One of the many faces of the Union – a YouTube comment

I pre-moderate comments on my blog and on my YouTube channel, TAofMoridura. Many are too abusive, foul-mouthed (I’m no angel myself, but favour the asterisk!) or would place me at risk of being sued. But I like to let to odd one through to illustrate one face of the Unionist argument. I am all too well aware that we have faces of the Nationalist argument that are abusive and foul-mouthed, but they usually have a basically logical structure to the abuse.

The one reproduced below came by email intend as a comment on my YouTube video Scotland's independence - Newsnight debate – the Rory Stewart one on Britishness. Unfortunately, I could not get the publish link to YouTube to work – but here it it, with all your original invective and deeply confused logic preserved, david21085.

What can I say? What can anyone say? I would like to find a way of engaging with people who think in this way, because there is a cry of pain in there, but since it is on a no-reply basis, I can’t – and I wouldn’t know where to start.

 

EMAIL RECEIVED TODAY AS YouTube COMMENT

david21085 has made a comment on Scotland's independence - Newsnight debate:

Scottish independence is fucking retarded! Would we have 2 immigration systems, that would be retarded? What would happen to the British dependencies like the falklands? It's not fair on Northern Ireland fighting for almost 100years to remain with the Union then Scotland kicking them in the balls. What about our history, fighting side by side thats enough of a reason for me to stay in the Union. It won't be long till Shetland seeks independence from Scotland...

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The Falklands Islanders can leave the UK whenever they want to–but what about the Scots?

The Daily Politics, Wednesday  the 15th of December.

THERESA VILLIERS, TORY MP

"Our legal rights to the sovereignty of the Falklands is clear, and we've always said we will never give the Falklands back, unless the people in the Falkland Islands wish to make a change to the current arrangement ... The Falkland Islands stay British unless the Falkland islanders want to change that."

ED BALLS, LABOUR MP

"These are British people, who have a right to self-determination ---"

So say the two largest parties in the UK.

But what of Scotland, a country that voluntarily entered into a union with England as the UK - a country with its own ancient, proud, independent history, traditions and culture, its own church, its own legal system, its own Parliament.

What if a substantial proportion of the population of Scotland - a majority in the last opinion poll - want a referendum to determine their wishes?

The answer is a flat, unequivocal NO from all three of the largest UK parties. They are afraid even to ask the question. So billions can be squandered on maintaining a remote, tiny relic of the faded British Empire, but Scotland cannot even seek the opinion of its citizens.

The question must be asked again and again - why does the UK want to hold Scotland? The answers are clear - defence, i.e. nuclear, policy, revenue from oil and Scotch whisky, and finally the fact that if Scotland goes, the pretence of Empire can no longer be sustained.

And of course there is the secret terror that Scotland might well prove to be more economically successful than England, and might continue to display a concern for its poor, its vulnerable, its aged, and for the education of its young people that is increasingly absent in England.

Let Scotland go! You must be nuts - the Union Jack would rot on the flagpole! There would be riots in the streets of London! Members of the Royal Family would be assaulted in public! (aside from Sir Humphrey – Ahem, that has already happened, Minister ...”)

And what would happen to the post of colonial governor, the current Vidkun – the Scottish Secretary?

Why that would pass, unmourned, into the sordid pages of the history of that benighted position.