For those not aware, next week we vote on whether the United Kingdom should remain part of the European Union or if it should leave. As of this morning, polls suggested a victory for the leave campaign; that's what had me worried.
The campaign has been a shameful mess, with both sides wailing and gnashing and scaremongering, drowning out those who would try to present the facts. Underneath everything there seems to be a deep-seated distrust of foreigners, whether it's "unelected" European bureaucrats or waves of
Yesterday, there was a ridiculous display as a failed politician -- supporting the leave campaign -- and a grumpy old musician -- representing the remain camp -- had a little naval engagement on the Thames. It was absurd and embarrassing, and seemed the perfect encapsulation of what a shambles the whole referendum has become.
Meanwhile, there's some sort of sporting tournament happening in France, and the good old English fans are chanting about leaving the EU during the matches, and then are smashing up French towns afterwards. Oh, and they're abusing refugee children in the street. Great job, lads.
I'm not one for feeling national pride; in fact I'm a bit distrustful of and uncomfortable around it, and I don't really identify with any country. It's just some dirt you live on, after all. That said, yesterday I did feel national shame.
Then today some wazzock shot and stabbed MP Jo Cox while she was meeting her constituents, shouting "Britain First" as he did it. In the coming days we will discover if the murderer is in fact connected to the subliterate hate group of that name, or if it's just a depressing coincidence. Either way, a woman was killed by stupid, ugly nationalism today.
I woke up this morning worried about my country. I go to bed tonight disgusted by it.
I'm sorry to hear of this Kelvin, really I am. I've often said that outside of New York, the only place I could see myself living for any length of time would be London. An anglophile to some degree it pains me to here of this unseemly and downright hostile display.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time...join the club. I am not surprised, as the American Apple doesn't fall far from the British Tree it seems. Have you checked out our politics, and attitudes lately? Despicable.
As time marches forward, it's sad to think that it is not Star Trek's fantastic technology that seems so unlikely, but its vision of Humanity. Transporters and Warp Drive? Plausible. A United Earth? Hard to believe.
Thank you. Yes, there are clear similarities to how things are going in the US; one would hope that we would see that as a warning and work to avoid it, but instead we're following the same path.
DeleteWow. Sorry to read all that. I don't doubt that the news has given you some hints that we're in a weird...and actually maybe somewhat similar...situation across the pond, as well. You see, there's this fellow by the name of Trump who gets a lot of press these days...
ReplyDelete(Also, I can't tell how tongue-in-cheek you're being when you refer to "some sort of sporting tournament happening in France." I'm thinking there's a good chance I have my news interests misprioritized...!)
I'm not the biggest fan of football, so yes, tongue is well and truly in cheek!
DeleteYeah. Yesterday was a grim day. To top previous ones in UK politics. On top of the hooliganism and Orlando. Poor MP Jo. Never met her but she sounded like a really decent MP. Exact opposite of your average Tory MP like John Redwood.
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