14 March, 2024
Dear Reader,
THE NEW FRENCH ABORTION LAW
The mainstream media have had much to say about the recent constitutional change in France, and they have done so for the most part with little detail, but much euphoric delight. My thanks to Fr Pius Noonan for finding the actual words for me, which are as follows:
La loi détermine les conditions dans lesquelles s’exerce la liberté garantie à la femme d’avoir recours à une interruption volontaire de grossesse.
I offer the following pretty literal translation:
A woman is guaranteed the liberty to have recourse to a voluntary interruption of pregnancy, and the Law determines the conditions under which that is exercised.
Much has been made of the fact that a constitutional change is difficult to reverse. That is no doubt true. Liberal feminists, not only in France but elsewhere throughout the West, are clearly exultant about this apparently uncompromising outcome, while pro-life supporters are deeply saddened and fearful for its consequences.
But there are some grounds for hope. The sweeping comprehensiveness of those words could turn out to be a weakness: they make no show of distinguishing early from late ‘terminations’, for example, or terminations based on sex discrimination. For an orthodox Christian (or for an authentic Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Jew, and many unbelievers too) the killing of an innocent human being is always wrong, but decent secular people often attempt to make distinctions out of a genuine sense of humanity, or perhaps to ease their consciences: Is there a heartbeat? Is an anaesthetic used? Much more importantly, people will want to know if the baby is being slain because she’s a girl and her designer-parents want a boy. This law will run into trouble – even among the seemingly heartless French liberals – as actual cases of repulsive and narcissistic discrimination become known.
A possible approach to constitutional law, once it becomes unpopular or unfashionable, is simply to ignore it. If you doubt that, take a look at the Australian constitution, whose preamble informs us that the people of the Australian states,
humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God, have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown…
I rest my case…
AND A REFERENDUM IN IRELAND
In Ireland, if not in France, there has been some good news for those who value traditional family life. Two proposed changes to the Irish constitution have been comprehensively rejected by voters, the first by 68% the second by 74%. The Irish Electoral Commission provides a full account of the proposed amendments here. The NO vote has had the following consequences:
Article 41.1.1 continues to give special constitutional status only to the Family based on marriage between two people, without distinction as to their sex.
Article 41.3.1 continues to recognise Marriage as an institution that the State must guard with special care and protect against attack.
Article 41.2 continues to recognise the importance to the common good of the life of women within the home. It requires the State to endeavour to ensure that mothers should not have to go out to work to the neglect of their ‘duties in the home’.
It is interesting to note that all the major parties and the great weight of opinion among the mainstream media and chattering classes supported the YES vote!
With best wishes and thanks,
David Daintree
FOR FURTHER READING
FRANCE AND ABORTION
Jeanne Smits is a French journalist. This piece is the most powerful we’ve seen. ‘Today, a 14-week-old embryo that nobody disputes is a baby – as all modern genetics confirm – can be killed by its mother, without the father even having a say in the matter.’
ON SEX TRANSITIONING
In this video, child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Miriam Grossman MD, powerfully puts the case against ‘transgenderism’. Note that her opponent in this debate before a US House Committee hearing, Dr McNamara, is sitting immediately to her right. Watch the sparks!
‘TWO WHO DIDN’T RUN’
Two modern martyrs, Stanley Rother and Alexei Navalny are fittingly honoured in this article by George Weigel.
KONSTANTIN KISIN
This Soviet-born commentator spoke in Melbourne on 4 March under the sponsorship of the IPA and CIS. Here is his talk: We are where we are because our Culture is Special.
MUNK DEBATE: ‘DON’T TRUST THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA’
British journalist Douglas Murray distinguishes himself in this debate on 30 November last. At the beginning of the debate, 48% voted in favour of the resolution, 52% voted against. At the end of the debate, 67% voted in favour, 33% against, representing a 39% switch to the PRO side, the biggest switch in Munk history. Murray is the second speaker.
COMING EVENTS
ONLINE: AN EVENING WITH FINNISH MP PÄIVI RÄSÄNEN
Monday 18 March
7.00 pm
Päivi Räsänen, a Finnish medical doctor, active parliamentarian, former Minister of the Interior, mother, grandmother, and Christian posted online to question her church’s official sponsorship of the Helsinki LGBTIQA+ ‘Pride 2019’ event. She was charged as a criminal, but acquitted November 2023. The prosecutor has appealed to the Supreme Court against her acquittal.
BOOK NOW HERE
HOBART 4 APRIL: GRAHAM LINEHAN
Irish writer Graham Linehan is to speak in Hobart Town Hall on Thursday 4 April. Linehan is best known as the scriptwriter of the comedy series Father Ted. Linehan’s opinion of the Catholic Church is pretty negative, as viewers of Father Ted will quickly gather, but he has been ‘cancelled’ for his opposition to transgenderism and the Dawson Centre is proud to support the Free Speech Union of Australia in co-sponsoring his visit. LATE NEWS: Linehan’s visa application has been delayed and he may not be allowed in. We should be surprised to hear that, but sadly we are not. We’ll provide confirmation and details when we can.
HOBART 5-6 APRIL – LAUNCESTON 12-13 APRIL
SPIRITUAL CULTURAL POLITICAL REFORMATION
These conferences organised by the Christian evangelical organisation Church and State are coming to Tasmania next month. They have been hugely successful interstate. The Director will be one of the speakers in Hobart on 4 April.
BRISBANE SATURDAY 1 JUNE
Seminar and dinner in collaboration with the Australian Classical Education Society. The keynote speaker will be Andrew Kern, founder and president of the US Circe Institute. We are still finalising details – more information soon.
COLLOQUIUM 2024
The 2024 Colloquium will be on SATURDAY 6 JULY
Topic: Authentic Humanism and the Crisis of Culture
The after-dinner speaker this year will be Emeritus Professor Steven Schwartz AM FASSA, formerly Vice-Chancellor of three universities (Brunel, Murdoch and Macquarie) and currently Senior Fellow of the Centre for Independent Studies