Heed the bishops — not Gilmore

I FIND it extraordinary that John Gormley and now Eamon Gilmore (Irish Examiner, June 28) want Catholic voters to keep quiet and not become involved in parliamentary matters.

What on earth are they thinking?

Mr Gilmore is calling on the Pope and others in positions of influence to watch their language when dealing with controversial issues like civil partnership, etc.

May I suggest that Mr Gilmore take a piece of his own advice and bear in mind the effects of his offensive, anti-democratic rhetoric on thugs carrying out violent assaults on priests and religious in this country.

John Gormley and Eamon Gilmore would probably be the first to claim they are democrats and that they uphold the democratic right of every voter to “become involved in parliamentary matters”. However, their rhetoric gives the lie to this claim.

The Civil Partnership Bill, while touted as a bill to give rights to homosexuals, is alarmingly broader than that. It is a direct attack on the constitutional and democratic rights of ordinary decent Irishmen, women and children,

Many of these, if the bill is passed into law, will end up before the courts, paying fines and/or receiving prison sentences of up to six months for simply exercising their right to say no. The Irish bishops have this one right. The bill should be withdrawn or voted down.

Nora Bennis

Revington Park

North Circular Road

Limerick