For me, last week's Presidential debate has brought home to roost some worrying trends in Ireland today.
One week after the election I just wanted to string together some thoughts. Traditionally there has always been a protest vote, that is our right as an electorate and is a valid way of public protest. Of course the best way to do this is to write an interesting message on your ballot paper - for example - "I wouldn't vote for any of these candidates if my life depended on it" - or one could write some naughty words!
I remember seeing some of the messages on the ballot papers during the Marriage Equality Referendum, let's just say that people were very emotional. And that's fine. But this time around people registered their "protest" by voting for the lowest common denominator, the candidate that said some home truths, showing that he was willing to be a bigot and whilst people wouldn't agree with what he said (in public), during a secret ballot they were more than happy to vote for him. He latched onto the politics of hatred and fear just like Trump and Brexit and won a large percentage of the vote. Thankfully a larger percentage of the population didn't agree with him but it is still worrying result.
If you are of a left wing train of thought you have plenty of people to vote for, Labour, Sinn Fein, Solidarity (aka Anti-Austerity Alliance), People before Profit, Workers Party and several independants. So, if you wanted to register a left wing protest vote, against the establishment you have a lot of choice.
The right wing is more limited however, if you don't want to vote for the established parties of Fianna Fail or Fine Gael (can't link) you are stuck with either Renua or the Human Dignity Alliance. These 2 protest options are frankly sucky so you then choose a candidate that politically lies to the right and says what others are afraid to say in public.
Role in from stage left - Peter Casey. 8 weeks ago we didn't even know who the man is and now as the national airwaves are still giving him screen time (as I'm typing he is on the Late Late Show) all we can think about is whether we are a welfare state and if Travellers should be considered as Irish, nothing more or nothing less rather than a seperate ethnic group. Casey refuses to recognise them as an ethnic group. But hang on; this is a them and us arguement of hatred and NIMBYism. And we all know where this has led both the US and Britain - yes down the road of exclusion, fear and bigotry.
Whilst the Travelling community made clear their disapproval of Peter Casey; 342,727 of the electorate agreed with what he was peddling.
(source - Irish Times)
This vote for now is only attacking a small group of people living in Ireland but where does it end. It brings to mind this ...
(Source)
It's funny in a country that has made two huge left wing liberal changes in the last 3 years - Marriage Equality and Divorce - that we support the politics of exclusion and hate. And then in contrast we vote to repeal the blasphemy laws which is another liberal thought - free speech and all that.
It's really hard to know where we will go from here, the right wing and those who sell their opinion of exculsion and bigotry are now free to say horrible things about those of a different faith than them, so, will the next group of people to be attacked be those of a Muslim faith (all hale the great U. S of A - wow; see where I'm going with this)
One thing is very clear, the political landscape of Ireland is changing. We can certainly take the following from the results:
a. The protest vote is becoming more dangerous and those in the traditional parties need to pay more attention to what's being said. The far left has harnessed this vote in the past, now, it's the turn of the right wing.
b. The calibre of the discussion and debate during the election was very poor leaving a vacuum that was going to be filled with horse shit.
c. Whilst on one hand we are becoming a more experienced and learned electorate, on the other hand we can be influenced by outside interests via social media and the value of the doorstep campaign is losing traction.
d. The General Election (whenever it comes) and the Local Election next May will be very interesting, maybe ... MAYBE ... we can use this as an opportunity to mobilise the youth of ireland, just like the Marriage Referendum and help make ireland a more welcoming home for all.
John The Captain Ryan
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