Malta Bird Massacre (eh.. Spring Hunting) Referendum - April 11, 2015

[politicus]

In an evaluation Jurgen Balzan from Malta Today, who seems to be one of Maltas better political journalists says the No campaign was classist, so probably a fair evaluation:

"In a feeble attempt to find a silver lining in this latest debacle for the environmental lobby, one can take heart from the fact that despite a classist NO campaign (for if I was a die-hard Labourite I would have found it very difficult to identify with the NO camp) and Labour’s hidden hand behind the YES camp, half the electorate that showed up stood up for the protection of birds, decency and environmental justice."

All privately owned media supported No btw, so party support was stronger than media power.

[politicus]

After their paper thin victory the hunters organizations FKNK are now trying to prevent a future loss by securing that abrogative referenda can be challenged in Court on the basis of minority rights - they claim a majority should not be able to reduce the rights of minority groups by calling a referendum.

This line is nothing new. FKNK gathered 104,293 signatures last year in a petition to Parliament to update the Referendum Act to disallow it from "being used vindictively to attack the rights of a minority".

Background: After the Coalition Against Spring Hunting (CASH) presented a petition with 44,376 signatures to the Electoral Commission calling for an abrogative referendum to abolish spring hunting FKNK and St Hubert's Hunters (KSU) filed a case at the Constitutional Court objecting to the holding of the referendum arguing that a referendum on spring hunting would breach Malta's EU Treaty obligations. But the Constitutional Court dismissed the case.

The Nationalist Party had said they are against "any attempt at stopping the nation from expressing itself on any subject upon which enough signatures for an abrogative referendum have been collected."

Labour is silent so far.

[politicus]

Raphael Vassallo cuts to the core of this: Muscats decision to imply Nationalist leader Busutti was secretly working for a No despite his declared intention to vote Yes was the gamechanger:

"Above all, however, this was a victory for Malta’s political divide. It was a stark reminder of the extent to which our ancestral, feudal, internecine hatred has poisoned this country… to the effect that even birds die from exposure to it. You can argue all you like, you can substantiate your arguments with as many facts and figures as you like… but when push comes to shove, the only dynamic that actually counts is tribal party allegiance."

Also says that the idea that most people were secretly against spring hunting and the complaints afterwards about lazy No supports not bothering to show up is delusional. The fact is many people outside of the hunting areas couldn't care less about bird hunting.

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/51827/this_is_what_we_are#.VS07UJPbAZM

[Antonio the Sixth]

Although, for sure, it can lead to unfortunate outcomes like this one, the Maltese should be grateful to live in a country where party allegiance still means something. This is the hallmark of a healthy democracy.

[ObserverIE]

Raphael Vassallo cuts to the core of this: Muscats decision to imply Nationalist leader Busutti was secretly working for a No despite his declared intention to vote Yes was the gamechanger:

"Above all, however, this was a victory for Malta’s political divide. It was a stark reminder of the extent to which our ancestral, feudal, internecine hatred has poisoned this country… to the effect that even birds die from exposure to it. You can argue all you like, you can substantiate your arguments with as many facts and figures as you like… but when push comes to shove, the only dynamic that actually counts is tribal party allegiance."

Also says that the idea that most people were secretly against spring hunting and the complaints afterwards about lazy No supports not bothering to show up is delusional. The fact is many people outside of the hunting areas couldn't care less about bird hunting.

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/51827/this_is_what_we_are#.VS07UJPbAZM

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I worry that there's an upcoming referendum a lot closer to home where the same thing may apply. I hope I'm wrong.

[politicus]

Something to compare the referendum result with:



Also:

Highland Malta voted pro-hunting/Lowland Malta voted (mostly) anti-hunting:

[Zanas]

The fact that two of their main towns have the exact same name Rabat may be an indication of why they also want to shoot birds...






PS : for subtext impaired people, it's because they're moronic, haha.

[politicus]

The fact that two of their main towns have the exact same name Rabat may be an indication of why they also want to shoot birds...

PS : for subtext impaired people, it's because they're moronic, haha.

Lots of towns have a twin on the other island. Gozo and Malta are two different entities and there was no reason why people on Gozo should care what Maltesians called their towns or vice versa.

[Simfan34]

The fact that two of their main towns have the exact same name Rabat may be an indication of why they also want to shoot birds...

PS : for subtext impaired people, it's because they're moronic, haha.

To say nothing of the Moroccans.

[politicus]

The fact that two of their main towns have the exact same name Rabat may be an indication of why they also want to shoot birds...

PS : for subtext impaired people, it's because they're moronic, haha.

To say nothing of the Moroccans.

It is Arabic for "fortified place", so it is hardly surprising there are a couple of them along the Mediterranean shores.