Monday, September 08, 2014

Fundamentalism, doubt and compromise. Voting 'No' and afterwards

This is an edited version of my editorial in this month's Shetland Life magazine, which was published on Friday


I’m a doubting fundamentalist at heart, a binary kind of person. For me, and for preference, there’s right and wrong, black and white, no shades of grey and no compromise. 

Except, of course, when you wonder if you might, just might, be mistaken. 

It’s the way I was brought up and as they say, while you can take the boy out of the gospel hall, you can’t take the gospel hall out of the man. Even, or especially, when they’re members of the Humanist Society of Scotland. Commitment and doubt: the twin engines of progress.

You may have noticed. My editorials in Shetland Life and Spaekalation columns in The Shetland Times have not been noted for their calm objectivity and forgiving even-handedness. Enemies have been made. Former friends erect conversational shutters. Councillors ignore me in coffee queues. Minds, notably my own, have changed. But I should say that for someone who was handing out hellfire and damnation tracts aged seven, and canvassing for God on doorsteps at 11, disagreement, confrontation and even verbal abuse are not unfamiliar. 

This is what I do. This is who I am.

 When it comes to Scottish independence, I’ve made no secret of my allegiance to the ‘No’ cause. And I’ve never doubted that I was right. I believe in democracy, not in artificial borders. I believe that nationalism is, if not always a moral evil, only of any ethical value if a people are being repressed or exploited. The more extreme Yessists may argue exactly that about Scots, but they are, like all nationalists, simply fuelling what is the romantic, emotional,  core of their faith. And it is a faith. A faith that Scotland and Scots are different and better. Than the evil English.

All kinds of pseudo-factual arguments have been hauled in to try and buttress what often seems like kneejerk nationalist bigotry. The soothing myth of ‘Civic Nationalism’. The daft notion that once you’re in Carlisle, people are suddenly nastier and more essentially Tory. There are the economic falsehoods about how Scotland would demand a currency union, that oil will last, cheaply, forever without causing any environmental damage, that you can attract multinationals to Scotland with a low-tax regime and not only will they play nice, but we won’t end up like terribly diminished Ireland.  Believe in me, says the sneering, bullying Alex Salmond. Because I am right. Welcome to a micro-world run by that new fiscal and legal partnership, Salmond, Murdoch and Soutar.

Except Salmond isn’t right. Except a separate Scotland is not going to benefit the poor and the vulnerable, could destroy pensions and our health and social services, and all for the sake of that Braveheartian emotional tug. I don’t want that. I will vote ’No’. I have fought against separatism in every decent, legal, honest, verbal, musical and humorous way I can. I believe that 18 September will see a vote against cheap secessionist theology and for all that is good in the United Kingdom. 

But.

But, what if? What if by some mischance there is a tiny majority for ‘Yes’? Will I argue for a re-run ? Will I shout ‘foul’? Will I gather up my goods, chattels , dogs, bikes and guitars and move to, say, Keswick (officially, nicest place in Britain to live, and just over the barbed wire)? Well, no. I will, in effect, compromise.

This is my home. Shetland, especially Northmavine is my home. Scotland is my home. So I will stay and battle for the values that I hold dear within the communities that I hold dear.  I won’t demand a reunion with Norway. I won’t campaign for  ‘Forvikisation’  of Shetland. I will abide by the vote and get on with things, holding to the fundamentals of what I believe: social justice, removing the causes of poverty, standing up for the rights of the exploited. The glory of bicycles, motorbikes, renewable energy and loud guitars. Vinyl records and free digital downloads. Kayaks and clean seas. Tattie soup and reestit mutton.  And a free, self-governing, people’s republic of Northmavine.

Well, maybe just the tattie soup, then. You can’t be a fundamentalist about everything. Except bannocks. There’s only one correct way to make a bannock.

Fortunately, the Yessists will not, I believe, win the day. But any ‘No’ victory will leave a large number of disappointed, perhaps infuriated ‘Yes’ voters. What will they do? Are they, those fundamentalist believers, prepared to compromise, accept the result, put their misguided vision of the future behind them, and move on within a democratic Britain? 

I doubt it.


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said, Tom. You reflect the views of many. Let's hope we all move on together, whatever the result.

