A guest post by Samuel Miller
Been quite the weekend on the news front readers, but we’ll get to that real news in a moment. Also? Briefly on another tangent entirely and very much in the vein of WHO KNEW? Apparently there’s been a government leak which sez a no deal Brexit will be very, very bad. Near Hollywood disaster movie bad in fact. Food shortages, airdrops, carnage and chaos bad. Full-on three bears bad. Daddy bear BAD being the very worst!
There’s also a mummy bear Brexit scenario, which is not quite as bad. Oh, and a baby bear Brexit which has probably only done something unfortunate in the woods near your back door. Mmmmm, not to be a party pooper, but isn’t this pretty much old news?
As for leaking/rehashing? Other than leaking being highly unsanitary, a cynic might suggest it’s also a good way for governments to test the water. As in – (Wavy lines) ‘This outcome is going to be soooo awful, but thenks to our unparalleled negotiating brilliance? We believe we can secure one of the slightly less kettastroaphic outcomes. It’ll only mean penury for the vast majority of the UKs public for several decades, but it could hev bin sooooo much worse. No. No. There’s no need to thenk us…etc’ (Wavy lines back to reality).
Just to be crystal? It never pays to assume that all of the public haven’t been paying attention. Many folk are already well aware that there are three scenarios and that none of them are good. They’re ALL pretty catastrophic outcomes and frankly no amount turd polishing or dumbing down a sales pitch, will alter the fact for those affected.
Now onto that real news.
Turns out there was a bit of a get together in Dumfries for the YES movement on Saturday (stop cheering at the back). Upwards of ten thousand attending decided to let the meeja, politics pundits and politicians, know exactly what they think of their recent commentary and musings on all things indy. I mean, we’ve pretty much heard it all by this point. The YES movement is divided because, growth commission, left politics, right politics, green politics, hates England, Islands will annex themselves, werewolves… reasons in general. Oh, and that people definitely aren’t interested in referendums. No appetite etc, etc. Well? For the second time in recent history, clearly the YES movement begs to differ. Pretty damned impressive I’d say, considering these marches are organised at grassroots level.
That’s not the only thing they beg to differ on though. Some people may wonder at the use or need for these marches. Maybe they consider them twee, a bit fleg wavy, not serious politics or whatever (shrugs). Personally? I disagree with that kind of thinking. I think these marches do more for those who do matter in and to the world of politics. The people themselves. The right to march in protest or support of a thing, without inciting violence, is precious to our vision and practice of democracy.
In this particular instance, outside of the fact that they bring independence minded people together for a much needed morale boost in pretty dark times? They illustrate, unambiguously, that for every negative and hateful misrepresentation that’s been put out there about them and what they stand for, their reality is the polar opposite of the myth created by less savoury media and political elements. These marchers prove beyond doubt that their political engagement can be positive, peaceful and carry impact. A joy and a privilege to be part of. What the people of these towns and cities will see with every peaceful march can’t be unseen and what they hear, can’t be unheard. For a movement that has rarely received fair or equal representation within the UK’s media or body politic?
You can’t buy that kind of positive imagery.
The groups and individuals attending seem to perfectly understand the true meaning of social unity on and beyond these islands and the impact this solidarity can have when on display. Kinda knocks the meeja’s ‘movement divided’ narrative on its sorry wossiname, yes? Also pretty certain that most of the folk attending these marches have no illusions about why they’re marching and what they hope to achieve either.
I think they’re perfectly aware that independence is not an end in itself. It’s the means to an end. It’s the beginning of a Scotland yet to be, with all the possibilities and visions that entails. Clearly, unlike the folk in Meejaworld, it appears many in the YES movement don’t have a problem understanding the meaning of compromise or consensus to achieve a desired outcome. Again. Who knew?
Might be those marchers are fully aware that an independent Scotland has need of all those visions and ideas. That an independent Scotland needs as diverse a society and plurality of progressive political views as we can all summon. An independent Scotland yet to be and it really only needs one thing to make it possible. Your belief in the principle of self determination.
That principle should bind all of us under one banner. Don’t you think? That principle should unify the rich and the poor. The radical and the more conservative (with a small ‘c’). All parties, no parties. All creeds and all points of origin. Seems to me the folk attending these marches have a pretty fair grasp of that concept.
One last thought to be getting on with. The SNP, as the government of the day, may very well be our first government of an independent Scotland. How and ever, in the history we hope to write for ourselves from that day forward? It most certainly won’t be the last.
As I’ve said more than once or twice, the SNP are currently gatekeepers. They can only hold that gate open for so long before a Westminster government, desperate to consolidate its waning power and resource base and seeking to draw yet more constitutional power to itself, actively moves to close the gate and dump the key in the deepest trench in the ocean.
Personally? At this point I’m for kicking that gate off its hinges altogether.
