Madam, – While Micheál McGuigan’s basis for voting against the Lisbon Treaty is principled (February 23rd), it is also flawed for two reasons.
Firstly, the wording used in the treaty simply takes account of EU states that recognise same-sex marriages as well as those that don’t. The treaty cannot amend Irish marriage legislation and the definition of what marriage constitutes in Ireland will remain solely an Irish issue. This issue was addressed during the last referendum campaign.
Secondly, a Eurobarometer poll on social values in 2005 reported that 18 per cent of Europeans had no belief in “any sort of spirit, God or life force”. Meanwhile the second most frequent answer to the religion question in the 2006 Irish census was the “no religion” option, at 4 per cent.
The European Union is diverse and complex. We don’t have a single view on religion and values. While Christianity is the predominant faith, it does not mean the European Union is a Christian one.
The Lisbon Treaty is about reforming governance structures within the EU and not about marriage, religion, conscription, abortion, corporation tax, or whatever else comes through your letter box. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Micheál McGuigan (February 23rd) holds the Lisbon Treaty hostage to two demands: he does not want gay marriage and he wants a Christian Europe.
I am sorry to inform him that Europe’s long experience of the ravages of integrism make it unlikely that he will have the second wish fulfilled. Even civil religion in the American style, which would be more respectful of the rights of Jews and Muslims, is not on the cards.
Mr McGuigan favours civil unions legislation rather than gay marriage – a topic much debated in Europe, but which as far as I know has nothing to do with the Lisbon Treaty. Powerful European nations such as France and Britain have opted for civil unions. An unforeseen problem is that these have been taken up enthusiastically by heterosexual couples as a form of “marriage lite”. Each No voter no doubt has another list of non-negotiables. The net result is an obstructionism that has made Europeans despair of our political nous.
It is time to reclaim our reputation by giving expression once again to our basic common sense and political wisdom. – Yours, etc,