| Author | Message | ||
     Joe Deegan Member Username: Gundog Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2004 |
Odious article about unmarried parents and their children written by Kevin Myers and published by the Irish Times last week. You can't access the actual article without subscribing but these posts should give you a flavour : http://www.blather.net/shitegeist/000393.htm http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1339903/posts Padraig, was that you that replied to the Times via the letters page ? If it was , well done !! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Hi Joe, thanks, yes it was. | ||
| lindy morrison Member Username: Lindymorrison Post Number: 61 Registered: 09-2004 |
can you post the letter Pádraig? | ||
| Niall Unregistered guest |
This is interesting that this issues made it on to the board. Myers is self righteous, egoist, journalist of the simplistic right wing ideology. However, the view he espoused is actually quite wide held regardless how irrational and ridiculous, i.e. Lone parents have children to gain welfare benefits and social housing. I am a social researcher and I often find it hard to fathom how issues, such as lone parents, which are more complex than nuclear quantam physics are discussed with appartent authority when the same people would not discuss quantam physics as they know they are ignorant on the issue. The issue has been heavily researched and in fact lone parents are a social group who are at most risk of poverty in Ireland. However, he called lone parents "mothers of bastards" and "mothering bastards" and other things. In addition, the wlefare system here condemns lone paretns to welfare dependency as they lost income if they work and would ahve to get a high paid job to cover living expenses, childcare and accomodation. The state looks at social policy short term and instead of supporting Lone parents out of welfare over the medium terms, it is cheaper to have them on welfare in the shor term. this injustice has, in addition to being pointed out for over ten years by research, has only last year been acknowedged by the relevant Government minister. So, apologies for going on, but Padraig I would love to see your letter also. | ||
| Peter Collins Unregistered guest |
As the father of two young kids, I might add that I have nothing but respect for someone who, whether by design or accident, brings a child or children up on their own. The idea that someone would actually go through with pregnancy and childbirth to get a few quid out of the state has always seemed to me ludicrous. In the UK, everyone gets child benefit for each child, and Labour introduced the system of child tax credits in its bid to raise children out of poverty (it stretches quite high up the income stream, so that even my wife and I can benefit). I work full-time and my wife part-time, and even with those double benefits we still find things can be pretty tight: I shudder to think what a single mum on some sink estate has to do to make ends meet - being on benefits is no picnic. Post your letter, as it were, Padraig. | ||
| Peter Azzopardi Member Username: Pete Post Number: 50 Registered: 09-2004 |
I'd love to read this letter too, Padraig. My mother basically raised my two sisters and I by herself and when people slag off single parents my blood boils. I am many things, but I am no bastard. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
I would prefer to email it to you Niall and Peter C, so please send me your email addresses. The letter will not make a whole lot of sense posted here out of context, which you will realise when I send it to you. I will email it to Peter A as his email address is highlighted above. I've already sent it to Lindy. |