Clive Munro, Lerwick said...

A couple of points, Tom, if I may. Firstly, I've never heard one single person espouse the "daft notion that once you're in Carlisle, people are suddenly nastier and more essentially Tory." That's pure sophistry on your part. Secondly, if "former friends erect conversational shutters" it might be because they're fed up with being depicted as thick racists if they have the temerity to disagree with you on this vexed subject. I don't consider myself thick, or racist, and yet, believe it or not, I'm most likely voting "Yes" on the 18th. Not because I believe Scots are inherently better than anyone else but simply because this referendum is the best chance any of us are ever likely to have to stop at least part of the UK from succumbing to the insidious drift to the political right which is now utterly prevalent among all the mainstream Westminster parties. Including, sadly, your beloved Labour Party who received my vote religiously at general elections from 1974 until the Iraq war when, finally, I saw the light.

Ross Cowan said...

Another excellent piece, Tom. I've taken heart from your articles, and thanks for all the tunes! :-) I still think it will be a No vote, if only just. Cheers, Ross

Andrew SInclair said...

Hi Tom, That's an excellent post and I totally get where you’re coming from. Maybe though, you're not as far away from some of us Yessers as you think?

To me, the 18th of September will be the pinnacle of democracy in the United Kingdom. It's the opportunity to let the people have their say in the most direct of ways. This is good, very good. No guns, no explosions. Plenty of heated and passionate discussions, but no guns or explosions.

If the vote is NO then where does democracy go? Back to a system of FPTP which is less representative of the will of most than the alternative, to a system which those who benefit most from it (FPTP) ensured wouldn't change. To a system where two parties take "turns" at being in control, with little opportunity for change as the inertia in the system acts against this. To a system where it is becoming harder to find real differences between the two parties who take these turns. To a system where how people vote in this country really makes very little difference to the end result.

If the vote is YES then where does democracy go? To a different system. To a system where the proportional element of the system ensures that smaller voices can be heard and represented. To a system which is more democratic, to a system where how people vote in this country actually can make a difference. The first Scottish Parliament was a democratic wonder. A Rainbow Parliament they called it. Labour, Tory, LibDem, SNP - sure, but also Green and SSP were in that Parliament. (There may have been others too).

The only explosion there has been in the whole referendum campaign is the explosion of people getting involved. Even if their involvement is limited to attending a Town Hall meeting, all over Scotland people have been doing this. And that’s marvellous as it revitalises Scotland’s democracy. I spoke of the Rainbow Parliament, what’s happening on the ground today reflects that, in fact it probably takes it beyond the visible spectrum! Farmers for Yes, Women for Indy, The National Collective, English for Independence, Business for Scotland, Generation Yes, Radical Independence Campaign, Italians for Independence, etc. This list could go on and on. There’s way too many “groups” involved in pushing for Yes vote for it ever to be able to be defined as narrow nationalism, civic or otherwise. The YES campaign is possibly the biggest demonstration of people power we’ll see in our lifetimes. Maybe this is the ultimate demonstration of democracy in action?

I’m certain that in the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary elections we’ll see a raft of new parties and people standing for election. Generation YES, RIC and others are sure to put up candidates. And that’s got to be good for democracy. Although it may seem bizarre, the SNP could be the biggest losers in the 2016 elections. They’ll have done their job, their time will have passed. Maybe. This can only happen following a YES vote. Vote NO and I’ll bet on an even stronger SNP come the 2015 and then the 2016 elections.

I truly hope we get a YES on the 18th September as it represents the best hope for democracy in the long run for whole of the UK.

If it’s Yes, then it will be messy, it will be chaotic even. It will take a long time to settle down. Probably years. But it places democracy and power back in the hands of the people who live in Scotland. Future generations will benefit from this.

Through the democratic process of getting to where we are today the curtains have been pulled back on the Wizard of Oz in Westminster and half the population has recoiled in disgust. Together, they’re sure there is a better alternative. This genie is well and truly out of the bottle and isn’t going back in.

I don’t know how a No result will be taken, but I suspect it will strengthen rather than weaken the SNP.

