Sunday 7 September 2014

Farewell to Scotland the Brave.

Two things in the news have caught my eye.

An article on battered wives, where the battery is in the form of words:  and words can break your soul as surely as sticks and stones break bones.  The question on my lips is why does she not leave him? And of course there are too many answers to that question.  The answers may be formulated in terms of love, but this has nothing to do with love, it's about control.  It's about brainwashing.  It's about the constant threat, the tsunami of constant belittling demeaning,destroying words.

An article on Scottish independence, how finally, a majority of Scotland wants to leave the union.  I understand how Scotland feels.  It's a small majority but the momentum is with 'Yes'.  I too have to find a consensus between the various parts of me over when to leave a job or a home or a relationship.  Has this economic and political union called "The United Kingdom", been abusing Scotland psychologically these past four hundred years?  I can't rule it out.  Can you?

Scotland.  We wish you well.  We will always think kindly upon you and we will always love you.

Saturday 6 September 2014

So let's get this show back on the road

I believe that in 11 days from now, the people of Scotland will vote to be an independent country.  I do not for a moment blame them.  What is the point in being part of an economic and political union (the UK) when that union is a member of a larger union (the EU)?  Surely, it is better to be a member of the bigger union directly and cut out the middleman (or middlecountry)?

And what is true of Scotland is also true of London.  We have more in common with Scotland than we do with the rest of England:
  • We believe in Social Justice
  • We believe in equality
  • We are a cosmopolitan, outward looking city.
  • We are a net contributor to the English economy.
  • Financially, we are more closely linked with New York, Frankfurt and Tokyo than we are with the rest of England.
  • Culturally, we are unique - where outside London could you see a band consisting of Djembe, Balalaika and Didgeridoo?
  • We are a successful multicultural society tha has more in common with Rotterdam or Hamburg or New York than we do with the more monocultural parts of England.
  • As people, we have stronger links to other countries than we do to England.
Let us then, begin working for an independent Free City of London.  I believe the days of massively overpopulated countries are over.  London has about seven million people, maybe an eighth of that of the UK as a whole.  That is much easier to manage democratically and make sure that all voices are heard, rather than the frankly Stalinist way England is currently dominated by an entrenched elite, kept in power by a gerrymandered system.

Let us END the power of a moribund elite based on the dead hand of tradition and instead create a new, vibrant, free London.

Who's with me, who's against me?  Can I rely on your vote for President?