We won't have civil war. We will just all go to the pub, have a few jars, haggis neeps and tatties washed down with whisky and have a good laugh.
From what, admittedly limited, I have heard, fulfillment of the promises made to keep the Scot's happy could have serious consequences for the nation at large.
Don't be too sure that everything is going to go away peacefully! Apparently there a little recreational rioting afoot in Glasgow tonight!!!
Skipper- No, it's BS. To echo what Phyllo said, there's a full scale riot in George Sq Glasgow tonight between the two sides, and a 17 year old has apparently been stabbed. Alex Salmond is stepping down as FM after the party conference in November.
Good catch, I love that line! Pretty good movie too. No truer words ever spoken. So, the natives are going Ferguson over there already eh? Where is urqh in all this?
It is being reported world wide that there was a riot in Glasgow last night. I have experienced worse trying to get my kids to bed! It was just mindless drunken idiots, most of whom would have been too stupid to put an x on a ballot paper never mind knowing about politics. The vast majority of Scots are accepting the democratic decision and will go forward to attain a better society. Right! Where is thon flag. Am away oot!
It's none of my business really, but I'm glad it turned out the way it did. The UK is stronger economically, culturally, militarily, together than the either nation could ever be separately.
Uk can live no more on it's old colonial laurels. The sun has definitely set on that situation. I salute the Scottish nation for awakening an apathetic public who just moaned about the fat cat bankers and corporations dodging tax never mind Westminster letting them away with it. The fervour shown by all parties was a joy to behold. I have never in my long (ish) life heard so many people in the streets discussing politics and the turnout was marvellous. You never know - the Loch Ness monster may even appear again!
Not knowing an awful lot about it more independence seamed at least sentimintally to me like a good thing but my impression was this effort went way to far on the other hand they it may have achieved the "more independence" part. Getting that big of percentage of the population out to the polls should be a good thing as well. Hopefully it will mean that more people are watching the politicians and holding them accountable at least for a while.
All eyes are on Westminster and there will be hell to pay if they do not keep their promises or try to water them down. The Prime Minister is already finding that some of his party are reneging already. Not a good start!
I am sort of glad that Scotland decided to stay in the UK. The same several years back when Australia decided against becoming a republic and Canada not dissolving during the Quebec succession crisis as well as the break up of Czechoslovakia. It's the historical romantic in me I guess. Is Belgium leaning towards breaking up as well still? I believe that all changes are not always a good thing at this level, except of course if a majority desperately wants it and if bloodshed can be avoided of course. The map people would make a lot of money though. One thing that I was not sure of during the whole thing was Scotland planing to remain in the Commonwealth or go the republic route?
As far as I could ascertain the Independence proposal was to retain the Queen as head of state which is a titular position with no actual power in the governments affairs. The people of Scotland would later decide if they wished to remain in a monarchy. I presume that the same would apply to the Commonwealth. However the House of Lords would not have been part of a independent Scotland.
There is one solid reason to keep the monarch, Ladies and Gentlemen. Her Majesty is the Commanding Presense for the military services. If the people are ever stupid enough to degenerate into civil war again, the army and other services will not split into factionism, trying to take over the country. You see this behaviour in republics of all kinds. Even the U.S. suffered from it, principally between 1861 and '65. The best reason for keeping Her Majeaty in control; it keeps the military and ambitious Generals firmly in their place. God Save Her Majesty ,Queen Elizabeth II Good one, Scotland. Remember, "Braveheart" was a great movie, but TERRIBLE history.
That's not a very good analogy using the US Civil War in this instance. Neither the US Army nor the Navy split up with one side serving the Union and the other side joining the Confederacy. The Confederate Armed forces were created from scratch, with the individual states furnishing battalions, regiments and brigades after being nationalized. Up north, they did the same thing, but those forces augmented the relatively small and dispersed US Army. Sure, many southern born officers resigned their US commissions and returned to their home state to offer their services there, but many stayed north, feeling their loyalty with the Union being stronger. Almost to a man from what I've read, enlisted men and NCOs in the US Army and Navy remained in blue uniforms. There's been just about as much questionable behavior in monarchies as in republics throughout history. Many of these so called "republics" were usually dictatorships or nations with dubious forms of government to begin with that used the republic as a facade. A monarchy might work well and be just fine and dandy with some folks, but not with all. Any organization made up of man is fallible and subject to the whims of people who are driven for whatever reasons to overthrow, rebel, revolt or just plain force a change of government that is not working out like it was supposed to. A king or a queen or an el presidente for that matter who maintains an oppressive and unjust rule through the blind loyalty of the armed forces does not give me one bit of comfort whatsoever. I'd prefer "God Save the Constitution/Magna Carta" over "God Save the King/Queen/President/Generalissimo" any day, but that's just me. And again, I am very happy Scotland was able to determine their future as they saw fit.
Trouble is, the "super democrats" having lost the referendum, won't accept the result. The SNP have reported a rise in their membership since Thursday, there's a BS youtube video "proving " the referendum was "rigged (and the usual retards have started an online petition demanding a revote), and then their glorious leader spouts stuff like this- "Those stupid, deluded but essentially defeated old men – Alex Salmond and Jim Sillars. They pretend to be democrats and talk about the “will of the people”. But when that will doesn’t match their “dream”, they come up with the nightmare option of some form of unilateral declaration of independence. Or UDI as we called it in the days of Ian Smith and Rhodesia. When Alex Salmond said his mawkish farewell I wasn’t one of those who joined in the sentimental claptrap: drivel about how Scotland would miss what the useful idiots in his fan club have described as his huge political brain. What size of political brain does it take to suggest, as Salmond has done, an essentially illegal act such as taking Scotland out of the United Kingdom by simply declaring independence? He told Sky’s Murnaghan there were “a whole range of ways Scotland can improve its position in pursuit of … independence”. But when asked what other routes he was talking about, other than a referendum, he said: “There are a number of political opportunities coming up.” One of these was for Holyrood to get enough powers that would make it “independent in all but name” and then he added, “presumably you declare yourself to be independent”. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11112521/Salmond-should-pack-his-bags-now-and-stop-pretending-to-be-a-democrat.html
Al Gore and the democrats here did the same thing after losing the election to Bush 43 (W) in 2000. Some things never change.
Dear God, they're still at it! A couple of mates of mine have joined this new FB group...people I used to consider quite sensible. Get a load of this: "The Scottish Resistance is a peaceful movement of Activists dedicated to restoring Scotland's Independence from the Brainwashing Power of the Westminster Imperial Masters. All Decent Scots welcome irrespective of Race or Religion we only want good people no racists or bigots" https://www.facebook.com/groups/1483274135290897/ Think someone's been watching Braveheart?
