‘Yes’ campaigners are told to ‘respect’ opposing side’s views

Referendum not about “correcting the wrongs of the past”

Same-sex marriage campaigners have appealed to their supporters to engage in a respectful debate ahead of next month’s referendum on the issue.

In Yes Equality, a campaign briefing book seen by The Irish Catholic, activists are told to remember the referendum “is not about idealism or being proven right or correcting the wrongs of the past”.

“It is about convincing the majority of people who go into a polling booth to vote in secrecy on the day to put an X in the ‘Yes’ box,” the document says.

The briefing book states that campaigners should aim to make voters “feel good” about voting ‘Yes’ as it is an “emotional decision”.

“The ‘Yes’ campaign should be positive. It is not our purpose to criticise members of the ‘No’ camp for their deeply held views on morality and which we should respect,” it says.

The document also warns against “labelling” opponents of same-sex marriage or “dismissing sincerely held beliefs”.

“We should, however, be firm in identifying where the ‘No’ side is scaremongering, raising baseless fears and deliberately misleading and confusing voters. This should be a polite but not a timid campaign,” it states.

Among the messages the ‘Yes’ campaign highlights as “counterproductive” are that voting ‘No’ will “will embarrass us internationally” and that Ireland needs to be dragged into the 21st Century.

The briefing book also identifies the “battleground” in the campaign for same-sex marriage are the “soft” ‘Yes’ voters.

It states that campaigners “need to re-assure them that their instinct is right”.

“Our main function between now and May 22 is to stop these well-disposed voters from straying. We can best do this by inspiring and reassuring them with a passionate case for equality and by exposing the ‘No’ side arguments as baseless,” the document says.