Response by Kevin Sheehan to HAI "Ballot"
Dear HAI Member,
The Board of the Humanist Association of Ireland yesterday circulated a letter to all of the Association’s members concerning the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2012. It called for an endorsement of the Board’s actions which had recently been queried by grassroots Association members. However, the letter is entirely one sided and does not give an accurate summation of the issues many have tried to raise for debate.
There have been numerous efforts made over the past year to discuss these issues in a reasonable manner, but the Board progressed with applying for registration on the terms of the Act regardless. Now HAI member Andrew Devine-Rattigan has requested an Extraordinary General Meeting, which he is entitled to do under the rules of the Association.. In response, the Board sent out theseletters asking members to vote on whether or not the Board should progress with registration in this Act in its current form.
This is simply another attempt by the Board to force the Act on the membership and avoid reasoned debate.
It must also be added that requesting members to vote, via letter with only a week’s notice and not anonymously, is by no means a valid method of determining the members’ views on the issue.
We are emailing you urgently to ask you to vote “No”.
Why is there a need for the Board to try and steam-roll things through?. The Act, whatever it’s merits or flaws, remains in situ. A NOvote simply means the Board cannot in conscience force the matter and must desist from attempting to solemnise weddings under the Act without addressing the issues that many have been trying to raise. The Board did get one thing right in the letter: this Act was intended as of great social significance and a huge achievement for both the non-religious and the HAI. It is, therefore, imperative that we do not rush through with registration in this Act that contains stipulations which may be damaging to the HAI and its members. It is only through reasoned debate that the members can hear from all sides and make a fully informed decision.
We believe that all HAI members have the right to hear balanced and fair debate on this important issue before deciding what to do. PLEASE VOTE “NO” IN THIS FLAWED “REFERENDUM” and help enable a reasoned dialogue to take place..
Endorsed By: Kevin Sheehan, Aaron Keohane, Peter Ferguson, Tom White and Sean Murphy on behalf of concerned Cork and Galway HAI members.
The Board of the Humanist Association of Ireland yesterday circulated a letter to all of the Association’s members concerning the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2012. It called for an endorsement of the Board’s actions which had recently been queried by grassroots Association members. However, the letter is entirely one sided and does not give an accurate summation of the issues many have tried to raise for debate.
There have been numerous efforts made over the past year to discuss these issues in a reasonable manner, but the Board progressed with applying for registration on the terms of the Act regardless. Now HAI member Andrew Devine-Rattigan has requested an Extraordinary General Meeting, which he is entitled to do under the rules of the Association.. In response, the Board sent out theseletters asking members to vote on whether or not the Board should progress with registration in this Act in its current form.
This is simply another attempt by the Board to force the Act on the membership and avoid reasoned debate.
It must also be added that requesting members to vote, via letter with only a week’s notice and not anonymously, is by no means a valid method of determining the members’ views on the issue.
We are emailing you urgently to ask you to vote “No”.
Why is there a need for the Board to try and steam-roll things through?. The Act, whatever it’s merits or flaws, remains in situ. A NOvote simply means the Board cannot in conscience force the matter and must desist from attempting to solemnise weddings under the Act without addressing the issues that many have been trying to raise. The Board did get one thing right in the letter: this Act was intended as of great social significance and a huge achievement for both the non-religious and the HAI. It is, therefore, imperative that we do not rush through with registration in this Act that contains stipulations which may be damaging to the HAI and its members. It is only through reasoned debate that the members can hear from all sides and make a fully informed decision.
We believe that all HAI members have the right to hear balanced and fair debate on this important issue before deciding what to do. PLEASE VOTE “NO” IN THIS FLAWED “REFERENDUM” and help enable a reasoned dialogue to take place..
Endorsed By: Kevin Sheehan, Aaron Keohane, Peter Ferguson, Tom White and Sean Murphy on behalf of concerned Cork and Galway HAI members.