Im voting yes in the Scottish referendum. I thought I should make my case. As much as Ive always supported the independence movement, at first I had a niggling worry that I had no right to be involved. Im not Scottish and convincing myself I had a Celtic right to be involved never felt like it added up. It soon became apparent, however, that this referendum went beyond nationalism or my own quasi-selfish desires for paving the road to an independent Wales. Its something so much more than that. Ive come to realise over time that the union works self-contradictory as a system that creates more division within Britain. Over the course of centuries, a central power in southern England has been responsible for the deliberate impoverishment of Wales, Scotland and Northern England, among countless other mistreatments. We are forced day in, day out to believe we are all part of a united identity, and it is through instilling this manufactured sense of unity that we are forced to grudgingly accept every wrong that is done to us. This manufactured unity, that we are all part of the same British culture, is essentially giving an impression to the rest of the world that we are all an extension of an archaic Southern England. Not all of us are tea drinking, Downton Abbey toffs as the world believes us to be. We are a diverse cluster of people, each with their own merits, cultures and identities. This shrouding of identity under the powers of Westminister is what has caused us to lose sight of the diversity within Britain. It is only with greater autonomy and the power to be recognised globally that we can begin to appreciate the differences between us. This problem of recognition has been ever-apparent in the referendum debate, with even the most broad-minded pro-independence articles referring only to the effects independence will have on England, as if Wales barely fit into the equation. For me, this is incredibly telling, because for Wales, there hasnt been a more significant moment in our history for decades, if not centuries. I hope with Scottish independence, we might be able to see a fairer Scotland, but also a more united Britain. Ive heard too often the words separation, amputation and divorce during this referendum, but this misses the point entirely. We should be united, not under an oppressive power guised as the union, but as an island that learns to appreciate the diversity between the different countries and cultures within it. Whether or not you think that still makes me selfish for voting, Ill leave it to you.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 15:30:25 +0000
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