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The Examiner piece (The experience of one teenager who had termination in the UK, January 31) failed to give the full context of how the 16-year old girl was abusively and irresponsibly ‘treated’ by the British abortion industry.

We now also see that it outright falsifies the nature of the unborn child, inaccurately describing her at six weeks and six days as a ‘cluster of cells’.

This is the reductionistic language that the abortion lobby typically employ to dehumanise the baby in the womb.

As a matter of scientific fact, a baby in the womb clearly isn’t a ‘potential’ human being, and no more a ‘cluster of cells’ than you or I are: she is a developing actual human being.

Knowing the embryological reality shows how misinformed the article was, and how misled the girl has been. This is absolutely not her fault: the entire situation shows she has been failed in her education, including education in relationships and sex (RSE).

Not only did we as a society and an island community fail her, but we failed her baby.

As we have said on countless occasions, we need to make sure that every woman and girl who goes through unplanned pregnancy has the support that she needs to have her child, instead of being only given the callous hopelessness of abortion.

Instead of misleading articles, we need a realistic appraisal of the humanity of the unborn child, and to give real compassionate care to all those affected by these issues.

Let’s not discriminate against a baby as false help to her mother.

Let’s love them both.

Hannah Grove, Humanity and Equality in Abortion Reform

Editor’s note: The article referenced was a first-hand account of the experiences of 16-year-old from the Isle of Man who’d travelled to Merseyside to have an abortion.

discrimination

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I’m totally blind, and 23 years old.

I recently began volunteering at a place on the island, which I will not mention, in order to protect them.

I was enjoying it immensely, and learning a lot from it, until the news that I was hit with on Friday, hurt me.

Yet again, because of my sight, the insurers of this particular company, were not keen on me volunteering for them.

Again, I was being knocked back, because of my disability.

This is not fair.

I am studying towards a psychology with counselling degree with the Open University, but wish eventually to work with people with brain injury.

All I wanted, was some work experience, which this company was giving me a chance to do.

They did not care about my blindness.

Nor my epilepsy.

That was no problem.

I felt, for once, accepted.

That changed, when insurers had to state their disatisfaction at my being there, due to my sight, and most likely epilepsy.

We are still asking for a volunteer from said company, if they can help to support me, if that’s what will make everyone feel more comfortable.

But my question is: Why should it be that way?

Why, can I not just walk into a voluntary work placement, as any sighted person would, and enjoy it, and be accepted?

Why, the moment I reveal I am not neurotypical, (normal) does that change things?

If no-one else on the island, wishes to make a stand, for disabled people, and their rights, then I shall.

We are not disabled, we are just as able as you are.

We may have defects, that being in our brains, or our eyes, ears, etc, but what does that matter.

We are still able.

There are actors in wheelchairs, they get employment, there are blind doctors in the US, now, and throughout history.

There are blind physiotherapists, and psychiatrists. there are scientists like Hawking with MND, who have succeeded, where those who thought he wouldn’t were proven wrong.

Royalty, who suffered with a stammer.

Churchill who suffered strokes, but who battled on.

We have a voice, we as disabled people, should group together, and make a stance against these companies, who don’t believe in us, all because of health and safety rules.

OK, give us a sighted, or neurotypical, (able-bodied) assistant if it makes you feel better. But please, I implore you, give us a chance.

Do not push us away.

We have the same intelligence, even if some of us aren’t as cognitively able, we may be able to teach you a thing or two. Give us all a chance.

You never know what you may find, hidden within those folds and gruves of the brain!

Samantha Ash, Anagh Coar, Douglas

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This morning, Saturday, I received a text message reminding me of a hospital appointment for next Tuesday. Two days before, Thursday, I received a hard copy of my appointment through the post

For a service which is always overspending and with people waiting for appointments I consider this to be a gross waste of money.

In my opinion anyone who misses an appointment would have to go to the bottom of the list.It is selfishness to the extreme.

Peter E Russell, Woodville Terrace, Douglas

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What’s that saying about the right hand not knowing what the left is doing?

When it comes to government departments putting out mixed messages we had a good example this week when Isle of Man Post handed out 300 bottles of water to children taking part in a health promotion week at their school.

