Sinn Fein need to bestraight on side of what’s right
I’M a typical Sinn Fein voter and here’s why I think the party is losing support.
I grew up in a Republican house in an era when supporting Sinn Fein was a social disease.
Rhetoric or not, to me they stood for principles like free speech, with Gerry Adams silenced under Section 31.
And the presumption of innocence, in the face of injustices like internment without trial, and of course, Irish independence and national pride.
They fought for the working class and so all things considered, I always gave them a vote on the ballot paper, be it through indoctrination, idealism or tradition.
Then decades on, they were on course to lead the next Government, with impressive TDS like Eoin O Broin and Pearse Doherty and a formidable female boss.
But I can understand why their gains of the last four years have been cut, with a number of recent polls showing a downward pattern.
Mary Lou and Co are dropping poll on poll and they only have themselves to blame. Less than two years ago, SF were as high as 36% in popularity, tantalisingly close to bypassing the combined support for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.
Now they’ve fallen below the crucial 30% mark. Why? What’s the turn-off ?
And can they reverse the decline before clever Leo calls an election?
Here’s how I understand it. They promised “change” – then gave us more of the same in Opposition.
In a political climate dominated by two parties who have run the country into the ground, people want an alternative.
If they can’t do that as the opposing party, they’re not going to do it when they get into power.
Unfortunately, Sinn Fein have been onside with Government for too long on too many issues.
Be it endless, over-the-top Covid lockdowns, voting Yes Yes in the upcoming stupid referendum, or on immigration policy, the big issue of the moment, they’ve nodded their heads along with the State on all of it. They should be standing strong against nonsense such as the hate speech Bill, instead of backing it.
Sinn Fein have agreed themselves into irrelevance.
The only area they’ve bashed heads is on housing, and unfortunately for the party, housing and immigration policies are linked.
The burning of buildings earmarked for migrant accommodation is truly rotten and we all agree those responsible must face the full might of the law.
It’s become an epidemic now, and it seems inevitable someone will die in such a fire.
But it’s recognised as an age-old expression of grievance.
While it’s wrong, I believe it’s partly a frustrated response to the contempt of a government who can find ways to house new people they’ve invited to the country, in the midst of a housing crisis that has left so many already here unable to rent, buy, or get a social home.
The two issues are interlinked. By not having the courage or compassionate common sense to stand for that, Sinn Fein has lost sincere voters there.
Separately, an ideological, fanatical stance on the Palestine/gaza conflict among some is also a problem.
There’s only so many hours in the day – have you not enough to be doing at home?
Bring back Wolfe Tonian republicanism, cited by Michelle O’neill in her opening address as First Minister when she said she would represent “Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter”.
People ask: Are Sinn Fein left or right? They should be neither.
They should be on the side of what’s right and fair.
And not be afraid of the fair-weather wishy-washy woke contingent who are only going to vote Social Democrats anyway.