It was only in recent times and after having read Alf’s book, Doun Hauden, a couple of times that I came to the conclusion that my early life had been manipulated by the results of colonialism and acceptance of a foreign culture.
With both parents working and me spending the vast majority of time until age 11 in hospitals and therefore outwith school, I was not subjected to the colonial education that other children my age received – at least nowhere near as much as them. I could not understand why other children that I knew could slip so easily into the accepted educational English and ditch their own language which was frequently referenced as being ‘Bad English’.
It was just prior to the ’11 Plus’ exam before I began to attend school on a more regular basis. Almost immediately I was off to secondary school and that was a real ‘culture shock’ because nobody (teachers or pupils) spoke my ‘Bad English’. Needless to say, I found making friends somewhat difficult and I soon realised that if I did not conform to what was acceptable, I would be unable to achieve much in the way of qualifications. So, I sent a lot of time in my early teens watching and listening to others, so that I would become ‘like them’!
Looking back now to that time it makes me smile to think I believed that I was the odd one because I did not think like others or speak like them. I now realise that they also went through the process of assimilation but much sooner than me, It’s so much clearer now that the children from ‘better homes’ of the ‘professional classes’ never had to go through the process because their parents or grandparents had already succumbed to the system. Our aspirations were tailored to become just like them and was a measure of success.
I am now grateful that I have at least some memories of my language – although worn down by another 60 years of colonial propaganda.
Stuart Hall observed that
…one of the principal values of the term ‘postcolonial’ has been to direct our attention to the many ways in which colonisation was never simply external to the societies of the imperial metropolis. It was always inscribed deeply within them – as it became indelibly inscribed in the culture of the colonised
There is no arguing with that: we live with the consequences almost as a fish lives in water. But we should also direct our attention to what postcolonial means for Scotland. If post-colonial time is the time after colonialism, for Scotland that time has yet to begin – except that the idea that we somehow inhabit a post-colonial society has also been indelibly inscribed in the Scottish psyche. To borrow from Ella Shohat, our situation appears to ‘posit no clear domination and calls for no clear opposition’.
This is the stuff that colonisers dream of.
In Second Hymn to Lenin, the great man writes
…the principal question
Aboot a work o’ art is frae hoo deep
A life it springs – and syne hoo faur
Up frae’t it has the poo’er to leap.
And hoo muckle it lifts up wi’it
Into the sunlicht like a saumon there,
Universal Spring! For Morand’s right –
It s’ud be like licht in the air
As it is for a single work o’ art, so it for oor entire history and culture. The principal question is frae hoo deep a life it springs – and can it be tapped and used to oppose what Memmi calls ‘the mythical portrait of the colonised’ – the powerful and enduring stereotypes and myths that legitimate colonisation, to which Alf refers.
That question remains open.
The colonial masters are currently plotting another game of divide and rule , this time in the North East of Scotland importing Sectarian hatred from Northern Ireland once again. This is nothing new in the central belt of Scotland, however they are planning Orange walks in Stonehaven and Aberdeenshire, which has been relatively free from this nonsense so far. The old game of Catholics against Protestants. The ruling British elite are being to realise their time is running out, they know we have now cottoned on to the infultration of our politics, particularly the SNP, so they are returning to the old colonial rule book of mischief. East against West, North against the South and Protestant against Catholic. Keep the Natives fighting amongst themselves and disunited, while they get away with all our stolen resources, free Electricity, Oil and Gas. Nothing is as it seems in UK.Ok, nothing ever changes under our colonial oppressors. Keith Brown must now be worried,the Nationalist voters are now turning against the SNP he made a statement today that the SNP should withdraw our MPs from Westminster. News for Keith they should have done this in 2015. However better late than never, but never is what I expected from a compromised colonial administration, hot air as usual , the SNP play us all for fools once more .
I’m not sure that I’d take much from the Rochdale by-election and the election of Mr Galloway, maverick extraordinaire. He is a very clever man, a wonderful orator, and I agree with him that the killing of innocents has to stop now. However, Rochdale is a stronghold of the Asian community in England, mainly Muslim, so standing on a ticket about Gaza is a winner. Once Gaza is settled – and it will be – what is he going to offer the people of Rochdale?
