Divided Love:Love Divided
'No matter the outcome the country will still be completely divided'.
In the week the Herald ran a headline about ‘carnage’ at polling stations, and with Better Together and the wider media ramping up the scare stories about the consequences of a Yes vote in less than two weeks time, it’s perhaps not surprising that some people think the country is divided (but only ever No voters, funny that).
What we are seeing though is democracy, not division.
Those campaigning for a No vote want people to think this way; they want people who otherwise might be persuaded to vote Yes to fear the consequences of a Yes vote on the 18th. No matter the outcome, however, Scotland is and will remain an inclusive society - I would argue more inclusive post-Yes than it has been for years.
This is because the Yes movement is welcoming and inclusive, with people from all parties and none. The No campaign would love this to be about the SNP, but what they have spectacularly failed to grasp are the vast numbers of people who are committed to the movement but have no party allegiances at all. We are doing this for a better, brighter future. Not to protect our cushy jobs or the chance of £300 a day to sleep in the House of Lords. We understand a Yes vote is just the beginning of the process, that the real effort comes with negotiating independence and writing a constitution, where we need people from all walks of life to contribute.
The No campaign, meanwhile, are happy to feed scare story after scare story to a more than compliant media. If you are in any doubt about this, check out the Scottish Police Federation’s response to the Herald article mentioned above ( http://www.spf.org.uk/2014/09/spf-media-release-independence-referendum/).
Of course there are idiots on both sides of the debate, the important question to ask however is are the idiots part of the campaign or troublemakers looking for an excuse? What we are witnessing on doorsteps, in the streets, on public transport, in workplaces and beyond is a phenomenal level of engagement and participation in a democratic process. How many nations have won their independence peacefully, through entirely democratic means? Not many.
This is history, we are living it - here and now, you and I. Some people would pose the question: which side of history do you want to be on. But to me it’s about more than that. The history books will record this period in Scotland’s history as the biggest, most peaceful independence debate the world has ever seen.
As I was writing this, this article popped up on my news feed, which sums things up perfectly:
‘The Better Together campaign says: “Leave it to the big boys. It’s all too complicated for you lot to understand. Get on with your work. Look after your kids. We know best.” The Yes Scotland campaign says: “Think about how government impacts on your own life. Understand it. Reflect it back. Don’t be intimidated. Get involved. Get your workmates involved. Get your kids involved. We can work out what’s best together.” One campaign says: “Be quiet.” The other campaign says: “Speak.” Is it any wonder that yes has gained converts, while no has not?
Scotland got its referendum because it asked for it. Westminster’s been “asking for it” for a long time. It underestimated the Scots, and it underestimates the rest of the people of Britain too. Everyone in the UK can seize the initiative, as Scotland has. Start thinking about possibilities, instead of accepting stasis. Start seeking conversation, instead of putting up with pontification. Start talking. Start hoping.
Developed and sophisticated democracy can thrive in our four countries, replacing a tired old adversarial system, built for days gone by and resting on its withered laurels. Join Scotland, people of the UK, and liberate yourselves. For that, paradoxically, is the only thing that can keep us together.’ (‘Debate has intoxicated Scotland. People have seen the chance to seize power' - The Guardian http://gu.com/p/4xaht)