Meanwhile DoI’s current Waste Policy and Strategy 2012-2022 states that the island is guided by the waste hierarchy where prevention of waste is the first priority.

In other words don’t create waste in the first place.

Drinking bottled water is an American fashion creating ‘manufactured demand’ for an expensive product which people didn’t know they needed.

Children are unlikely to become dehydrated doing mild exercise and playing around school.

They should not be brain washed into the bottled water habit.

As Manx Utilities Authority stated in the Manx Independent (February 9) our drinking water on the island is perfectly safe to drink.

It is highly regulated and we are all paying hundreds of pounds in our rates to have clean water delivered to our homes and schools.

If it’s not fit to drink we should be complaining.

Many of our schools are part of the Eco Schools scheme which we helped to introduce some years ago.

Through Eco Schools the children learn about being responsible for their environment. Next week I am going to speak in a school where the children are ‘Keen to be Green’.

I will be telling them to prevent waste and certainly won’t encourage them to drink bottled water. Neither should IoM Post.

Muriel Garland, Zero Waste Mann, Chester Street Complex , Douglas

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A couple of weeks ago our family home of 20 years was seriously damaged by fire.

Though saddened and shocked by the event we have a lot to be thankful for. The most important part of this is that no one was hurt.

We have also been overwhelmed by the kindness and thoughtfulness of our local community.

In a world where the generosity of human nature is so often questioned this experience has proved otherwise.

First and foremost our thanks go to the Laxey and Douglas fire brigade who attended the scene.

Not only did they deal professionally with the fire itself, preventing further damage, they also displayed great empathy for us as a family witnessing the destructive effect of the fire.

A special mention must go to Tony, one of the IoM forensic fire officers who spent his day off the following week in order to meet up with the forensic officer appointed by our UK insurers.

We also want to thank all those who have helped us sort out alternative accommodation.

Right at the top of the list is Clio Swales who unhesitatingly offered accommodation on the day of the fire, with an open ended invitation for us to stay.

In spite of their busy lives, running a business and having a young family to take care of, she and husband Phil welcomed us into their home and took care of us as if we were part of their family.

Our good friend Sandra Donnelly seemed to appear from nowhere providing us with essential every day items.

Her support and that of other friends has been truly heart warming.

Sarah and Richard Henthorn’s hard working team at the Laxey Laundry also deserve great thanks.

They went above and beyond the call of duty as we deposited bin bags of smoke ridden clothes for them to tackle. Nothing seemed too much effort - they seemed only too pleased to help.

Thanks also goes to Claire from the Salmon River Apartments who changed maintenance plans at the last minute in order to provide us with our first two weeks of emergency accommodation.

We would also like to thank Claire, Fiona and Catriona at ProSearch who took on board our urgent need for a rental property in Laxey and arranged things swiftly.

Enormous thanks goes to all our wonderful staff at Laxey Dental Surgery.

On the day of the fire they calmly and efficiently took control of all matters at the surgery, allowing us the time we required to deal with the crisis.

Their willingness to help us in the aftermath and their genuine loyalty has been very touching and is greatly appreciated.

Finally but by no means least our thanks go to our three lovely daughters who have kept our spirits high.

The house is theirs as much as it is ours.

We may all have lost some of the physical contents but the girls are proof that the memories will live on.

Katharine and Colin Partington, The Mount, South Cape, Laxey

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Christmas is now over and they’ve paid off all their debt

But February the 14th brings them out in a cold sweat

They’re off to flash the cash again and frankly it’s quite stupid

The question that I’d like to ask - just who invented Cupid?

The shops are filled with heart shaped tat, most of it quite cheesy

A teddy in a bright red thong can make you feel quite queasy

The men are all so gullible, they’re easily coerced

They head off to Ann Summers where ‘the customer comes first’

There’s gadgets and appliances, designed for every zone

He’d buy her a vibrator but he’s sure she’d only moan

He settles on a lacy basque complete with black suspenders

She’d rather have a cup of tea and catch up with EastEnders

And once the day arrives let the hysteria commence

Splashing out on diamond rings, they’ve got more brass than sense

Proposals every hour, well it’s all just too romanticised

But call me a traditionalist I find it too commercialised

Showing off their gifts and cards, they just can’t wait to brag

Facebook full of sickly posts that make you want to gag

In days gone by a card was sent and always signed ‘anon’

All this tasteless showing off, it’s just a massive con

Don’t get me wrong I like true love, you couldn’t call me fickle

I’m not averse to romance or a bit of slap and tickle

But being a good Yorkshire lass I’ll give you some advice

Go shopping on the 15th when the chocolates are half price!