Brexit has lost a great deal of ground in England, amongst the working-class communities – primarily because they voted for the end to illegal immigration and powerful controls on legal immigration, which they can see is not happening – but that is why they voted for it, and for better jobs and prospects. It is the working-class communities of England that are feeling the impact of immigration on a scale never seen before. I say this because we do not have a clue up here and the people I spoke to down there are not racists, just realists, and they are losing hope.
They have witnessed their infrastructure – available homes, schools, etc. – becoming overwhelmed, and anger and resentment is building. They want well-paid, long-term jobs down there just as we do up here, but they do not want to see poorly-paid service industry work extended that people cannot live on, with immigrants allowed in to fill the gaps on the cheap. None I spoke to wanted to see legitimate immigration stopped, just regulated properly, and all illegal immigration stopped.
The fundamental problem is that too much of the UK’s wealth is allowed to seep away into off-shore tax havens while wages stagnate and real work is either removed or allowed to run down, as with Grangemouth and all the ancillary businesses attached to it and fed by it. A decision was taken after 1979, when Thatcher came to power, to allow wealth to build up in the hands of the few, with the lie that the ‘trickle-down’ would reach everyone. Everyone knew it was a lie, but some went along with it because they believed that they, personally, would benefit, and, among the middle-class, many did, investing in shares which were then sold on to monopolies, as assets were sacrificed and squandered.
The Thatcherite ideology was such that only the people at the top of the tree would benefit, with those on the lower branches hanging on for dear life. The rich get richer and the UK is dying. All post war social consensus is dead, or, at best, on life support. It was no accident, but deliberate policy to impoverish the many and force them into work which was unsustainable financially. Just as the miners were told that only some of the pits would close, and the Nottinghamshire miners swallowed the lie, all the pits closed, with the Nottinghamshire mines some of the first to close. The political elites always lie and they will always betray those who elected them. Remember the story of the scorpion and the frog. It is in their nature to sit on the backs of the working-class and sting them. Remember, also, that they drive policy in all the mainstream parties, and it is always to suit themselves.
If Scotland wants independence, then persuade the working-class to the effort and make their lives better. Persuade women to the cause and make their lives better. Persuade the youth to the cause and make their lives better. Without these three groups, independence will be impossible to achieve democratically.
Both in his opening remarks, and later, John Brown made reference to ‘self-determination.’
May I offer this, purely for information, my post elsewhere today on social media:
The Declaration of a Sovereign Scot … uses words … but when it is signed it becomes an ACT of self-determination.
It is an ACT of self-determination recognised by and established by international law. It is an ACT of self-determination NOT disputed by the UK!
During the UK Supreme Court hearing this was evidence, and is recorded on behalf of the UK by the UK Advocate General: ‘The Advocate General does NOT dispute that the United Kingdom recognises and respects the right of self-determination in international law.’
At Holyrood last Saturday, and in Glasgow yesterday more acts of self-determination were established as Sovereign Scots signed their personal Declaration, to be added to all those already gathered over the past 3 years. Each will be scanned and copied before the originals are sent to the United Nations in New York for safe-keeping. They will also form part of further contact with 18 UN Member States as this initiative develops further.
Ends …
I had enough of this shit. Either the SNP are complete idiots who do not have a clue on anything, or they are deliberately making themselves completely unelectable to ensure Scotland loses the pro-indy majority at Westminster.
Of those two, the second option is, by far, the most convincing. Actually, to me, the only one convincing.
It is looking like the political fraud Sturgeon might have sold us in 2014 and whatever she might have negotiated in exchange, its delivery seems to hinge on her and her continuity candidate having been able to hold the yes movement on a leash while wasting its energy spinning the momentum wheels in the air, going nowhere, for long enough to ensure labour can rise to power on time to finish it off.
