Display your Prejudices

I get great enjoyment from reading Have Your Say on the BBC’s website. I have heard many complaints that it is biased (What does one expect from a state owned company) but the comments contain many gems. I put together a collection of pro-constitution comments which fit my own prejudices. Note the total lack of any attempt to deal with the issues.

Personally, I would vote yes. Yes a European constitution is better than taking on the US constitution as the 51st State of America, which the likes of the Tories and UKIP seem to want. A no for Europe means a yes for America and GW Bush. If you want to be governed by America, vote no. Scott Cheadle, Zurich (Expat Brit)

We Tory and UKIP voters want to become a state of the USA? Quick tip Scott, the I in UKIP stands for Independent. As for Bush, he has 3½ more years after which he is history. If the Constitution were only to last that long even I might vote for it.

I will vote yes in the referendum. As a part of my study of international relations, I had to read the constitution and although at some points I disagree, on the whole I think it will give the EU a firm base. However, I would like to see an end to the British rebate and I hope this constitution will regulate the EU coffers. Kim, Rotterdam, Netherlands

What is a firm base and why one would want such a thing is an open question.

Britain and France are the only two countries where the population is kicking up a fuss about this constitution. The British claim that it will create a "leftie" socialist superstate ruled from Brussels. The French claim the contrary - an "Anglo-Saxon" style free-market economy comparable with the United States. It would appear that neither have read the document. Darryl LeCount, Paderborn, Germany

All the opponents are stupid and I am clever!!!!! Why do I like it? Because I am sophisticated. If he were that clever he would have noticed that the Dutch are about to reject it and that from Sweden to Poland, the document is much discussed. And the Gleaming Pearl of them all:

I will vote "Oui" and I really hope that the "Oui" win. It's the first time in history some people from different countries, with different languages, ideas...want to live together in peace. The EU constitution is a great project for European people, but also like a light to follow for others countries over the world. Chris, Toulouse

Chris why don’t you sing Kum bi Ahh and get over it. I suspect most people in most times have wanted to live in peace. None of the others were stupid enough to think that paying Farmers not to grow anything or compensating airline passengers for cancellations was a necessary part of the process. In fact it is very possible to be Pro EU integration and not like this treaty:

Pro EU? Yes. Pro Constitution? Yes, but not this one. Emily S, Manchester, UK

Whilst I am sure that we would disagree on many things, at least Emily has obviously some idea of what is in the treaty. As I have said before, the only real way to support the EU is wishy-washy ideals. When it comes to the hard facts very little of what happens in any way supports these ideal.