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American anti-abortion group raising money to fund abortion fight in Ireland

Top Irish Americans among donors to group battling new abortion law

PATRICK COUNIHAN,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, December 10, 2012, 7:24 AM

Updated Monday, December 10, 2012, 10:23 AM

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Members of the pro-life groups protest outside Ireland's government buildings

Photo by PA

An American anti-abortion group is to send hundreds of thousands of dollars to the fight against abortion in Ireland. Many of its donors are leading Irish Americans the group says.

The Pro-Life Action Group is currently raising the money to support their Irish colleagues.

Spokesman Joseph Scheidler stated that a number of prominent expatriate Irish and Irish American business leaders were among the leading donors.

They have stepped up their fundraising in light of the publicity surrounding the death of mum-to-be Savita Halappanavar in Galway after she was refused an abortion.

The Sunday Business Post has reported that Irish anti-abortion groups will receive new funding from the US action league in the coming weeks.

The paper says that anti-abortion groups in Ireland will be the beneficiaries of this major financial boost from pro-life campaigners in the US.

The report states that the American Pro-Life Action League has been actively fundraising in the US to support groups opposed to abortion in Ireland.

A source told the paper that the national director of the group regularly travels to Ireland to take part in Irish anti-abortion demonstrations.

The source said, “The donations could be as much as several hundred thousand dollars.”

The SBP also states that the American Pro-Life Action League is closely aligned with the Irish Youth Defence group. A large amount of the money raised is earmarked for the controversial Youth Defence organisation.

The Pro-Life Action League stepped up fundraising after taking an active interest in the case of Savita Halappanavar.

It has criticised ‘pro-abortion forces’ and claimed: “They have exploited the case for everything it’s worth.”

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35 Comments

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Leitrim666 | Dec 13, 2012, 10:21 AM EST

Ireland is a democracy and it needs to be left alone to deal with the whole abortion issue arising from the X case. It doesn't need foreign interference from others on the pro- or anti- sides of the debate. Whatever happened to the ideal of self-determination that so many fought for?

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StevieJoe | Dec 12, 2012, 12:07 AM EST

Respect, Wounded Knee. No I am not a bigot, I am an Irish American, married to an African American woman, and I am aware that 25% of the the population of the African continent is afflicted with the aids virus. Also, I am not "mindless" I have an IQ of 161, and belong to Mensa. However, irrespective of the latter, I also believe that all organized religions were created by man, to control mankind. Sorry to bust your bubble.

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handsome68 | Dec 11, 2012, 08:29 PM EST

What exactly IS an "Irish-American" anyway? I mean, IrishCentral publishes many stories about people with this appellation who appear to be about as "Irish-American" as a cat. My mom and dad emigrated to the USA from Ireland, so I think I qualify as that hyphenated term. But many of youse liberal omadhauns seem to want to find an Irish origin for Vladimir Putin.

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eiriamach | Dec 11, 2012, 05:13 PM EST

The Irish are about to experience some of the war on women that we in the 'states have endured throughout the recent political campaign, and it's still ongoing. I can empathize with women and their families and friends who are concerned about the rising Irish maternal death statistics, the stalling of the government, the meddling with legislation by the Catholic bishops, and now pressure from well-funded American surrogates. I might be able to believe that the "pro-lifers" were motivated by love of "the unborn" if they were not constantly spewing forth such hatred of the living in words like "sickening and hypocritical" and "irrational paganism."

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WoundedKnee | Dec 11, 2012, 01:07 PM EST

Misneac--You're right there. AshamedIrishman appears to be especially dumb. I'd be ashamed to be Irish too if I had to share the same nationality as him.

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misneac | Dec 11, 2012, 10:34 AM EST

Stanchaz and AshamedIrishman could do with a day out in the real world and eduucate themselves .What nonsense they post !

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WoundedKnee | Dec 11, 2012, 01:50 AM EST

StevieJoe: In stead of mindless bigotry, do you even know any of the statistics about AIDS infection in African countries? The ones where condom distribution is national policy? South Africa, for example? I guess not--easier to roar abuse and hate.