The ridiculously high level of incompetence, incoherence, ineptitude, ignorance, negligence, sheer stupidity and corruption accumulated within the SNP ranks cannot possibly be a random occurrence. It defies the laws of probability. This can only be and deliberate.
The entire political apparatus of the UK has been taking us for fools for the last 9 years. I for one am sick of being kept on a leash and have had enough.
There is only one solution for it: to stop playing this losers’ game. Voting SNP is voting to lose. Voting Green is voting to lose. Voting Labour is voting to lose. Voting tory is voting to lose. Voting libdems is voting to lose.
If you don’t have any real pro-independence party (Alba or ISP) to vote for in your constituency, then don’t waste your precious ballot. Use it to cast your vote for whatever it is that you want. Spoil it by writing in it exactly what you want to vote for and put an X next to it.
If they insist in denying us democracy by refusing to offer the options we really want to vote for, it is only fair we create those options ourselves.
It is time to stop playing this stupid, boring, 9 years’ long, losers game. We have been treated like losers for long enough. Time to change the rules and the board.
“Did Starmer decide it would be better not to fight the seat than to fight and lose against Galloway on the issue of Gaza?”
Of course, an alternative explanation would be that Starmer rather see Mr Galloway win on the issue of Gaza than watching how Starmer’s own Labour candidate won on that issue and get him into trouble with the Zionists and friends of Israel funding and controlling his party.
It seems that, for labour and tories at least, this is no longer the UK, but rather Israel’s vassal state. Israel’s interests appear to take absolute priority in the eyes of Labour and Tories over those of the actual people these idiots are meant to actually represent.
I wonder how long it is going to take for Tories and Labour to determine that all people living in Israel should take part in our own elections. It cannot be that long.
I have to say, Starmer’s maneuver to discredit his party’s own candidate just weeks before the election has an intense deja-vu with the dirty maneuver the political fraud Sturgeon took against Mr Hanvey in 2019. The difference is that Mr Hanvey stood up to the political fraud, contested the seat and won.
Looking at how similar both strategies were, one wonders if in fact it might have been same master strategist dictating over both parties.
What is interesting though is that such drastic and evidently undemocratic tactic, which deliberately either disenfranchises voters or forces them to go for another candidate other than their preferred one, suggests that both, strategist and master, do no longer trust that strategical voting would suffice to obtain the result they want.
The powers that be are becoming so crass and contemptuous towards voters and democracy that they are already normalising the rigging of elections pre-vote – removing the preferred candidate just weeks before the election is, in my view, rigging the election pre-vote. I wonder how long it is going to take for those powers to normalise the rigging after votes have been cast.
The signs of authoritarism in the UK are becoming so clear and evident that they can no longer be missed or ignored.
On the obesity epidemic that started in the 90’s. Yeah that is because in the 80’s they started giving people really bad dietary advice. (This was at the behest of Big Food and the Sugar lobby but that is another story.) Fat was demonized and sugar given a free pass.
Fast forward to today and we have an obesity epidemic and cancer everywhere in younger and younger people.
“Trick and Treat: how ‘healthy eating’ is making us ill” by Barry Groves is worth a read.
“Why we get fat and what to do about it” by Gary Taubes was also illuminating.
It is the diet. That is why is is everywhere.
People are eating unhealthy foods after being told they are healthy foods and vice versa, i.e. not eating healthy foods after being told they are unhealthy. It is a double whammy on their health.
And of course Big Pharma is then there to exploit the mess created by Big Food. How convenient.
It gets a bit boring for a bit, or you just want to disengage your own hate turbo button, then it just pulls you back in. You almost forget what lying bastards the BBC are, or how evil the west is, or how incompetent and corrupt our politicians are.
– BBC : “palestinians were killed”; a load of people were massacred trying to get food, the israelis said there was a “crush” and maybe they got run over, over 100 dead and 700 injured, there was some shooting, but I expect it was over peoples heads to calm the situation. The IDF – AMALEK! – have been doing cold blooded murder for a long time; but sometimes it goes badly for them – an IDF unit got slaughtered in an ambush, drawn in by a recording of childrens voices playing on a mobile phone. The biter bit, alright. NB, talmudically speaking, if you believe a child will grow up to harm a jew, then the moral thing to do, is kill the child.
