Sir, - I believe the time has now come for women - and women only - to take on the question of the legalisation of abortion in Ireland. Let us as women dismiss immediately the opportunist male politicians with their sophist arguments. These men have a different agenda - their own promotion.
Any woman will tell you that the most joyful achievement of her life is to bring a child into this world. For me personally it was the fulfilment of my biological destination and each of my four children have brought me happiness beyond description. But I was fortunate. I wasn't raped, I wasn't deprived and depending on perhaps some essential handout, and importantly, I wasn't an abused young girl.
The Taliban mentality of some of the anti-abortionists fills me with questioning. What is so special about their species that they believe that some young girl/child should bear a child just to propagate another being? Would these "pro-lifers" take care of all the young uncared-for children roaming our streets? Remember that a child is for life - and I do not believe in having children for other people. Other people can hurt and abuse and I couldn't take the chance of giving my child to others thinking all the time of how he/she may be treated.
I am not a man-hater - I come from a family of decent, good men - grandfather, father, husband and sons - who would believe that abortion is a "woman thing" - that a woman has to decide what she must do. The woman is truly the one who carries the baby. And please, politicians, get off the fence, stop running scared hiding behind legislation and mouthing rubbish.
I applaud Liz McManus for putting her head above the parapet and openly saying what most women think. - Yours, etc.,
Gwen Woods, Herbert Park, Dublin 4.