Please explain why ‘Christians’ are resorting to such vitriol over love

Evert Bopp (Irish Examiner, Letters, April 24) was selective when writing about the information used by the ‘no’ campaign on their posters and literature.

Their statements are misinformative, insulting and false. And to accuse the ‘yes’ side of ‘caterwauling’ is itself misleading.

Anybody who defaces a ‘no’ poster (and I am sure the same will happen to ‘yes’ posters) is not representative of the wider, pacifist ‘yes’ movement.

I see this referendum as a major civil rights issue. I have had many conversations with strangers who have explained why they feel so strongly about voting ‘yes’.

I have also had reasoned and intelligent debates with ‘no’ voters and have, at all times, remained respectful of their right to express their opinion, which differs to mine.

I do, however, take offence at Mr Bopp’s patronising decision to label me, my supportive family, community, and a large proportion of the heterosexual Irish public as ‘a tiny minority’.

I still struggle to understand why the freedom to have your love recognised under the same laws as your neighbour can spurn such hateful vitriol from a supposedly ‘Christian’ section of the public.

We are lucky to live in a democracy. We are privileged to have a right to vote. And we all have freedom of expression and speech.

Nobody wants to take that away from anybody.

Siobhan O’Mahony

Dundanion

Blackrock

Cork