You can see the bias easily when you swap labels around; I like to talk about a certain event as “the great polish oxygen famine” where “jews were killed” – maybe when they went for a FREE shower courtesy of their generous hosts they all got killed “in a crush” too eager to splash themselves with FREE german water; its free and that saves a shekel, eh?
The BBC making a big hoohah about some dead CIA stooge we are not sure Putin even killed (why? why kill a no-mark when you are riding high after the Carlson interview – 200M views fsake) – mysterious deaths, journos in custody? Gonzalo Lire, Julian Assange, or you want more?
epstein – the pimp for the elite, under high security, manages to hang himself
seth rich – leaked DNC emails
david kelly – refutes blair’s nonsense then kills himself with a tiny cut to the wrists
milosevic – where’s me pills?!
robin cook – ethical foreign policy
john smith – the leader who never was
princess – “my husband intends to kill me, possibly in a car accident” – diana
willie macrae – shot himself and threw the gun away
the spy in the bag – murdered, stuffed in a bag, the murderers disturbed before removal; “suicide via kinky sex game”
now add the countless people who “got sad and took a lot of pills” when they because they became a problem
the woman who accused dubya of rape
the DC madam who said she was not suicidal, who committed suicide
the statistically anomalous deaths, suicides, car crashes which occurred to the eyewitnesses in dealey plaza
“its alright when WE do it!”
– the ANGLO REALITY DISTORTION FIELD strikes again. The BBC is the confabulations of a narcissist-psychopath.
Now, Galloway winning last night! – the humour in this is seeing “toom tabard” stooge-placeman Starmer, not knowing whether to piss or shit; he has been promised PM, and has his jewish pals behind him, but then he has to win the midlands. Well – you can’t serve two masters, so make up your mind.
Galloway, in the past he has talked a good game, but I think he is at least an opportunist and may even work for the spooks – how does he make a good living in the media, that is the first thing they shut down? Galloway’s bizarre position on Scottish Indy tells me all I need – he would support a Palestinian state, which really would be too wee, too poor, but not an indy Scotland; the latter would truly damage the UK state, while the former is never going to happen while Israel has an airforce … supporting fashionable, harmless, causes, eh George?
I don’t believe in multiculturalism in general; never worked anywhere, never will (not in a democracy anyway) – and this is what you get, its not civic nationalism, it is ethno-racial bloc politics in a grim zero sum game. The jews promoted MCLM above all other lobbies, now it bites them in the arse. The UK has enough problems of its own, you don’t need to import every other conflict on earth. The trouble was, while the jews camouflage themselves hence the meme “fellow -white- people”, the other ethnics spot them clearly, and seeing how successful it is, use the same tactics; its hard to be involved in politics these days, to do anything real, over and above dodging the flak from the various accusations – antisemitism, islamophobia, transphobia.
In case anyone missed it last night, and it will not be repeated – Tice was on complaining about intimidation and dodgy practices (the man is a cunt, but he has a point) – and he mentions, right out
POSTAL VOTING
– he says “in 4 years its gone from 14000 to 23000 … COME ON ”
and the low rank beeb journo doesn’t know what to say (or when he has to cut the interview), so lets him rant on.
Indyref 2014 had almost 20% postal votes, the highest ever, and the 2020 US presidential election had 43% “mail in ballots”, the votes counted in centres, in democrat controlled cities.
– don’t piss on me and tell me it’s raining
Ian Brotherhood
Aside from anything else, MUP doesn’t work.
The stereotype about ‘the young team’ being dissuaded by higher prices is nonsense – Buckfast,for example, has always been more expensive than plenty of ‘regular’ wines.
The people who know most about addiction to a whole range of drugs have been ignored in the consultations prior to legislation making its way through the parliament. Just because Alex Salmond was involved in introducing (and very keen on) MUP and no other parliament had yet attempted it, doesn’t make it right.
