Disenchanted and disenfranchised
I received a rebuke in the comments on yesterday's post.
Noel says – Really disappointed in you Grandad with this post and your previous article re the marriage referendum. Thought you were a fighter for minority rights.
Now he has a point so I thought maybe I should explain myself.
The fact is that I feel completely disillusioned with the Irish electoral system, and indeed the Irish political system.
Starting back in the days of the smoking ban I realised that the Irish State didn't give a damn about me or my lifestyle. They "knew better" what was good for me and despite a complete lack of demand for such a ban, it was imposed on me. That may seem a trivial point to some, but it generated a minority of which I was part. I feel marginalised and disenfranchised and more than a little resentful as a result of the ban.
Following on from that we had the famous Lisbon Treaty debacle where despite the clear vote of the Irish, they demanded a second referendum so that we could give "the right answer". Clearly they now not ony think they know what's good for me but they also want to tell me how I should think.
When the recession hit it became abundantly clear that the Ruling Elite don't give a damn for the plain people of Ireland. The banks, the bondholders and the foreign investors were well catered for while the ordinary Joe had to face massive and additional taxation.
The Ruling Elite don't give a damn about me so I don't give a damn about them. I feel the entire system is corrupt to the core and I really don't see why I should play their little games where they pretend to listen to the electorate but intend to proceed on their own preconceived path. They will lie, cheat and obfuscate to achieve their ends so I just close my ears to them and go my own way.
Being part of a minority, of course I fight for minority rights. I don't however believe that by casting my vote that I would make one iota of difference. If I for a second thought that my vote did somehow count then I would indeed vote, but as things stand I choose to use my right not to do so.
Do they give a damn about me?
No.
Do I gave a flying fuck about them?
Draw your own conclusions.
I totally understand and agree with feeling disenfranchised. David Cameron’s former chief strategist has just published a book about this, the ruling elite and the decay of democracy. That apart, however, a referendum is a powerful direct tool for people to make their voice heard and literally counted. I do hope you change your mind and vote. A yes outcome on this can send a powerful message to young gay people that we value them and offer respect to older gays.
Re the smoking ban. I remember a live radio interview with Nell McCafferty on the first morning it was introduced. She spoke from her bed and said she never wanted to leave it as she couldn’t face the sort of country Ireland had become outside! Great character.
Good old Nell! I agree fully that Ireland has gone to the dogs, and it's not just the smoking lark. As I have said before it is rapidly climbing the rankings for Nanny Stateism and corrupt politics.
Regarding the referendum – if [and it's a big IF] I am near the polling booth tomorrow I'll cast my vote. I'll leave it in the lap of the gods even though it may compromise some of my principles. That fair enough?
🙂
I’m not going to vote doesn’t bother me if gays can or can not marry. 1% of the population that wants to subject themselfs to the horrors of divorce and the minefield of child custody seems they are a wee but stupid if you ask me specialy If you need someone else’s recognition to somehow validate your love.. What a load of bollox
Succinct and to the point! Yes, I'd broadly agree with what you say.
I really feel that this whole 'Gay Marriage' thing is just a Trojan Horse with a view to further normalising homosexuality and sidelining religious belief. I think it's nothing to do with gay marriage per se and everything to do with gaining political and social advantage. And it's working. These days, any expression of homophobia is treated as a crime (pace your post of yesterday). Yet you can go online and call smokers all the names you like, even threaten them with death, and that's considered quite acceptable. In fact, to be encouraged. Political Correctness in all its sordid glory.
The world is getting turned upside-down.
This isn't, by the way, an anti gay rant. I don't discriminate and I honestly don't give a twopenny fuck whether someone is gay or not. That's their business, not mine.
But I refuse to be dragooned into expressing undying support for something (ie gay marriage) that I see as a cynical political move. I think it's an unnecessary and (deliberately) provocative demand, and as such I don't / won't support it.
You see that everywhere now they push one thing while doing the same to another group once you open your eyes and look around actually take attention to what people do rather than what they parrot then you will see they are nearly always always the very worst example of the thing they claim to hate if you do not believe in their tolerant utopia even if its merely to refuse to bake a cake then you will not be tolerated its sorta amuseing in a animal farm fashion……Still such things tend to fix themselfs in the long run but just batten down the hatchs for the crazy to get to critical mass before then,
Iv learned to not care anymore there is nothing about our culture or society i look up to which is very sad really.
"I really feel that this whole 'Gay Marriage' thing is just a Trojan Horse with a view to further normalising homosexuality and sidelining religious belief"
Homosexuality is normal – unfortunately some people don't accept it.
I am a Great-Grandad.Since I reached the age to vote I have never failed to do so,but I'v had enough of this shower of wankers (ie the politicians) and as a result I did not cast my vote.I totally agree with all of Grandad's comments.
Welcome, Jolatacqce! I'll be honest and say I was expecting quite a backlash to my "fuck the vote" attitude. It's always nice to know we're not alone.