested that Catholic civil servants who take their faith seriously be excluded from the promotion process within the service for fear they would take over.  This is not only offensive but totally cracked. 

We Catholics are being dictated to by pro-abortion groups, gay groups, so-called humanitarian groups and most journalists all because we will not disregard the teachings of Christ and make the state our lord and master.  If a retrograde step is being taken it is being taken by the left-wing establishment in this country as they construct social gulags for those who oppose their ideological and permissive agenda.  I wonder, are the powers that be checking out isolated locations somewhere in Ireland to begin constructing real gulags for us?  

I hope and pray our beloved Bishops will not stand back in the face of this remark from Mr Rabbitte.  We are citizens of this republic and we have a right to have our voice heard and we have a right to lobby the government.  And we should.  It is time to stand behind our Cardinal and back him up and encourage him to lead the campaign for life in the assault that is coming.  What a legacy that would be - he has been villified for his mistakes, and he made mistakes as he has admitted, but as he comes to retirement what better way to go than having led the people of this country, those who recognise the value of innocent human life, in opposing the most serious threat to human life this country has ever known.

And now here's a question, what do our backbench TDs think on the matter?  What are our pro-life politicians doing?  Do they support Mr Rabbitte and the coalition politburo in their decision to crack the whip and push forward?  Will they stay silent, or, as democrats, those WE elected, will they stand up and take on the party leadership?  Will pro-life politicans choose life or the party diktat?