Carol Ellis, Maughold Village

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So the Isle of Man played host to Poland’s most wanted man and the Isle of Man Police force felt it prudent not to tell us why they were looking for him.

The fact that he could just wander on to a ferry and come here should ring alarm bells, but what I would like to ask [Chief Constable] Gary Roberts is who if anyone was shielding him while he was at large on the Isle of Man?

Surely harbouring a wanted fugitive is a criminal offence even in a backwater like the Isle of Man?

But more pertinent is the question of work permits.

We all know that certain large companies who have relocated from South Africa are leading the campaign to scrap the work permit rules, but they are in place to stop individuals like this Polish rapist from coming here.

The argument should not be to scrap the work permits but to make their implementation easier.

If an individual filling in the form has nothing to hide what is the problem.

If however that individual has a conviction for murder, rape, armed robbery etc then surely!

We don’t want that individual on our island.

The work permits must stay but make them easier with less red tape so that these companies who desperately need roles filled can get their people quicker.

Mark Watson, Tynwald Road, Willaston

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Our Minister for Home Affairs told the BBC (February 7) that ferry passengers on the Isle of Man could face identification checks before boarding in the future.

This appears to be in response to last year’s public consultation on ID checks where the majority of people favoured ID checks but a number also opposed them, whilst raising concerns about practical implications.

The idea of ID checks is not new.

Back in 2008 the then UK Government proposed ID checks at the Irish Sea ports including Douglas.

The measure was abandoned as unworkable. At that time the Isle of Man Steam Packet wrote to the chair of the standing committee of Tynwald on constitutional matters explaining the practical difficulties of ID checks.

The letter stated: ‘It would be impractical for Sea Terminal check-in staff to verify the identity of all individuals within a car or coach’ explaining that ‘delays in processing very large volumes of passengers could impact on turnaround times’.

Significantly, the UK Border Agency got this point and advised the Steam Packet that they would not have to identify passengers.

The letter also explains that, for the Isle of Man Government to know who was travelling in advance, ‘minimum check in times would have to be increased’.

So there you have it. ID checks would cause check in times to increase, turn round times to increase and it would obviously then be difficult for the Ben-My-Chree to make two return trips each day.

It may be the case that random, not routine, ID checks are being considered, i.e. stopping a selection of passengers either at the Sea Terminal or in the passenger lounge on the ferries.

These too are fraught with difficulty as they inevitably lead to a form of racial profiling.

The BBC reported in 2016 that the UK Home Office had to pay £2000 in compensation to a woman stopped at Belfast City Airport on the basis that she ‘looked foreign and not from here’.

The whole issue of ID checks within the British Isles is particularly toxic in Ulster.

Freedom of movement is enshrined in the Belfast/Good Friday peace settlement. If the Isle of Man introduces ID Checks on the Steam Packet that will affect passengers at the Belfast port, since asking Ulster residents to produce ID could easily inflame tensions.

Both the British and Irish Governments agree that the British/Irish border should stay open when we leave the EU.

This places our Minister for Home Affairs in the invidious position of being the sole politician in the British Isles campaigning for travel restrictions.

Understandably, we don’t want criminals entering the Isle of Man. However, existing powers of arrest are in place to deal with known suspects.

The recent arrest of the Polish pervert at the Sea Terminal highlights the effectiveness of our existing laws.

The whole issue of ID checks has previously been examined in detail by Tynwald and the Home Office.

Then, as now, the impracticalities and political difficulties outweighed any claimed benefits.

Going over the whole issue again is, frankly, pointless.

Tristram C. Llewellyn Jones, The Colony, Port Lewaigue, Maughold