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StevieJoe | Dec 11, 2012, 12:21 AM EST

This is one of the pro-life groups that spent a small fortune trying to block the shipment of condoms to Africa a few years ago, to prevent aids. What a mindset, let the Africans die, but save the fetus. These Jesus Freaks were brain washed by the Church as children, I truly feel sorry for them.

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Paradigm | Dec 10, 2012, 07:03 PM EST

Bit of a contradiction stanJames - do you mean the idea that we allow gays to marry resolves the problem of whether or not we kill babies in the womb. Harryhippo, I doubt that anyone under 40 remembers the 'x case' so don't flatter your conscience with that line!

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stanJames | Dec 10, 2012, 06:52 PM EST

the more the church goes againsm abortion via its various appendages the sooner it will no longer be a force in Ireland. Irelands people support allowing gays to marry by almost 3 to 1 meanwhile the popes idea of supporting life is shown by how he UNexcommunciated a holocaust denier, Bishop Williamson in 2009 Google for it.

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mairint | Dec 10, 2012, 05:54 PM EST

Why oh WHY do you keep repeating "refused an abortion" when that was NOT the case. That is false journalism. Print what the original reporter said in the follow up to her 'breaking the story'. To open the flood gates in Ireland which would lead to the deaths of untold thousands of innocent lives is a very irresponsbible and deliberate act by the media that tilts profoundly to the left. It goes with the territory of irrational paganism.

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Happyhippo | Dec 10, 2012, 04:11 PM EST

Jeez what a hornets nest here,@Paradigm the figure of 82% you refer to is not for abortion per se,which was rejected in referendum, but refers to the support for the Supreme Courts decision on the x case 20 years ago which stated, termination is permissible when the life of the mother is at risk,in the of case of rape,and in the case of suicide threat,the problem is those elected to legislate kicked the can down the road very time.But the unfortunate Savita's case has brought it right back and opened up a very ugly debate between the Pro's and Anti's

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WoundedKnee | Dec 10, 2012, 02:24 PM EST

AhamedIrishman: "a tourist image of quaint begorah and leprechauns". You truly come out with utter nonsense. I have never seen any tourist marketing campaign from Ireland which uses the kind of stupid nonsense you exemplify. You know nothing of Ireland's "tourist image". In fact the only leprechauns (and what's wrong with leprechauns, by the way--are you ashamed of irish traditions or just ignorant?) I have ever seen in Ireland were costumes worn by Irish people attending soccer or rugby games. Grow up and travel a little. You're a narrow-minded bigot.

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WoundedKnee | Dec 10, 2012, 02:19 PM EST

"everyone in Ireland was in shock at what occurred.". No they weren't, AshamedIrishman. Don't be an idiot--ascribing your own opinions to everyone else.

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AshamedIrishman | Dec 10, 2012, 02:16 PM EST

Regardless of religious views on abortion and the choice, how many of you know the actual verifiable facts of the Savita Case? . It's the outrage of the people of the Republic of Ireland at how this woman and her family were treated by the public hospital and therefore Irish Government, that is driving this news. . Savita requested an abortion because the life of her unborn child was threatening *her* life. It was the delaying and refusal of doctors that lead to the loss of *two* lives. If, as you say, you are pro-life then this chain of events should appal you. If it doesn't, then you need to reevaluate your values. . That said, after the last few years of public bodies essentially mistreating the Irish Public, everyone in Ireland was in shock at what occurred. The money that is being raised and sent to the Irish group? Perhaps they could be a little more altruistic and donate it against the Irish debt to the IMF? Those type of good deeds would be better for the average Irish person than yet more placards and billboards. . The thing is, I know that you will lambast, attack and refuse to listen to any type of reasonable argument. This is the Internet after all, and people of all stripes can be bigoted an ignorant. . If you doubt my "irishness": Born, raised and still living in this third world country, that keeps coasting on a tourist image of quaint begorah and leprechauns. Perhaps it's these types of issues that re needed to drag this country out of the mud and the Aran sweaters. . Food for thought, and the main point. Put yourself or your loved ones in Savita's position. Would you let them die, in pain and despair, for what amounts to a point of honour? Ask yourself that, in the silence of your own thoughts.

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