And the whole topic of ‘addiction’ generally tends to focus on the obvious mind-altering substances, legal or not, that create the most visible problems.
They can raise the MUP to 65p, £1.50, whatever they like but so long as they insist on ignoring the causes of different types of addiction they’ll get nowhere. All they’ll do is raise the cost of living further, which leads to greater poverty, depression, ‘dislocation’ and, wait for it…more addiction.
Mia @ 2:19 pm
Yes, “the Scotch whisky industry” is mostly owned and exploited by interests outside Scotland, much like the rest of Scotland’s considerable assets and resources. The UK legislature and its little local helpers at Holyrood continue the colonial racket.
Only independence can stop the plunder of Scotland in its various forms, such as this current example:
https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2024/03/01/the-freeport-ruse-exposed-2/
George Ferguson @ 5:29 pm
“A theme has developed over the last few years. The SNP will focus their energy on anything but major issues that could lead to an improvement in the lives of Scottish people.”
In postcolonial theory this is referred to as ‘mystification policies’ which make the compromised national party look busy as it takes the movement and the people up a blind alley.
In other words, much as we have seen since 2014, we are in an unfortunate period during decolonization where liberation is intentionally delayed longer than necessary by a compromised national party elite which ‘moves closer to colonialism’.
Hearing Eva Comrie has left ALBA . If this is indeed the case it really will be a mortal blow to that Party .
Eva epitomises all that’s good in Scottish Politics : honesty , compassion for the less-fortunate and fierce unbending commitment to improving the lives of such allied to unshakeable conviction that only Independence can bring about the conditions in which genuine , lasting improvements can be realised .
She stands out like a diamond in the synthetic trash * paste * Scottish & UK Political landscape/landfill .
Whatever has caused her to take such a drastic step must be reflective/confirmation of the growing concerns ” some of us ” have had for a while now about the direction and management of ALBA .
It’s a really sad , disappointing state of affairs after the formation of ALBA seemed to offer a spark of hope amidst the gathering gloom of SNP degeneration .
Robert Hughes @ 10.00
I long ago gave up any great hopes of any political party addressing the needs of the “ordinary” Scots voter.
It’s got to the stage now where the only hope I see of some sanity returning to Holyrood lies in the doable suggestion of one of our most sensible, practical and down to earth regular contributors. That is for individuals to stand for election on a straightforward agreed platform regarding independence. (One would think that would really suit those who feel that utilising the vote as a plebiscite election is the way to go).
Just look at the Rochdale by election to see what one local guy standing as an Independent candidate can achieve. Imagine the result of a number of local lads & lassies standing on a common platform of Independence & no gender woo woo throughout the country.
I see the media was very quick to attack GG – and remind the watcher of his hideous cat outfit and antics.
I really enjoyed that interview with the hapless journalist – well done Georgie Porgy! If all he does in Westminster is to proclaim the need for a Palstinian homeland and demand a ceasefire now , not to mention nicked lands being returned then I think he will have earned his money, particularly if he gets results.
Right now I think both Labour and Conservatives should hang their collective heads in abject shame.
Finally some action against Westminster’s and the SNP governments Freeports, the SNP’s Kate Forbes pushed hard with Michael Gove to implement these so called Green Freeports.
We are in a political and economic union not a territorial one.
https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2024/03/01/salvo-acts-on-freeports/
How bad are freeports, very bad.
https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2024/03/01/the-freeport-ruse-exposed-2/
“No state has a right to exist. Like the British state.”
The British state is not a country there is no UK crown, the UK is a political and economic union between to very different countries.
In Scotland the people are sovereign, in England its the monarchy, they are utterly incompatible and always have been, England had no right to firstly steal our oil and gas and then privatise it, it didn’t, and still doesn’t, and never will belong to them, but they sold the rights to drill for it to the oil and gas giants.
The SNP government are currently doing the exact same with our wind and water resources all without OUR consent.
