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Hi.
As a brief background: I’m Ami; I’m 23; and I’m from the UK - well at least that’s what it’s known as for now. I’m also European; and I’m one of the 16.1 million people who voted to Remain in the EU.
On the twenty-third of June: my stepfather, mum, and younger sister, went to the primary school just down the road from our house in the constituency of Warrington South to cast our votes in the EU Referendum. Now, we argue about a lot in our house: who does the dishwasher, who makes the tea next, that kind of thing. Thankfully, in regards the EU Referendum, we all supported the ‘Stronger In’ campaign so no arguments came from that.
My decision was obvious from the beginning: I was going to vote Remain. All my life I’ve been in the EU. Whether I’d been out of it wouldn’t matter because after 40 years whatever we had before is gone. There’s no going back.
Over the last seven years particularly I’ve learnt that sometimes you’re going need some support. Like so many people I’ve battled stress, and anxiety, and depression, and without my family, my friends, and my teachers I might not have been here today. Whether we like to admit it or not, everyone needs someone or something to support them sometimes.
The U.K. needs the EU more than we ever had before. Because when you go so long without help you start to crumble.
In the last General Election we saw the increase in support for far-right parties like UKIP and when I sat watching those votes come in I was shocked. Surely we couldn’t be that bad that we wanted to step away and isolate ourselves from the rest of the world?
It made me nervous at the time, but that passed eventually. The rise of nationalist parties wasn’t that prominent, was it?
Then we started to spiral further. The Referendum took over our screens, our social media, our newspapers. The worst thing about it was it all centred around one thing: immigration.
In the heat of the days leading up to Thursday 23rd I was sat with my grandparents and my Grandma asked me two questions.
What if you need a council house and some family from the EU gets it because they’ve just arrived?
And
What if you applied for a job and a immigrant from the EU got it instead of you?
I didn’t need to think. That hypothetical family got that council home because they needed it more than me. That hypothetical person got that job because they were better qualified. These human beings are here to live, here to work just like we are. Just like we have - had - the right to do the same in 27 other countries. There is no us and them. There’s a we and we all live together and have the same rights.
On the day that I left from that visit with my grandparents (who both I believe intended to vote Leave) my Gran asked me why I was going to vote remain.
My answer was simple: I don’t want to live in a country where to be British means that we become selfish, that we pretend we don’t need support. This referendum was the biggest election I’ve ever voted in and will have long lasting effects on me until my last breath. I want to live in a country where my kids, and grandkids, will grow up being in a strong union with other countries. Not in a country that seems to be hurtling towards a George Orwell novel.
On the 24th of June, after a restless night, I woke up to the news of Brexit. I woke up to Nigel Farage declaring it was our Independence Day like we haven’t in the past colonised half the world. I felt sick. I got back into bed and cried for the first time in a long time. Because where was our unified future where we could stand together against the threats in this world? Because how could we be proud in a scenario which could lead to Britain encouraging xenophobic and unprecedented hatred and selfishness across not just us, but all the countries in the EU?
No wonder a quick divorce is what the European Union wants just look how the Referendum has divided our country. Look how close these votes really were? 51.9% to 48.1%. Just under one million votes separated us, barely 3% of the voters. (3.2 million people have already signed that petition.) Can we really consider this democratic if just under fifty percent of people are unhappy? Can we consider this democratic if the vote was proportionately skewed where those that would have to deal with the consequences longer would have voted 75% to remain?
The baby boomers, the ones who got free education and golden pensions and could buy a house in their twenties without problem, have had their last hoorah.
They’ve lost our bond. Destroyed it. People are now looking at the UK and going their decision is crystal clear. Let me tell you: it’s not. Our decision is not crystal clear.
Let us try and fix it. Let us try and save our futures. Let us fight to change your mind.
At the end of the day at least I can say I tried to save the mess created by the 52%.
And when we lose Scotland. And when we lose Northern Ireland. And when we’re just a selfish blur isolated from the rest of Europe. Then I’ll admit defeat.
Then I’ll finish fighting and find somewhere at least someone will accept me, in a country that hasn’t decided they’re better off alone, and isolated, and denying that really all they need is help.
Because all you need is a little perspective to realise that you’ve made the wrong decision.
So let’s keep signing that petition that already has 10% percent of the number of people who voted in signatures. Let’s tell government and the EU that we’re not happy. That we’re not GREAT Britain any more. That nearly 50% of us are unhappy.
Let’s not stop fighting.
Let’s keep fighting #Brexit until we can do no more.
#WeAreThe48 #Remain #WeLoveEU #Brexit #Regrexit #KeepBritainIn #DontBreakUsUp
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