Off the record.
That is the contract we enter into with politicians when they come in to talk to our Master Class of budding Journalists here at NUIG. This is great for us, because we get to ask them interesting questions and we are ever hopeful that they will give us honest answers.
No need to be cynical here lads and ladies … we have to believe that one or two of the Irish politicians out there might be honest.
Our lecturers are teaching us how to become more objective when we write. They are insisting, in order to make it in the world as a journalist, personal opinions must be left at the door and we should just write about the facts. We must remain unbiased. We must not allow our words to shed light on our personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice;
Our work must be factual and we should strive to share only an objective opinion.
THANK goodness they are not grading me on my blogging because I’d have a hell of a time keeping my opinions to myself.
In saying that, and purely for the purpose of me (very subjectively) wanting y’all (eligible Irish citizens) to get out and vote in the Referendum next Friday – here is my tuppenceworth on the abolishment of the Seanad.
The first bit of bad news seems to be that a lot of people just don’t care about this vote.
The second bit of bad news is that as a nation, Irish people still consider their voting preferences a very private and personal thing. When I recently asked folks on Twitter (a very personal question I know!) how they were planning on voting next week, I was delighted to see many shared my opinion on the referendum. I was then saddened to see that this closeted way of keeping your voting preferences so guarded is still alive and kicking.
Answer me this – if you are not discussing the thrive or demise of our country with your friends and family, how can we ever be sure that you care deeply enough to get out and vote; To demand (or even make a) change?
When I lived and worked in the US, I befriended plenty of folks that were of a totally different mindset to myself. Wonderful passionate proud patriotic people. We were drawn to each other.
I was, and still am, fairly liberal and some of my best and closet friends to this day are about as conservative as you might get. It made for excellent dinner discussions and a lot of times we had to all walk away agreeing to disagree. But we were always fired up when we tried to hash things out together. Because the politics of it all – matters.
Did you ever stop to think for one minute, that if we let our guard down, if we started talking to our friends and neighbours about what we believe in and what we are voting for and WHY, that we as a nation may finally start fighting for our country? That we have the power to put pressure on the Government and force them to listen to their constituents? Right now their only interest seems to be their final grab for power. I say their final grab for power because Fine Gael have won the election, they have the majority in the Dáil and the are controlling everyone in their party with the Whip system (a command given from the top down and the party members have to vote a certain way – even if they do not agree with it – or they are kicked out of the party).
One of our teachers this morning gave me food for thought when he said that “as a nation, we Irish tend to vote the direct opposite of what the Government wants us to do”.
If he is right that means that next week, we will turn out in true Irish style (not a massive turnout is expected) and vote to keep the Seanad and send a strong message to the lads in office that we need to keep at least a half an eye on them. We will let them know that we do not want them to have ALL the power. We will not allow them to have the ability to fire the president, or the supreme court judges.
We will make sure that they know we want a reformed Seanad, and, as the Fine Gael party have put it on the agenda stating its need for abolishment, they will have to have a plan B when it is not abolished. As it stands right now, they do not have a plan B because they are assuming they will win – again.
They will have to agree to a complete reformation of the Seanad – which, incidentally the Senators themselves voted UNANIMOUSLY for, but the government did not allow it.
And here is one final thought to ponder … all that money that they will save, as their posters are stating (quite inaccurately might I add) …. what do you think will happen to it. A supposed 20 million euros could be very well served if pumped into education or health or caring for people with disabilities these days. But instead this money gets redistributed back into the ministerial purse.
How is THAT saving 20 million euros?
Photo: Aidan Crawley
The government wins again.
Here are a few links :
David Norris was on the Ray Darcy show earlier today. It was an interview filled with passion – around the 43 minute mark. Promise me you will listen to it.
This is a page with some information about the referendum.
And here you will find an excellent article written by Vincent Browne with his very not-one-bit-objective views on this referendum.
Let your voice be heard. Get out and vote.
Tune in or tune out …. Just don’t be left out!
WiseMóna
WiseGalwayGirl 
Recent Comments