Mia @ 9:50 am
“I am not sure you can call it “British state” any longer. It is in practice a USA and Israel vassal state.”
History tells us that ‘the only bulwark against cultural imperialism’ is the ancient nations (Edward Said), at least so long as their peoples’ national consciousness (i.e. culture and languages) still exists; in our case that would be Scotland, not the ‘British’ cultural and imperial illusion which seeks to destroy Scottish national consciousness.
Galloway winning – the humour in this is seeing “toom tabard” stooge-placeman Starmer, not knowing whether to piss or shit; he has been promised PM, and has his jewish pals behind him, but then he has to win the midlands. Well – you can’t serve two masters, so make up your mind.
Galloway, in the past he has talked a good game, but I think he is at least an opportunist and may even work for the spooks – how does he make a good living in the media, that is the first thing they shut down? Galloway’s bizarre position on Scottish Indy tells me all I need – he would support a Palestinian state, which really would be too wee, too poor, but not an indy Scotland; the latter would truly damage the UK state, while the former is never going to happen while Israel has an airforce … supporting fashionable, harmless, causes, eh George?
I don’t believe in multiculturalism in general; never worked anywhere, never will (not in a democracy anyway) – and this is what you get, its not civic nationalism, it is ethno-racial bloc politics in a grim zero sum game. The jews promoted MCLM above all other lobbies, now it bites them in the arse. The UK has enough problems of its own, you don’t need to import every other conflict on earth. The trouble was, while the jews camouflage themselves hence the meme “fellow -white- people”, the other ethnics spot them clearly, and seeing how successful it is, use the same tactics; its hard to be involved in politics these days, to do anything real, over and above dodging the flak from the various accusations – antisemitism, islamophobia, transphobia.
In case anyone missed it, and it will not be repeated – Tice was on complaining about intimidation and dodgy practices (the man is a cunt, but he has a point) – and he mentions, right out
POSTAL VOTING
– he says “in 4 years its gone from 14000 to 23000 … COME ON ”
and the low rank beeb journo doesn’t know what to say (or when he has to cut the interview), so lets him rant on.
Indyref 2014 had almost 20% postal votes, the highest ever, and the 2020 US presidential election had 43% “mail in ballots”, the votes counted in centres, in democrat controlled cities.
– don’t piss on me and tell me it’s raining
Very depressing, and deeply frustrating, to hear there are issues within Alba re ‘trans’ issues. I’d like to know exactly what’s going on.
On their website, Alba’s policies on women’s rights are covered fairly extensively, and yet still manage to be less than crystal clear. They do not seem to mention their stance on people who have GRCs or the GRA. They want a Citizens’ Assembly on ‘how best to reform the Gender Recognition process’, which sounds more like avoiding the issue rather than addressing it, while at the same time accepting ‘gender’ as a meaningful idea that we need to engage with as a society.
Maybe if Eva Comrie is no longer an Alba member she might feel inclined to say a bit more about all this.
For Sarah
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INDY1st. A New Movement in Scottish Politics
Barrheadboy
2nd Mar
Empowering Independent Independence: INDY1st. A New Movement in Scottish Politics
In the ever-evolving landscape of Scottish politics, a dedicated group of Scottish Independence supporters has emerged with a bold vision and a clear mission. Frustrated by the perceived limitations of traditional political parties in advancing the cause of independence, they have taken matters into their own hands by establishing an organisation aimed at promoting Independent Independence candidates and campaigns throughout Scotland.
This grassroots movement is driven by a shared belief that the political establishment has failed to adequately represent the aspirations and interests of those who yearn for an independent Scotland. While the Scottish National Party (SNP) has long been seen as the primary standard-bearer for independence, many supporters feel disillusioned by what they perceive as a lack of progress and boldness in advancing the cause.
Enter the new organization,Indy1st. Led by a diverse coalition of activists, strategists, and technologists, Indy1st aims to inject fresh energy and innovation into the independence movement by championing independent candidates who are committed to the cause but not necessarily aligned with any particular political party.
