Independence for the intimidated

A guest post by Macart

I don’t think its too out there by this point to hazard a theory that the Westminster political establishment (cross party natch), Better Together (cross party ditto), and their assorted chums in the media (need we add), are counting on you believing that things are scary as hell out there in the big bad world.

We’re supposed to be too cowed by their obvious class, status and intellectual armoury to think about their assessment and either too apathetic or unworthy to risk change. We’re the low esteem, low intelligence voters, by their lights, and hammered on a daily basis with waves of just how pish our chances are of ever making something of ourselves. Their intent is to convince you that you don’t know enough about anything for your vote to have meaning. That the principle of independence and running a country is so complex, expensive and terrifying that the decision for doing so must never, ever be put into the hands of common, ordinary Jock or Jeannie Public.

Oh and that really, no honestly, you’ve never had it so good. I mean its scary stuff this deciding the future malarkey, best leave it to those who know what they’re about ok?

Political figures of great self importance, state sponsored political pundits, captains of industry and commentators, sharks in suits with smiles to match, all fill the airwaves and columns of newsprint with their ideas on just why their vision of the world is way clearer than yours and just way better informed. Government departments and associated think tanks with catchy acronyms roll out Mystic Meg style economic forecasts choked with reams of unchallenged, confusing facts and figures foretelling doom for an independent Scotland. So with all that welly behind it, its got to be just the way it is. Wu’r aw doomed and we live in a crap wee country that cannae tie its own shoelaces without a supervisory adult in attendance. Mind you its easy to go unchallenged when you have most of the media access sewn up tighter than a duck’s bum.

Of course it can be intimidating for most of us. We kind of rely on our politicians and media to both lead us and inform us. We’ve placed people in positions of responsibility in the hopes that those representatives will guide us in the right direction when the big decisions need made. These people we believe to be better educated, better socially placed and more willing to do those jobs we feel we are incapable of handling, basically the running of our country. We literally place our lives and futures in their hands. We trust in their judgement, their experience and the expertise they can call on. So when they speak we should listen, shouldn’t we? But what happens when over decades we see this system break down, when we lose trust in it and them? When what we see happening around us doesn’t jibe with what we are being told to believe? When our own common sense and life experience screams this can’t be right?

You get the drift, the message we’re supposed to swallow is that we’re safer and better together so long as Jock and Jeannie public don’t think about stretching themselves or expanding their horizons. By that I mean looking at where they are societally, politically and economically and wondering where they could be, what they could achieve were all the tools to make the important decisions in their very own hands? Or if the public are allowed to pause long enough in the shit storm for five seconds to think… Wait now, just why are we living in a state of austerity? Who’s been running this effing circus anyhow? Why do we need food banks? Oh and who are you calling subsidy junkie by the way? Awkward questions for the current system to be sure. Then imagine having an idea of your very own about how a country should be run, what it should provide for its people and what it should prioritise? The penny drops.

Insane as it sounds those who support independence fur what could be the best wee country in the world, believe YOU are more than capable and that YOU should be making the decisions on how you are governed and where you should be governed from. The question I would ask you is, do you really need a battery of government experts and a cadre of media barons to tell you what’s what? Or can you, based on your own experience, principles and common sense, make an informed decision without their help?

I refuse to believe we are incapable of making our own minds up here and now. That we are somehow incapable of forming an opinion based on our own circumstances and experiences. I refuse to believe that people are blind to the systemic problems, poverty and need all around them or that they are unwilling to do something about it to put Scotland on the road to becoming that country we all want it to be. I do believe that there are those who have been guilty of deliberately undermining the public confidence in their own ability to make that decision or those changes. Guilty of deliberately sowing fear, uncertainty and doubt amongst their own electorate.

On September 18th we will, for all intents and purposes, be independent. As an electorate we’ll have all of our parliamentary sovereignty in our own hands to do with as we will. We can choose to retain that sovereignty from September 19th onwards or choose continued devolution and the same old, same old system. We CAN have self determination, accountable government, freedom of choice and the chance to take a different path. Or we can choose to continue to let others determine our system of governance for us.

Make YOUR mind up time is just round the corner and one side of this debate believes YOU can make a difference. Your vote, your ideas, your aspirations, your priorities, your future.

Which Scotland do you want?