"I'm a proud Scot but..."

I've finally figured out what that actually means. When a unionist is about to assault you with some negative mantra about voting Yes prefixed with the statement above - the Unionist's idea of pride is (hopefully) embodied in the tweet below.

A bit convoluted, but I know what I mean... *

It sort of follows on from the last post, which an alarming number of people read (which always makes me think I've made a terrible mistake somewhere.) Its not to do with the difference between governments - much as unionist like to talk about the Land of Milk & Honey we terrible 'nats' think we'll get with a Yes vote. We understand governments can be crap, even if we elect them ourselves and that things don't always go to plan. It would be disingenuous for anybody to say Westminster or London could not organise something but Holyrood or Glasgow City Council could. During the Olympics G4S security was a mess but at the Commonwealth Games transport from out-of-town car parks has been rubbish.

Its the actual campaigns I mean. The Yes Campaign looks to things like the CWG's and says: "Look, we can do this. Scotland has the ability." It talks up the Whisky industry, oil & gas, our food & drink, tourism, bio-medical sciences and much more besides. Holyrood offered to take in the injured from recent disgusting activities in the middle east. Sure, we have issues, what country doesn't but the Yes Campaign derives a measure of pride from the things Scotland does well and tries to tell people about it.

Unionists on the other hand do things the other way round. On our behalf, they spent 6.2 billion smacks building an aircraft carrier that has no planes and another we can't afford to run. We're about to have an unaffordable replacement nuclear deterrent inflicted upon us that isn't fit for purpose. Westminster uses aid as leverage in its trade deals (often arms) around the globe, our soldiers are ill-equipped yet sent into danger on a capitalist's whim. Our government refuses to condemn the actions of another which is bombing innocent women and children out of their homes, schools and hospitals.

Where is the ability in all of that, where are the positives, the things to feel good - dare I say - feel proud about?

The Union has done some good, but its been mostly by accident or because it was forced to. I was having a lighthearted debate on twitter recently about Westminster 'giving' more devolution to Scotland, the valuable gift of suffrage was mentioned:

The notion that the union ever gave anything to anyone willingly is laughable, as with suffrage, that had to be extracted with blood & tears and in some cases; Life itself. I'm not saying anyone will give their life for the ability to tax landfill in Scotland, but the idea we'd be 'given' meaningful powers by Westminster if we vote no is completely risible - the UK MOD wouldn't even let us choose what colour of smoke spewed from the back of a plane, what hope do we have of getting effective powers for Holyrood?

Going back to my rather pithy tweet; aircraft carriers with no planes, a nuclear deterrent that doesn't really deter, foreign policy lacking anything approaching a glimmer of morality, not to mention policies at home with faintly despotic properties 

Yet, when the boats are launched to great pomp, inhumane policies are announced with faux regret and the start of a war that killed millions is commemorated; we're supposed to glow with pride?

Really?

When it comes to the British Government and the Union - especially at this time - what passes for pride often comes across as hubris.



* My Twitter avatar is not me, I've never been that shape - ever. Its Andy Murray, and it'll stay there till he wins another Grand Slam, (or until the weekend when the Men's 10m platform takes place.)