Just some thoughts Tom. I hope you don’t mind the debate. That’s what’s so good about this referendum. That we can talk and exchange points of view.

Andrew Sinclair said...

Hi Tom, That's an excellent post and I totally get where you’re coming from. Maybe though, you're not as far away from some of us Yessers as you think?

To me, the 18th of September will be the pinnacle of democracy in the United Kingdom. It's the opportunity to let the people have their say in the most direct of ways. This is good, very good. No guns, no explosions. Plenty of heated and passionate discussions, but no guns or explosions.

If the vote is NO then where does democracy go? Back to a system of FPTP which is less representative of the will of most than the alternative, to a system which those who benefit most from it (FPTP) ensured wouldn't change. To a system where two parties take "turns" at being in control, with little opportunity for change as the inertia in the system acts against this. To a system where it is becoming harder to find real differences between the two parties who take these turns. To a system where how people vote in this country really makes very little difference to the end result.

If the vote is YES then where does democracy go? To a different system. To a system where the proportional element of the system ensures that smaller voices can be heard and represented. To a system which is more democratic, to a system where how people vote in this country actually can make a difference. The first Scottish Parliament was a democratic wonder. A Rainbow Parliament they called it. Labour, Tory, LibDem, SNP - sure, but also Green and SSP were in that Parliament. (There may have been others too).

The only explosion there has been in the whole referendum campaign is the explosion of people getting involved. Even if their involvement is limited to attending a Town Hall meeting, all over Scotland people have been doing this. And that’s marvellous as it revitalises Scotland’s democracy. I spoke of the Rainbow Parliament, what’s happening on the ground today reflects that, in fact it probably takes it beyond the visible spectrum! Farmers for Yes, Women for Indy, The National Collective, English for Independence, Business for Scotland, Generation Yes, Radical Independence Campaign, Italians for Independence, etc. This list could go on and on. There’s way too many “groups” involved in pushing for Yes vote for it ever to be able to be defined as narrow nationalism, civic or otherwise. The YES campaign is possibly the biggest demonstration of people power we’ll see in our lifetimes. Maybe this is the ultimate demonstration of democracy in action?

I’m certain that in the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary elections we’ll see a raft of new parties and people standing for election. Generation YES, RIC and others are sure to put up candidates. And that’s got to be good for democracy. Although it may seem bizarre, the SNP could be the biggest losers in the 2016 elections. They’ll have done their job, their time will have passed. Maybe. This can only happen following a YES vote. Vote NO and I’ll bet on an even stronger SNP come the 2015 and then the 2016 elections.

I truly hope we get a YES on the 18th September as it represents the best hope for democracy in the long run for whole of the UK. If it’s Yes, then it will be messy, it will be chaotic even. It will take a long time to settle down. Probably years. But it places democracy and power back in the hands of the people who live in Scotland. Future generations will benefit from this.

Through the democratic process of getting to where we are today the curtains have been pulled back on the Wizard of Oz in Westminster and half the population has recoiled in disgust. Together, they’re sure there is a better alternative. This genie is well and truly out of the bottle and isn’t going back in. I don’t know how a No result will be taken, but I suspect it will strengthen rather than weaken the SNP.

Just some thoughts Tom. I hope you don’t mind the debate. That’s what’s so good about this referendum. That we can talk and exchange points of view.

Danny said...

Terrific post.... by Andrew Sinclair.

Tom Morton said...

I respect, Clive, the opinions of intelligent and articulate nationalists, of course I do. But what's hateful about all this is the permission it gives to the numpties, and there are a lot of numpties about, to do things like abuse customers of the Fort because of their English accents. "Get back to England" is the noise a genie makes when it leaves the bottle.

Separatism if a dangerous response to a set of circumstances that are worldwide, not specific to one country. "Team Scotland" blames "Team Westminster", which is code for "blame the English". Scapegoating has always been a feature of nationalism, and Scotland is no exception.

Clive Munro, Lerwick said...

Tom, I'm genuinely glad to hear that you respect the opinions of intelligent and articulate nationalists as, in my opinion, such magnanimity has not always been apparent in your writing on the subject. On a lighter note I was interested to read elsewhere that, like me, you're an Alan Plater fan. There's some common ground for the next time we bump into each other!