You may have read it but that does not make it true. You carry on being proud of being an Englishman because very few have any issue with that contrary to popular myth. This referendum had nothing to do with anti English sentiments, a few Brigadoon style lunatics may have hitched their star to the Yes campaign, but equally there are right wing nutters who are staunchly anti Scottish nationalism.
Dev, I don't see Scotland as a separate country. It's a northern branch of the UK with its own pecularities and foibles like Lancashire, Yorkshire, Birmingham, the North East etc. I love Scotland for its football heritage, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Billy Connolly, SAF (of course), Andy Goram (Anglo-Scot) - I didn't understand the "us and them" mentality of many of the yes campaign
I've got to say that sounds nightmarish. Our upper crust gets harder and more consolidated, but we're still a long way from that. The real top rung of US society are movie stars, athletes and maybe a fashionable billionaire or president or three--who, except perhaps for the last, didn't go to Harvard, Yale or Princeton. The one thing totally dominated by an elite university is the CIA, always a Yale enclave. Needless to say, as utterly f**ed as our country is, as totally dominated by t**ts as it may be, nothing I can think of quite matches the CIA, an organization which manages to do unbelievable amounts of damage to the country, promote the destruction of the Bill of Rights, disgrace all Americans by advocating torture and f** up everything they do. At one point they were funding an illegal war in Laos through ferrying heroin into the US, that is, getting poor people in Asia killed by getting poor people here hooked on drugs. Fascinating. I'm not sure any kids in the US communicate effectively with adults. I'm not sure any adults in the US communicate effectively with adults. I'm not sure there are any adults in the US.
RWAEB, U.S society is, by and large, more egalitarian, although there are still elements of a class system. Nonetheless, the average Joe can elevate himself to high society through hard work and education. Over here, much depends on birthright. We seem to be regressing to Victorian times. Our Government ensures that the elite remain the elite and social elevation is nigh on impossible. The Eton elite wear top hats and tails and speak in clipped tones - just as they did 150 years ago. British imperialism lives on within our own boundaries, although the rest of the world doesn't suffer as it once did. You were the first to get out all those years ago - credit to you.
That is the big negative of the UK versus the US. I still think we have more severe problems, though I suppose the grass is always less filled with dogs**t on the other side of the fence. Being a US citizen is like being in a gigantic, powerful spaceship piloted by Daffy Duck. The insane and the idiotic vie for supremacy in the American national psyche. We're kinda friendly and good-natured, though.
I see it in terms of punk rock. The Sex Pistols were f**k you. The Ramones were f**k you with melodies. Britain sees the negatives. The U.S sees the negatives, but doesn't overlook the positives.
Local news reporting trouble in Glasgow (surprise) but appears to be some minor fights between both sections. http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobil...pporters-in-glasgows-george-square.1411150997
Dev, the Corries composed Scotland's national anthem in the 1970's with references to Edward the first in it. I saw slogans stating "From 1314 to 2014." Yes, you are still obsessed with the past celebrating amongst others "Culloden Day." Yes, I saw Stephen Hendry standing sadly next to a statue of Robert The Bruce. There's a memorial at Glenfinnan where Flora cast off the wee boatie which took Charlie over the sea to Skye. Yes, a lot of Scots are obsessed with England and the English. "If Cain had been Scots God would have changed his doom. Not forced him wander but kept him home." The worst thing one can do to a Scot is to stop him traveling and especially to England where you love to come. Must go, catch you later.
The trouble in George Square and around the city centre isn't surprising unfortunately. Nazi salutes and unionists burning Scotland flags is outrageous and a real shame.
The lower turnouts win for YES probably because the over 65's did not turn out. The demographics show that people below 65 voted in majority for YES. The over 65's who make up 30% of Scotland's population voted 70 to 30 for No. The over 65's won this for No. This is the group who get their information from the TV and MSM with far less use of the internet. We know they were targetted by the Labour party and told they would lose their pensions and the NHS. As time goes by we will highlight the disgusting campaign run by the Establishment. Without this vote by the over 65's YES would have won. It will not be long before many No voters will become aware of what they have done.
You don't understand it because the campaign had nothing to do with Us and Them. You don't see Scotland as a seperate country yet it is.
The silent majority won this vote and these are people who are old enough not to be fooled by false hopes and people singing in the street, but the Yes campaign was always doomed to fail as I stated on the first page of this thread and you can try and put as much spin as you like on the stats, but Scotland wasn't ready for independence. In the future there may be another chance but for now the best result has happened for Scotland and in time you and others will realise this.
As I keep saying, the US is just England gone horribly, horribly wrong. On the other hand... The Clash were **** you with melodies and a reason why they were saying **** you Green Day are...****, we don't have a message, but dye your hair green and buy our merchandise!
Irvine Welsh, who made loads of money in property speculation in London in the 80s and who now lives in Chicago, having moved there from Dublin? Obviously has great insight into living in modern Scotland.
