I'm proud!

bk86a

I've been living in this country for 3.5 years. It became my home, my return, my destiny and future. I am an immigrant, like many others. I can't vote in Ireland but if I could yesterday, I would vote for yes. I believe in Europe and I believe in Europeans.
However, what you have done will make me proud to become Irish in 1.5 years or so. You have shown that even being a small country you have a right to say no and stand for your beliefs and rights. You have shown that democracy belongs to people not governments. You have proven that people can get what they want, the way they want. How it was right, may history and our grandchildren judge us all.
I'm proud of you Ireland as much as I love green hills of Wicklow, sandy beaches of Donegal and rocky Cliffs of Moher.
Let me have a pint or two of the finest Guinness in the world, the best only in Dublin - for Ireland, for Irish, for us and for Europe.

Best luck to all of us,
Mike

smartypants

you can stop humping my leg now

Kovik

While I'm a fervent yes voter, that other European leaders have been quick to announce that the ratification process should continue and that the treaty may be enacted with Ireland receiving some sort of alternative membership (at least, this is being tossed around by pundits) is deeply troubling, and perhaps the ability of our "small nation" is not quite so respected.

claudiog

bk86a wrote: »

I've been living in this country for 3.5 years. It became my home, my return, my destiny and future. I am an immigrant, like many others. I can't vote in Ireland but if I could yesterday, I would vote for yes. I believe in Europe and I believe in Europeans.
However, what you have done will make me proud to become Irish in 1.5 years or so. You have shown that even being a small country you have a right to say no and stand for your beliefs and rights. You have shown that democracy belongs to people not governments. You have proven that people can get what they want, the way they want. How it was right, may history and our grandchildren judge us all.
I'm proud of you Ireland as much as I love green hills of Wicklow, sandy beaches of Donegal and rocky Cliffs of Moher.
Let me have a pint or two of the finest Guinness in the world, the best only in Dublin - for Ireland, for Irish, for us and for Europe.

Best luck to all of us,
Mike

Great post Mike!

I will cross post to other forums, in other states.

PH01

...and in about 1.5 years you might be able to vote YES on LISBON 2

btw -

...have shown that democracy belongs to people not governments...

The last time I looked, it's the people who elect the government in this country - that's democracy

bug

PH01 wrote: »

...and in about 1.5 years you might be able to vote YES on LISBON 2

btw -
The last time I looked, it's the people who elect the government in this country - that's democracy

I have never voted FF in any election. Leaving the debate about the treaty alone for a minute - I'm kind of relieved that finally something I've voted against was not carried, I was beginning to think I was in Zimbabwe

PH01

bug wrote: »

I have never voted FF in any election

Ya mean you've gone down the whole ballot paper and you've never given one of your preferences to some poor old FFer? I vote for everyone, even if it's a number 15. You should try it, it's great fun

I was beginning to think I was in Zimbabwe

ssssssssssssssssssssh ya'll give people ideas

Call Me Jimmy

Kovik wrote: »

While I'm a fervent yes voter, that other European leaders have been quick to announce that the ratification process should continue and that the treaty may be enacted with Ireland receiving some sort of alternative membership (at least, this is being tossed around by pundits) is deeply troubling, and perhaps the ability of our "small nation" is not quite so respected.

Well I can't imagine any alternative membership that would work...

murphaph

Kovik wrote: »

While I'm a fervent yes voter, that other European leaders have been quick to announce that the ratification process should continue and that the treaty may be enacted with Ireland receiving some sort of alternative membership (at least, this is being tossed around by pundits) is deeply troubling, and perhaps the ability of our "small nation" is not quite so respected.

I hope and pray the millions of would be yes voters across our dear continent can now see the undemocratic nature of the juggernaut that is the European Project. The brakes have been tipped by the irish, let's hope the european public slams them on so we can thoroughly evaluate what and where the 'project' is going. If our 'no' vote does nothing else but make people sit up and question the fundamentals of the EU it will have been worth it. As an aside: I can't abide triumphalism on the NO side. It demeans the whole process.

mikemac

bk86a wrote: »

Let me have a pint or two of the finest Guinness in the world, the best only in Dublin

Your post was going great until there.
You lost all credibility when you claimed Dublin has the best Guinness. Sure it's brewed there but you want to pay Dublin rip-off prices to drink in some pub full of Dubs?

Randomness

PH01 wrote: »

The last time I looked, it's the people who elect the government in this country - that's democracy

Agh the Irish public - good ould reliable predictable voters in general elections...party all the way, no matter what they have done, sure lets vote them in again!

turgon

Good point

19 ratifications as of Friday 13th 2008

18 parliamentary - 18 Yes
1 Referendum - 1 No

Doesn't take a genius to see the pattern!!

bug

PH01 wrote: »

Ya mean you've gone down the whole ballot paper and you've never given one of your preferences to some poor old FFer? I vote for everyone, even if it's a number 15. You should try it, it's great fun
ssssssssssssssssssssh ya'll give people ideas

well, you never know, if Cowan doesnt sell my vote out next Thursday I may just change that going forward.
But we'll wait and see.

murphaph

turgon wrote: »

Good point

19 ratifications as of Friday 13th 2008

18 parliamentary - 18 Yes
1 Referendum - 1 No

Doesn't take a genius to see the pattern!!

We didn't approve of the proposed constitutional amendment today so there can be no irish ratification (without a further referendum) so it currently stands at 18 ratifications, not 19.