Message sent to all members of the Oireachtas today asking them to reflect on zero 'equality' with import of Article 12.8 on 35th Amendment

To: Members of the OireachtasnnCitizens to Separate Church and State (CSCS) wrote to our government (cabinet) on 24 February pleading with it to drop the proposed 35th Amendment to our constitution until the religious oath required by Article 12.8 for installation of the President was amended or dropped.nnThis letter is here: http://www.cscs.ie/?p=5nnAt that stage the Bill to move the 35th Amendment (age for president) had not been introduced into the Oireachtas.nnThe government ignored our pleading and the Bill was subsequently moved and passed.nnCSCS has issued a short (7 min) video documentary setting out why it is calling for a ‘No’ vote in the Presidential age referendum.nnIt is CSCS’s view that the government’s 35th amendment is ill-judged and ill–timed because it has failed to deal first with the issue regarding the religious oath that has to be sworn by the president-elect (Article 12.8).nnWe would ask you to watch it on:nnYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aOI2s_DGuEnnOrnnVimeo: https://vimeo.com/126464204nIt raises an important human right abnegation in relation to Irish citizens.nnCSCS is struck by the fact that posters produced by the proponents calling for a ‘Yes’ vote in the 34th Amendment (marriage equality) campaign emphasise the ‘Equality’ aspects of this worthy cause but there has been a marked ‘blindness to equality’ in relation to the import of Art. 12.8 in its connection to the 35th amendment proposal.nnWe are urging citizens genuinely commited to equality for all to vote No and we ask you to consider the contradiction between the two referendumsnnDick Spicer & Mike McKillen