Ireland: Five rules for a open and civil debate on the abortion referendum

Five rules for a open and civil debate on the abortion referendum
All sides should understand that all the ethical issues that abortion raise are “up for debate”

Mon, Jan 29, 2018
Alberto Giubilini

In a few months, Ireland is going to have a referendum on whether to repeal its constitutional ban on abortion. Few topics raise more disagreement, controversy and heated reactions than abortion. Abortion strikes emotional chords and touches upon issues to which people are very sensitive, such as the value of human life, women’s bodily rights, religious prescriptions and freedom of conscience (for doctors).

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/five-rules-for-a-open-and-civil-debate-on-the-abortion-referendum-1.3372591


UK: Police called as Oxford students jeer anti-abortion speakers

Police called as Oxford students jeer anti-abortion speakers

Nicola Woolcock, Education Correspondent
November 4 2017, The Times

Police were called to a debate at the University of Oxford when student union activists heckled anti-abortion speakers.

The Oxford Students For Life group had organised the event for Wednesday and invited speakers to discuss proposals to legalise abortion in Ireland.

It said that the debate was disrupted by protesters who insisted on shouting for about 40 minutes, chanting slogans such as “Pro-life, that’s a lie, you don’t care if women die”.

Continued at source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/police-called-as-oxford-students-jeer-anti-abortion-speakers-k9x37lw7g