At the heart of the Indy1st approach lies a recognition of the power of technology and grassroots organising. Leveraging social media, data analytics, and community outreach strategies, the organisation intends to identify and support promising independent candidates who may have previously been overlooked by the mainstream political establishment. By harnessing the power of digital tools and platforms, Indy1st seeks to level the playing field and amplify the voices of grassroots activists who are passionate about securing Scotland’s independence.
Crucially, Indy1st mission goes beyond simply advocating for independence; it also aims to promote a more inclusive and participatory form of democracy. By supporting independent candidates who are not bound by the constraints of party politics, the organisation hopes to foster a political culture that prioritises dialogue, collaboration, and consensus-building over partisan division.
In recent years, Scotland has witnessed a surge in grassroots activism and civic engagement, fueled in part by the momentum generated by the 2014 independence referendum. Indy1st seeks to harness this energy and channel it into meaningful political action, offering a platform for ordinary citizens to play a direct role in shaping the future of their country.
Of course, the road ahead will not be without its challenges. Building a viable alternative to the established political parties will require sustained effort, resources, and strategic planning. Moreover, Indy1st will need to navigate the complex landscape of Scottish politics, which is characterised by competing interests, ideological differences and historical grievances.
Nevertheless, the emergence of the Independent Independence Movement represents a significant development in Scotland’s political landscape. By empowering independent candidates and campaigns, the organization offers a promising new avenue for those who believe that Scotland’s future should be determined by its people, free from the constraints of party politics.
As the movement gathers momentum and attracts support from across Scotland, it has the potential to reinvigorate the independence movement and chart a bold new course for Scottish politics. In a time of uncertainty and upheaval, the Independents for Independence Movement stands as a beacon of hope and possibility, reminding us that real change is possible when ordinary citizens come together to pursue a shared vision of a better future.
Indy1st intends to be an active organisation not just a talking shop.Activities they will run include voter registration, street stalls, town hall meetings, canvassing opinions in the street and on the doorstep. Dialogue, inclusion and solidarity with the people not at the people they believe is the key to Independence.
Hatuey @ 2:58 pm
“It was opposition to the Iraq war that propelled that other “party for Scotland’s independence”, the SNP, from fringes of Scottish politics to Government.”
First time I’ve ever heard such a notion, after analysing Scotland’s rights to independence for the past 50 years or so. Scots ain wretched predicament is surely reason enough to seek liberation. Britain’s aye been at war wi somebody or ither these past 300 year, ower 150 conflicts.
Aw doun-hauden fowks hiv tae first dicht oot thair ain mankit colonial slump afore thay can len a haund tae ither naitions.
Liz @ 6:00 pm
“Does this fit in with Colonialist Theory.”
Postcolonial theory tells us that national parties in the colonies tend to model themselves on political parties in the mother country. Hence they focus heavily on organisation and structures and on developing a wide range of policy priorities. This is a mistake in that it diverts the party focus and resources away from the main cause. In addition, policy decisions on this and that can easily split the party and the movement.
This from 2021 on ‘ALBA’s conformity’ strategy may be of interest: https://grousebeater.wordpress.com/2021/11/19/the-case-for-freedom-2/
“ALBA appear to be going about setting up its organisational structure in much the same way as that of traditional political parties. We see created a ‘youth’ wing, a ‘woman’s’ wing, and an ‘ethnic/Asian minorities’ wing. Whilst admittedly this represents an important feature of today’s politics, we should not forget that independence is fundamentally about the liberation of an entire oppressed minority ethnic group and nation – that is, the Scots and Scotland – a people currently constrained within the context of a ruling British state and Anglophone hegemony.
The SNP has previously gone down the route of prioritising, elevating and legislating for the ‘rights’ of numerous minority interest groups, and we see where that has gone – shifting the independence movement in a very long diversion away from the core aim, and arguably resulting in the replacement of that core aim, in addition to often questionable legislation being brought forward to ‘protect’ the interests of minority groups (and lobby groups!).
