D Wednesday, December 9, 2009 METRO 17 Wicklow Deer: Photographer Giles Norman is inspired by Wicklows stunning scenery for his new collection Big Picture Competition Seeking same rights Same-sex couples: Are they treated as second-class citizens? Dublins best-read letters page Metro Mail E-mail letters to mail@metroireland.ie with a name. Or text us. Text MAIL followed by comment and name to 53131. *Texts cost 30cent per message + standard network charges. SP. Oxygen8 Communications, Hospitality House, Cumberland Street South, D2. Customer service number 0818286606 talk to us Hopeful or nopeful: Climate campaigners have given a huge hostage to fortune by nicknaming the Copenhagen summit Hopenhagen. If the talks end without a deal or a severely watered-down one, will it be called... Nopenhagen? Mr Cranky, Dublin 7 Prison police: Loved the front page headline: Strike garda in threat of prison. It wouldnt be the first time they were in didnt they Shish Kebab on the Ronnie Drews during the 1988 strike! Alec ADoo Cuts will lead to more: I am fully aware of cuts in pay and jobs in the private sector as well as the public sector. My point is further cuts in the public sector open the flood gates for further cuts in the private sector as per David Begg, Ictu. JM, D8 Low point: I know I am not alone in expressing my disgust at Audens ignorant comments regarding foreign aid. I have visited the Earths poorest countries and I can tell you of the good that Irelands aid to Third World countries does. The situations in Ireland, even in recession, and in Third World countries are uncomparable. A world where we cannot afford to pay bills and buy luxury goods is better than one riddled with disease, famine, poverty and corruption. Edward, Dublin In Brief Sendusyour txt Timmy, before you make an ignorant statement like that, inform yourself. Gay and lesbian couples want rights for their children, similar to how if your wife ran off with another man, he wouldnt have the same rights over your son, but he would over a child conceived between him and your wife. Equality is not rewriting biology. Sinad Had Cowen and his half- witted advisers in the Cabinet not wasted 4billion in zombie bank Anglo Irish, there would be no need for this savage Budget! Sean Another garda injured while on duty and the Government think their pay should be cut? Its disgraceful! MH Frank OL, the Metro is a tabloid. That word is simply the name of the format in which the paper is published. The Times is a broadsheet, the Metro is a tabloid. That doesnt mean its trashy though. Steve If the GAA, the Catholic Church and the unions all put their savings together, would that save Ireland from recession? Its all the peoples money anyway! Joegrappa txt MAIL to 53131* GILES NORMAN has just launched his new collection, a black and white study of the Wicklow landscape, at the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre in Dublin. To celebrate this, Metro and Giles Norman are giving you a 25 per cent discount off any of his works just in time for Christmas, when you enter our text competition below. Not only that, but one lucky Metro reader each day will win an exclusive 12in x 16in framed print worth 100. To enter, simply answer the question below: Which county is the focus of Giles Normans new collection? A. Dublin B. Wicklow C. Cork Text GILESN followed by your answer A, B or C to 53133 (texts cost 60c + standard network charge). Answer correctly and you will receive a promotional code via a free text message to claim your discount. The competition closes at midnight on Wednesday December 9, and the winners will be chosen at random from the entries received. Entrants must be over 18 years old. Usual Metro rules apply. The Editors decision is final. SP. Oxygen8, Hospitality House, Cumberland Street South, D2. Customer Service number 0818286606 This picture worth 100 to be won Timmy, we arrogant gays are not attempting to rewrite the laws of biology with the fight for civil marriage simply the laws of the land. Many gay people in this country have children. In a male-female coupling where one biological parent has passed away or rescinded their rights to the child, the child can be given the legal protection of adoption by the new partner. Gay people are seeking those same equal rights. Gay married couples would one day also like the right to adopt so a child without parents can be brought up in a secure, normal and loving family. Your own arrogance and bigotry is borne out of an outmoded and outdated heteronormative view on the traditional family. There are many forms of family, some straight, some gay, some with kids, some without, but all deserving of the same legal rights. I hope you can join us in the 21st century and as a parent can join us in the fight for civil marriage. Mikey Cyrus Dear Timmy, if gay people had the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts, they could adopt a child together and both parents would have the same legal rights over the child. If your wife ran off with another woman, that woman could not claim rights over your child unless you gave up your rights as a father. But youve nothing to worry about as the Government is not granting gay people the same rights as heterosexual people. So as a person who just happens to be gay, I am a second-class citizen in my own country and my Government is re-enforcing that by passing this legislation. Ian Walsh, Balbriggan No cuts needed, just wind up Anglo What if I told you we dont need to cut African aid? What if I told you we didnt have to cut social welfare? What if I told you public service pay did not have to be cut? All of the above is true. Last week while all the attention was on talks between the Government and unions, the Department of Finance published estimates for 2010, in which 7billion of tax payers money is expected to be spent on Anglo Irish Bank. Simple solution, wind up Anglo Irish Bank and transfer the staff not involved in the corrupt practices of this bank to work for Nama. The Government says it needs to save 4billion, well wind up Anglo Irish Bank and well save 7billion. Ken index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html