Well done Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon! Good on you! No, I haven’t changed my voting intentions! I have unashamedly hijacked this news item for my own purposes. I want to protest against the way that the referendum debate has become polarised and personalised. I recently read a comment from someone (not anyone I know) who has lost several friends because of it. If I fell out with everyone who didn’t agree with me about everything I would soon be left without any friends. However ridiculous we find the other side’s arguments, however difficult we find it to understand how anyone could possibly think like that, however misguided we believe them to be, we must recognise that there are people on both sides who genuinely want the best for Scotland. Whatever way the vote goes there are going to be people who consider themselves as patriotic Scots who are going to be bitterly disappointed. Whatever the outcome I hope that the losing side will graciously accept that they have not prevailed, and that the winning side will be able to celebrate without being triumphalist and rubbing it in to humiliate those who have not had the result they wanted. I hope that will happen, but I suspect that it won’t. I have seen so many posts from people on both sides which are personal vindictive attacks that have no bearing on any of the issues. I am concerned about the result, but I am even more concerned that whichever way it goes it will leave us with a bitter, divided nation, filled with hatred and animosity. Surely that cannot be what either side wants. I have no objection to people forcefully stating their opinions. Even some rather unkind humour must be expected, but there is no place for the nastiness and belittling of people who hold another viewpoint, which has become so prevalent. I am certainly not neutral. I initially signed up for Better Together, but dissociated myself because I cannot accept that devolution gives us the best of both worlds. I voted against devolution in 1979 and in 1997, and I still believe that devolution was a big mistake. I have to accept that was the vote of the majority, but I don’t have to like it – nor do I have to slag those who did vote for it. If anyone is still reading this, then I have a challenge for you. You may think it’s a daft idea, or maybe it’s just not your way. That’s fine. However I challenge everyone who knows how they are voting to do what I have done. Post or share something positive about someone on the other side. I’ve done it, and I assure you that for me the Ice Bucket Challenge was far easier. I’m not convinced that it will make any real difference, but I have made a statement. If anyone accepts my challenge I’ll send a bar of chocolate to the friend on each side who gets the most likes by the close of voting.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 07:11:05 +0000
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