The next part of ALBA’s development strategy is to contest local government elections. Whilst again this is a normal feature of traditional political parties, the reality is that no matter how many ALBA councillors may be elected this will not secure independence either. Some may say the experience as councillors stands people in good stead to become career politicians, but do we really want or need career politicians to secure independence?
The ALBA strategy and structure therefore appears similar to the development process of any other mainstream political party. However, securing national independence is not about mainstream party politics, nor is it about political ideologies of left or right. Independence is far more important than this, being primarily about the national liberation of an entire people. The quest for independence therefore requires and depends on a different approach to the standard party political strategy or organisational structure.”
@Dan 7:55pm
People in the Highlands were cleared out to make way for sheep. (My wife’s family was cleared out of Broubster. You can still see the ruins of their house) The new Clearances is repeating the process, people are being cleared out now, on the religion of net zero. The fact we are offloading our Carbon emissions hasn’t occurred to them as an issue as we live on the same planet. Read the strategic plan for Radcliffes new plant in Antwerp 25 miles North of Brussels. The cracking process infeed will be Shale Gas from America. Remember when 2 ships carrying US Shale Gas arrived at Grangemouth and Sturgeons and the SNPs response. Not surprising Radcliffe saw an opportunity in muscular Unionism. He benefits by 600 million in guarantees. Eejits to the left and eejits to the right. I am changing my mantra for the SNP from deflection, diversion and disinformation. To depression deprivation and destruction. Ably assisted by the Scottish Greens. We are of course Better Together where we can be pummelled on high from Westminster aided and abetted by SNP MPs.
It niggled me a couple of days ago when the BBC Fiction Factory claimed Gaza “already had twice the casualties” of Yookraine, putting that number at 36k.
I don’t have a definitive number to give you, perhaps we will never know the true extent of losses, but the general perception of casualties I have is far, far greater than 36k, perhaps out and under reported by a factor of 10, (and even more according to some sources).
The “reliable” truth is simply not being reported, and the figures are inordinately difficult to verify, while the Western media just oozes disinformation. In such circumstances, you’d expect a reputable media to report the claims of both sides, and at least make some attempt to verify them, but we do not get that in the West.
But every now and then, a morsel of truth inadvertently slips out that isn’t orchestrated disinformation. I give you the latest testimony featuring Erik Prince, the CEO of Blackwater, the huge US private Military Contractor.
Don’t take my word for it, but listen with your brain engaged, then form your own opinions and conclusions. Just ask yourself whether he’s talking about 36k casualties in a population 33+ million, not to mention the flood of foreign mercenaries also killed in theatre.
The 100 billion dollar price tag is another casual throwaway remark How can you spend a hundred billion dollars and have nothing to show for it except 36k casualties?
My point isn’t primarily about Yookraine or Gaza, but calling out the lying filth at the BBC and their profound aversion to telling you the truth.
* Unfortunate * to see some of the best commentators here getting into arguments with each other . No need to take sides ; they are all correct in their own ways .
Absolutely agree Independence must be the #1 focus & priority of any Party/Group describing itself as ” pro-Scottish Independence ” , kinda axiomatic , no ? It’s self-evidently true that ” we ” have zero ability to effect events ” elsewhere ” ; ‘kin hell , we can’t even effect events in the country we live in .
At the same time – and not in opposition – personally , I want to know what any Party or Group stand for if their asking for my support .
What they will * stand for * ie tolerate , oppose or not oppose . I want to know their worldview , their philosophical underpinnings , how they understand and interpret events – domestic and geopolitical . Whether they stand for or against eg..military adventurism/interventions ; proxy wars ; civilian- massacring atrocities ; unrestrained Corporate greed/exploitation ; restricting the individual freedom to hold/express an opinion on any subject etc .
In short ….whether or not they are just ” more of the same ” . The ” same ” that has turned the ( ever present ) gap between the ” haves ” and the ” have nots ” into a yawning chasm and brought us now to the precipice of world-destroying insanity .
These things matter . What point in Independence if the Earth lies in ruin ?
I want to know that any Party or Group I support are , unequivocally the GOOD GUYS .
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