OPINION: “Stop Telling Me Your Vote… And Actually Cast It”

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that annoys me more than armchair politicians. We all know the type, indeed, we might have one in our close family. They rant and rave about the state of the country, the Government, the sandwiches in the shop down the road but yet, they don’t do anything about it. They will be the ones who have been talking non-stop about the marriage referendum for the last few months. They will be the ones who have been shouting loudest, whichever side they’re on, and the ones who will, on Saturday evening if the vote doesn’t go their way, be the quickest to complain. Yet, when you ask them if they voted, listen carefully for the answer. You might have to wade through a stream of excuses and phrases such as “busy with work”, “registered down home” or “severely hungover”. In other words, no they didn’t vote. But it’s perfectly okay to complain, right? And these are the same people that didn’t vote in the last election, or referendum, or local election… the list goes on. I understand that the referendum has been a huge talking point in Ireland, and for very good reason. After all we are making history by heading to the polls this Friday. But don’t be in my face with your views unless you are actually going to drag yourself out of bed – sometime within the 15-hour slot you are given to vote – and have a say in the future of this country. And I don’t just mean for this referendum, but for any and every decision that affects us as a nation. You can’t sit there on your armchair judging and dismissing people, and then turn around and say you didn’t have time to vote or forgot to register. Or worse, the people who say: “there’s no point in voting, it won’t change anything.” We are lucky enough to live in a democratic country – a country where we are allowed to have a say in our future, our children’s future and their children’s future. We are given a voice. We are given a vote. So for God’s sake use it – or stay away from me until all the post-referendum furore dies down. As next time, I won’t be so quick to bite my tongue.