It is not a pre requisite that you need to be a Scottish Nationalist to support Scottish Independence.
Indeed there are a fair number of folks who support Independence without being Nationalists.
There are many who regard themselves an Internationalists, as Socialists, as Republicans, and many who do not regard themselves as anything other than ordinary Citizens.
In the YES Scotland Campaign you have them all. There are the Scottish Greens who do not regard themselves as Nationalists, there is the Scottish Socialists,Trade Unionists,Scottish Labour for Independence, There is the Scottish Republican movement, There is is even a Centre- Right wing organisation. And of course many folks not in any organisation whatsoever, and of course there are the Nationalists too.
What do they all have in common? If they are not all Nationalists, what are they? They are all Rationalists!
The can all see that Scottish Independence makes absolute sense, and they have all rationalised it for themselves from their own individual perspectives. It makes absolute and convincing sense!
It conversely makes very little to no sense at all, to remain chained to the British State, It is detrimental and divisive, and serves the smallest minority at the expense and detriment to the majority.
In effect, It is barely functional in a real and rewarding sense to anyone, but those who leech of the back of the people.
I need say not much more than that, except to direct you to an excellent perspective from an avowed Unionist who has begun to rationalise it all for himself. I recommend you read Kevin McKennas Guardian article.
Spent some time over there yesterday AA. Certainly the pro camp got their usual warm welcome on such threads. One thing was quite noticeable though, a lot of long time supporters of Mr McKenna’s past digs at independence, Alex Salmond and support of either, had turned on him like rattlesnakes. For those who actually follow McKenna you can see that this has been coming for some time. Over the past few months his column has been less critical of independence in general and actually started asking questions of Scottish politics in general. I think the real change for our Kevin came with the ‘sumthin’ fer nuthin’ society’ speech. I think that speech genuinely set him back on his heels as it would any self respecting human being. It only takes one thing in your world to collapse to give you a whole new perspective on life. I hope this isn’t a false dawn for Mr McKenna, when you take some of his past political work out of the way he can be a good wordsmith. Certainly worth keeping an eye on his contributions over this year.
I actually noticed the beginnings of a sea change with him in an article he wrote directly after the SNP conference in Inverness.
So this latest article from him comes as no surprise to me.
It will certainly upset a lot of unionist supporters, because he is putting a mirror up in front of their own faces, and they will not like what it shows.
It is far more effective coming from someone who has been up to now a committed Unionist, rather than from a pro independence supporter like myself, which they would dismiss out of hand without thinking twice about the content.
Agreed. Actually seeing a notable media commentator going through a gradual change in pov will have quite an impact. As I posted over there yesterday, he’s not all the way there yet, but he is on the path at least.
P.S. Don’t knock how effective your contribution actually is. If you touch one other person with anything you write (and you have) then you are making a difference.
Thanks…And Yes…that’s why I write these articles..
There is a phenomenal amount of people still ignorant and being kept blindfolded to the facts. So it’s worth while if only one listens.
When I said it would have an impact…….. sailing past 2,000 comments so far. The locals are restless.