Back on the Canvass

This was originally posted on The Political Gay on GayCork.com

Yes, I know I'm barely back a week and I am out canvassing. Nothing new there really.

I spent Friday evening and Saturday morning canvassing Mahon Point Shopping Centre, we then moved onto the City Centre for part of the afternoon (before the Match of course).

This is the first time I am canvassing (or even voting) in a constitutional referendum so it's all new and interesting for me.

So the reaction. On Friday the reaction to us (campaigning for a Yes Vote, juts in case you are unsure) was fairly balanced Yes/No wise, with the Yes being slightly ahead.

Saturday was quieter on reaction from both sides but most people seamed happy to take a leaflet on the Treaty.

What annoyed me was people who said they didn't know anything about the treaty yet refused to take some literature to actually read up about it.

What I don't get, is people who disagree with you who decide to rip up the leaflet in front of you. Its so heart breaking.... NOT. Get a life like, give it back if you don't want it, save the environment and all that!

The funniest thing that happened to me (Strange things always happen to me canvassing!) was that a woman passed me and then came back ( I didn't hand her a leaflet or attempt as I had been dealing with someone else) and told me I would regret supporting the treaty as under the Treaty of ROME, not Lisbon, that the EU would take over our land, I would be conscripted into an EU Army (I won't, I've done my service, if it was being brought in, which it is) and that the EU is being run by the Freemasons. I was like "huh?", No, I've read the Treaty's (Rome, Nice and Lisbon) and that does not come under them, as Rome was an economic treaty.

Another elderly gentleman gave out to me as the Treaty does not mention God. Why should it? It's an intergovernmental treaty!! Then he mentioned abortion, which is covered by a declaration under the Maastricht (or was it Amsterdam) Treaty, and the EU will not be telling us what to do on it!

Neutrality also came up on the canvass, a young man asked be it as a "straightforward Question" to which he wanted a "straightforward answer", he did ask in a nice way. I of course set the record straight for him. The triple lock will still be in place when the treaty passes (or fails). Also the Seville Declaration attached to the Nice Treaty safeguards our right not to take part in a common defence pact.

Right that's all for now. I am attending a Rally on the Lisbon Treaty on Thursday at 8pm in the Imperial Hotel and I will post my reaction to that also