I have a new post up at GlobalComment.
Between the misunderstandings, misrepresentations and accusations, the campaigns are heating up. It is just over two weeks until the Irish people vote on the Treaty of Lisbon for the second time. Having previously covered the reasons for the second vote, it seems to me that all the issues that were at the heart of the negative result last time around have been dealt with and with those out of the way, brand new issues are cropping up.
In typical Irish fashion, both sides are trying to outdo each other in accusations of misrepresentations and outright lies, despite the positive campaign which the Yes side promised. To be sure, the Yes side posters are less deliberately provocative but they are not adverse to stirring up old prejudices when it suits them.
The majority of the Yes side posters feature either shiny happy europhiles or admonishments about how much we need the EU. While the shiny happies provide eye candy for those stuck in traffic, the admonishments remind one of Catholic school and public shaming. Enough already! The big stick approach should not be attempted here. Resentment is not the emotion to inspire in voters before a referendum.
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