“My stance is that I fight for something positive rather than against something negative.”

This is what Conchita Wurst told Radio Free Europe in an interview,

And this is what she went on to add: “I would like youngsters and children to grow up knowing that the way you are is fine.”

Now, I might not like women with beards, but I most certainly like women with balls, and Conchita has shown that she has more balls than just literally.

In a couple of statements she coined what to me is the key to achieving the European dream, provided that “accepting the way we are” holds as long as we remain  socially responsible human beings.

Conchita did not abstain in her life. She made choices. She took risks. She fell down, but she got up, and not just the once. She continued making choices, striving, dodging the blows, nursing her wounds, accepting the scars, but never staying put, never remaining passive, never abstaining from her choices. And I use the “her” and the “she” instinctively, effortlessly, it’s because she deserves to be who she wants to be, she has the mettle for it because she does not miss opportunities, she does not abstain.

I am a parent, which makes abstaining a no-go zone.  We mothers do not have the luxury of choosing not to choose, ever. Decisions have to be taken, quickly, promptly, often in fractions of seconds especially when we have toddlers intent on discovering the world in ten seconds, or teenagers threatening to quit on the world any minute. Just try to imagine what catastrophes will ensue if parents worldwide decide to abstain from deciding whether to take these thousands of seemingly insignificant but monumental decisions made every day that keep their children alive and well.

To compound matters I also happen to be a dentist. Now just imagine if I had to inform a patient stricken with toothache, rolling with pain, that for just the once, in his case only I will be abstaining from taking a decision on his line of treatment, that I'm abstaining... cause I cannot decide... or because for just this once I want to get back at the dreaded dental profession.... hekk bil- qalb... bambalulhom..

I don't think it would do my psyche any good if I had to try this abstaining business, so I won't.

I also urge you readers to get hold of your vote if you haven't done so already and, come next Saturday, you take it to the polling booth and make your statement, loud and clear.

Now I know you can tell me that you don't know what that statement should be, that you're baffled by the suffocating, superficial, hypocritical, surreal, local political scene, and that you need to show local political parties that you're done with them. It is fully understandable that you feel like that, I feel that way too, but if you don't do anything about that situation, you will only be compounding that scenario, by deciding not to decide to positively condemn it and help change it with your vote.

Whatever our political affiliations were or are, I' m sure we share a dream for our country, a dream for our Europe, a dream for our World. 

Now as Eleanor Roosevelt liked to say:  “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”, but allow me to add that the future needs more than believing in to materialise. Creating a future needs action at the right time in the right place. Abstention creates nothing new or better, it stalls change and propounds the status quo, whatever that may be.

So abstaining is not an option if we base our vote on local issues.

If the Labour Party underperforms it will get the much needed message to revisit itself and evolve into the much needed New Labour Movement that the Maltese and Gozitans resoundingly voted in 14 months ago. If that happens, Labour will govern for the next 9 years at least.

If on the other hand more arrogance is encouraged by a great showing in this election, we might very well lose the next general election.

For the PN it’s equally crucial. The country needs a solid, positive, constructive Opposition to bring out the best in the government. A strong sign of approval now will strengthen what there is. Conversely, if the nation feels that changes have to be made to the opposition if it is to be  even considered as an alternative government by the next election, then it’s a now or never situation for the people to speak out with their vote.

For Alternattiva Demokratika and the other fledgling parties it’s going to be a make or break, because if the Maltese do not consider alternatives in this election, even if they restrict themselves to local issues to come to a decision where to place their vote, I do not know if they ever would.

It would be indeed a shame if we had to destroy our alternatives, and it would be an even bigger shame if we abstain in this election because on an International/Global level our vote this time round is a Yes or a No for Europe as much as it was back in 2003. 

With  Farage's  UKIP,  France's Marine Le Pen's , Netherland's Wilders charging the anti-European Union drive, and other Eurosceptic immigrant bashing parties gaining ground day by day,  and all the negative propaganda it’s easy to lose oneself in negativity and forget all the positivity. 

It's good to remember that Europe, with its 28 members and half a billion people is the wealthiest trading block in the world, producing close to a third of the World's economic output, nearly as large as china and US combined. Europe has more Fortune 500 companies than US, China and Japan combined. European nations are hailed by WHO as having the best healthcare systems in the world and as Stephen Hill describes very well in his book Europe's Promise, Europe's social capitalism and workfare framework supports families and individuals much more effectively both during their productive lives as well as in times of economic crises. Europe remains a leader in preparing  and implementing technologies to combat global warming, creating thousands of green jobs and promoting use of renewable energy sources while keeping its ecological footprint to half that of the US for the same standard of living.

I can go on citing positive attributes forever, but I will end my ode to Europe by mentioning the sturdy democracies that govern its nations, and the diversity of identities, religions and cultures that thrive and flourish, colouring this beautiful continent even more than the splendour of its natural beauty and rich history.

It is obvious that the European Union has to evolve and change further, since everything  has and is changing, even change itself, but with our vote we can steer the change, and help to  create our own New Europe . 

Our Europe had its rebaptism of fire in recent years. The global financial meltdown all but saw the end of the euro. It was and is heartbreaking to watch great proud countries going down on their knees requesting their bail outs first for their banks and then for their very existence. But the European Union survived and the Euro survived and only last week Portugal joined the other brave survivors and exited its international bail-out programme.

Through all this debacle our little great country remained proud and resilient thanks to its hardworking people, its safe banks and a government that notwithstanding its internal strife and corrupt elements, steered our nation well enough in this risky period.

When our forefathers mapped out the road for a European dream, they were literally attempting to make Europe Rise like a Phoenix out of the ashes, and tears that washed over an entire continent ravaged by war and anti-semitism.

Our generation needs to resuscitate and breathe new life in this European Dream.

But to achieve that we have to keep in mind that Europe is not just made out of the most beautiful combination of natural attributes and a myriad of dazzling cultures. Europe is made up of people, it’s made up of you, me and Conchita Wurst with all our moles, our idiosyncrasies, our talents abilities, inabilities and disabilities. Europe is made of children, mothers, fathers, grandparents and great-grandparents and its success as a continent can be measured  only by  the quality of life of each of these individual players, not only as individuals but as parts of families ,of communities. Europe is not all about GDPs. It is about, diverse cultures flourishing in the midst of ancient, other timeless cultures. Europe is about the continuous celebration of identity within a larger, wider, identity that is not shackled by undue importance given to the origins of each European but rather concentrates on the creation of a common future that ensures a dignified life for all.

So if you are for a dignified life for all, if you are for Social Justice, Democracy, and Rule of Law, if you are for a Safe and Sustainable environment and for  sound Social economy  , if you are indeed for basic  Human Rights for ALL humans, this Saturday go and cast your YES for Europe by choosing the six people that  best represent your dream.

Do not abstain. It’s a priceless opportunity.