Abortion ruling is on the same level as the abolition of slavery

A letter from Rev John Coates:
Protestors outside the US Supreme Court, after it overturned the constitutional right to an abortionProtestors outside the US Supreme Court, after it overturned the constitutional right to an abortion
Protestors outside the US Supreme Court, after it overturned the constitutional right to an abortion

The recent decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn the Roe v Wade constitutional right to abortion is in the same legislative league as the British Parliament’s Act to abolish slavery in 1833.

Without a doubt it also is in the same moral/ethical league as the ban on trading of enslaved peoples.

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It is ironic that at the very same time the Supreme Court is rolling back legal rights to access abortion, our own government is going in the opposite direction in Ulster.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

It is probably fair to say that Northern Ireland is generally a few years ‘behind the curve’ of what goes on in America. It seems however that on this issue we are exactly 50 years behind. By that trajectory our political leaders will be undoing lawful abortion services in 2070. Or to put it another way, our political leaders will be undoing lawful abortion services 300,000 lives later. And there is us thinking that we are a progressive society!

Rev John Coates, Kellswater RP Church, Ballymena