Let’s come together right now, oh yeah, in sweet harmony

THE phrase “let’s come together” might appear at first reading an innocent enough one.

Even in a European Union context, one would image it to be acceptable, given that the motto for this year, the EU’s 50th anniversary, is “together”. But it has created outrage, especially among those who read certain British newspapers and listen to certain Polish radio stations.

Even a sizeable cohort of the Brussels based journalists got exercised about the phrase last week, condemning it as a “double entendre” too far.

The problem is that it pops up on the screen of the EU’s YouTube channel at the end of a 44-second clip showing glimpses of what can be assumed to be couples having orgasms.

The film, titled Film Lovers Will Love This!, is one of four made by the EU to promote its funding of the production and delivery of European films. Supporters say the film celebrate European cinematic heritage.

However, the virtual total absence of nudity and the total absence of violence has cut no ice with those proclaiming themselves shocked by the clip.

Some newspapers that regularly feature tasteful pictures of bare breasted lovelies were not impressed and carped on about the waste of taxpayers’ money. The clip cost about €350 to put together. So far, it has notched up almost three million hits from various sources — including a sizeable number thanks to the Daily Mail and some other scandalised British newspapers.

It has elicited a huge response from the public who have left comments — some seeing the promo as porn while others praise it as amusing.

It has been grist to the mill of euro-sceptics of course and much of the criticism is along the lines that the EU has to stoop to this to make itself popular.

So the latest results for the EU on YouTube should present an interesting challenge for this group of film aficionados.

Another clip from the same series, but this time on the subject of “joy” has had over 3.2 million hits. It shows people of all ages singing, dancing and laughing. It appears to be rated the number two most watched clip this month, with over 315,000 views to date.

Even former taoiseach John Bruton is in danger of becoming a star as a film featuring an interview with him as EU Ambassador to the US has scored 1,300 views in three weeks.

EU Environment Commissioner Margot Walstrom’s people, who have the unenviable job of making the EU look more people friendly, are delighted with the response. They plan more forays into second generation IT and are looking at MySpace.

So far their efforts are proving more popular than those of the British government, though it remains to be seen if other governments will try to promote their more personal side.

It would be nice to see Bertie sipping a pint in Drumcondra or John Gormley coming to work on his bicycle.