Don’t ignore past when voting on referendum

WHEN I read the text of the proposed 30th amendment of the Constitution the first thing that came to mind was “Star Chamber”.

The Star Chamber was set up in medieval England with the claimed noble intention of ensuring that all persons would be answerable to the law. Rich and powerful nobles could evade answering for wrong doing by intimidation and the bribing of judges and court officials.

To circumvent this, Star Chamber sessions were held in secret, had no right of appeal, and punishment was swift and severe.

Over time the opportunities this presented to conveniently get rid of troublesome subjects were noted by the establishment and used as a political weapon to give a sheen of respectability to the persecution of those that opposed the policies of the likes of Henry VIII.

Using this secretive device, even a couple of ladies lost their heads, having been blamed for Henry’s ineptitude when it came to procreation matters.

For those considering voting in favour of the 30th amendment, this is a lesson from history that they would ignore at their peril. The abuse of such a system is almost inevitable given human frailties.

Jim O’Sullivan

Rathedmond

Sligo