Say Everything

I don’t live in a bubble. No sirree! For it seems now I am surrounded by people who do their own research on YouTube and are coming up with notions far removed from how I think about the world. Was it always like this? Y’know – I’m not sure. Back in the day, with one’s partying buddies, I’d never have dreamed of making enquiries into anyone’s voting intentions. For sure, I knew that certain folks in my friendship circle would be supporting parties that would not be for me. Back then, being a DUP supporter was not a deal-breaker.

I asked Bert this hypothetical question,

If you lived in an English constituency right now who would you vote for?

His answer,

Probably the Green Party.

My response,

This is no time to be voting for the Green Party! Not even hypothetically!

This, even though I believe all parties should be Green.

This afternoon a couple of friends from another (younger) generation called with us. One of them claims never to have voted. He told us that his mother is begging him to use his vote this time and to vote for the DUP.

My response? Don’t vote Davy, don’t go near a polling station. Have the courage of your convictions. Stay at home.

The other friend, comments,

Aah! Democracy in action.

I continue,

Tell me, Davy, right now, if you lived in an English constituency who would you vote for?

The Reform Party.

Aaargh!

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Then earlier today, I ran into someone I used to know. Our former acquaintanceship was never one that would have allowed for the interchange of political views, yet within moments of the meeting I found that she was vaccine-sceptic, anti-Sinn Fein and concerned about immigration. Thinking back I find this so different from how things used to be. Years ago we all avoided political and cultural discourse, now we seem to want to set our cards on the table straight away. Is this a good thing? Maybe it is, even it makes for some degree of discomfort.

But I’m not going to let it lie. The days of Whatever You Say, Say Nothing are over. I am Irish, at home, and in search of views on everything.

Political Thought For The Day

What's Your Political Persuasion?

You Are a "Don't Tread On Me" Libertarian

You distrust the government, are fiercely independent, and don't belong in either party. Religion and politics should never mix, in your opinion... and you feel opressed by both. You don't want the government to cramp your self made style. Or anyone else's for that matter. You're proud to say that you're pro-choice on absolutely everything!

So how does that translate into local politics then? Ian Paisley has been the MP for this constituency for longer than I've had a vote. I always vote and in all that time I've never put the big X beside his name. Because of this I've always had to think of my vote as a means of reducing his majority, never as a means to unseat him as that just isn't going to happen. The voters like him around these parts. And when he finally falls of his perch (he's 79) I reckon they'll continue to like his successor. For a while anyway. Ian Richard Kyle Paisley was born locally in 1926. Today I had conversations with two different women also born in 1926. The first - A South Antrim voter did not like me discussing an anti-SF voting strategy nor dissing SF supporters. She took palpitations and claimed 'not to be worth tuppence' after our debate. Memo to self - don't discuss politics with mother again. The second, a North Antrim voter said she didn't think she'd trouble hersel' voting this year. "Good-oh," says I. "Don't you bother supporting Big Ian and that'll be the same as me having two votes." She laughed heartily and threatened to poke me with her walking stick saying, "I'm away in now to hear if there's any more about the new Pope." That's what I like. People opening their minds, having a laugh, thinking outside the box and being tolerant of each other. That's what I'd like to be able to vote for.