Independence in Scotland - what it means to me
I am a woman living in the South of England so how does the Independence vote in Scotland affect me?
Well apart from being a life long Labour Party supporter and having worries that a 'Yes' vote will mean that Labour will never come to power again (in which case I am moving to Scotland...you have been warned) I have been thinking more on this issue.
I could spout off like everyone else does about politics and economics, but I think I have done that to death now. I would like to talk about what Scotland means to me.
To me, Scotland is a beautiful country that I have visited a couple of times and would like to visit more. I have a lot of friends in Scotland that I have made over the internet and then met in real life too. They are wonderful, bright, talented people who I am better for knowing. I don't want there to be a divide between us, I want to feel closer to them. I want to be able to freely travel into Scotland without any restrictions such as using a passport at a border control or having to change my currency. It would be like changing currency to go next door. It already pains me that I have to do that when I go to Ireland (another country close to my heart).
Scotland shares a rich and diverse history with England. We have fought each other and fought with each other, worked together on some of the most brilliant and audacious engineering/construction projects in the world and most importantly lived together and loved each other.
This goes far beyond the 300 years of the Union. This is about thousands of years living together and working together. For the most part, ordinary Scots and English folk had no beef with each other while the nobility were fighting it out. I think that is true today as the politicians fight out this battle for or against independence, the average Scots and English person has nothing against the other.
We have been so lucky to work together and live together and love together for so long. Together we have shaped not only this island that we share but also the world! Without the other we would never have been a global superpower as we once were. We would never have made so many gains in medicine, science and engineering. This is my passion for Scotland, our shared triumphs and history.
I am a history student myself so I am well aware of what both nations have been through from the time of Roman occupation all the way to present day. I am amazed that through it all we have become such a strong union, a union we should be proud of and hold dear. This union has allowed me to meet people I would never have met otherwise. It has allowed me to learn another culture freely and to enjoy the hospitality of another nation.
I love the passion of the Scots, the food, the drink, the history, the people, the weather (yes, even that), the countryside, the glorious cities, the hospitality, the accents. I want to freely enjoy these things forever more.
My dream is to stand united with the Scots and say that I am proud to be in the British Union. To have a sense of pride and a sense that together we can make this island a better place with more co-operation and more opportunities.
Most importantly I want my Scottish friends to stay close, I don't want to feel a divide there.
To any Scots reading, I know this is a contentious issue so I am not going to tell you how to vote in your own referendum. Just know this. Don't listen to the politicians, but we are stronger together.
Well apart from being a life long Labour Party supporter and having worries that a 'Yes' vote will mean that Labour will never come to power again (in which case I am moving to Scotland...you have been warned) I have been thinking more on this issue.
I could spout off like everyone else does about politics and economics, but I think I have done that to death now. I would like to talk about what Scotland means to me.
To me, Scotland is a beautiful country that I have visited a couple of times and would like to visit more. I have a lot of friends in Scotland that I have made over the internet and then met in real life too. They are wonderful, bright, talented people who I am better for knowing. I don't want there to be a divide between us, I want to feel closer to them. I want to be able to freely travel into Scotland without any restrictions such as using a passport at a border control or having to change my currency. It would be like changing currency to go next door. It already pains me that I have to do that when I go to Ireland (another country close to my heart).
Scotland shares a rich and diverse history with England. We have fought each other and fought with each other, worked together on some of the most brilliant and audacious engineering/construction projects in the world and most importantly lived together and loved each other.
This goes far beyond the 300 years of the Union. This is about thousands of years living together and working together. For the most part, ordinary Scots and English folk had no beef with each other while the nobility were fighting it out. I think that is true today as the politicians fight out this battle for or against independence, the average Scots and English person has nothing against the other.
We have been so lucky to work together and live together and love together for so long. Together we have shaped not only this island that we share but also the world! Without the other we would never have been a global superpower as we once were. We would never have made so many gains in medicine, science and engineering. This is my passion for Scotland, our shared triumphs and history.
I am a history student myself so I am well aware of what both nations have been through from the time of Roman occupation all the way to present day. I am amazed that through it all we have become such a strong union, a union we should be proud of and hold dear. This union has allowed me to meet people I would never have met otherwise. It has allowed me to learn another culture freely and to enjoy the hospitality of another nation.
I love the passion of the Scots, the food, the drink, the history, the people, the weather (yes, even that), the countryside, the glorious cities, the hospitality, the accents. I want to freely enjoy these things forever more.
My dream is to stand united with the Scots and say that I am proud to be in the British Union. To have a sense of pride and a sense that together we can make this island a better place with more co-operation and more opportunities.
Most importantly I want my Scottish friends to stay close, I don't want to feel a divide there.
To any Scots reading, I know this is a contentious issue so I am not going to tell you how to vote in your own referendum. Just know this. Don't listen to the politicians, but we are stronger together.
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