Letters : Itchy Feet
Reframing # 2
5th April 2019
“Have you seen any penises yet?”
5th June 2019
Dear Editor,
As ever I’m enjoying the latest iScot magazine, and there seemed to be a bit of a theme going on about IndyRef2, ‘caw canny’ – ‘bide y’r time’.
I was reminded the other day of this saying by John Lennon. “Life happens when you are planning other things”
Last Friday, I went to the bank and cancelled all payments to the SNP including my membership donation, ‘my one-man protest’. On Saturday morning I sat thinking, ‘how did I get here?’
As we grow older we become more philosophical and accept death as just part of living, and in life I have to say I have been blessed with genes from a family that have been survivors into old age, even through times of great hardship in their life, including two world wars. I was mums carer in the last years of her life and unsure of what I was supposed to do at first, and always fretting when mum had a bad day, I would seek advice from her doctor. One day I told her that I was worried about mum, she replied “No need to worry, if she lived to the age she is, then she is a tough old bird”.
Growing up I did not have a care in the world, dad had permanent employment, mum was at home all day to look after her family, and there was always food on the table and boots on our feet. My father had what mum called ‘Itchy feet’ when they were first married and yes I inherited his believe that things might be greener on the other side of the hill, and maybe now would be as good a time as any to find out if that were true.
I have always tended to throw myself into pursuits; once the idea is set in my head I pursue it to the utmost. Motorcycling, sailing, (competing in the Isle of Wight race), Audax riding, long distant pilgrimages (Compostela de Santiago) and I took two years out to cycling around America, just because it was there. Yes, there were times when the going was tough and I thought I might die, but then you learn so much about yourself when fighting for life in the middle of a storm at sea, only for the storm to abate only to find your survival has not only left you a more competent sailor, but a more competent person.
I thought I would miss keeping abreast of all that was going on in politics, what the Yessers were up too, the friends I have made over the years since 2014 when the idea of independence, for the first time in my life looked like a real possibility, but strangely enough I have moved quickly on. I have found myself reading books again, just for pleasure. I went out to the car park the other day and took pleasure in washing my car. As neighbours came out to get into their cars and is our way, they stop for a blether. The job at hand took forever but hey this is good, for we were talking about real people and their real lives, had I been lecturing rather than listening and conversing over the last five years?
I don’t think now that I will ever see an Independent Scotland, the chance was there and I can’t help but wonder, had a full blown campaign has taken place over the last two years, setting out the benefits of independence, would the Scottish media have simply ignored it? Had such a conversation been aired across Scotland as it was in 2014, would the SNP MPs been sidelined, airbrushed out of the proceedings of Brexit at Westminster? Would Scottish Tory MPs (Right Honourable Gentlemen) on the other side of the House be able to cat call across the Commons – “Suicide” – “Go back to Skye” – “F***-Off”? and not even challenged by the Speaker of the House, or the media. Calling the PM “liar” now that will get you into real trouble from the Speaker.
These for me was the final straw, the awakening, that no matter what Westminster throw at us, we would only cry “That’s no fair” and in the end, simply roll over and have our belly tickled. Then again, maybe it is simply my itchy feet that are calling me to see, once more, what is on the other side of the hill.
Yours sincerely
Walter Hamilton. St Andrews
5 Comments
I can’t help but think that this is exactly what Westminster is waiting for, leave it long enough, delay long enough, “now is not the time” enough and eventually those Jocks will tear themselves apart .
They know that a massive movement like YES can be very easily infiltrated (I’m not saying the author is an infiltrator by the way) but they are out there pretending to be on our side, a comment or two to sow the seeds, then back up those who would fall for those comments.
A little more strident calls for action then question why it’s not happening, it’s very easy to do.
Let’s all try to stick together, this is sill very much winnable.
Excellent – these concerns are very real and should not be dismissed.
Me again
I wrote a piece that was published on social media (iScot) setting out why I resigned from the SNP and instantly I became a Troll working to bring down the independence movement, showing the seeds of doubt, just what the Unionist want divisions in the SNP, how sad. I thought I set out my reasons well. I was brought up in a Scotland where mums had a full-time job looking after the family (if they so desired). A time where a government could not without a second thought cast tens of thousands of children, working parents and disabled folk into lifelong grinding poverty. In all my childhood I never once saw a homeless person sleeping outside on the street, (a few drunks maybe). And most families had a roof over their heads because the council built and rented houses, at a “real” affordable rent. OK, the world has changed, as has the world of work. No longer do we need great numbers of unskilled labour so we can not simply absorb thousands into the workplace as we did when most utility companies were state-owned, is that any reason to cast thousands aside? The country is just as rich only the wealth is ill divided, are we not the sixth richest nation in the world? I am still very much a Yesser, come along to the Crossgate Centre Yes hub any Thursday between 10 am and 12.30 pm and you will find me there holding the fort. I to my dying day will always believe, as I have most of my adult life, that Scottish Independence is not only an aspiration but a necessity to give us the chance to start with a clean slate and have a government that works on behalf of the people of Scotland and not working for those that run the government. So like my post, or don’t I am resolute in my believe if we had started a full-blown campaign engaging with the people of Scotland a year even two years ago (when Article 50 was triggered) about the benefits of independence, then I truly believe we would be in a better place than where we are now, following the rules at Westminster and being abused, sidelined, ignored. No, playing Westminster’s game will not get us independence, we have to stand as a nation and fight for it. Let the politicians play their little games; someday the grassroots will rise up and win us our freedom.
How many Yessers know the significance of these three dates? 1603. 1705. 1707. How many Yessers know the role played by ‘The Darien Scheme” in the creation of “The United Kingdom.” How many Yessers know that one of the founders of the Bank Of England was a Scot.
The Yesser mentality is summed up in the following story.
A Scot is drinking in The Doublet, a popular bar in Park Road, Glasgow.. He hears an English voice behind him. He turns and gives the Englishman a “Glasgow kiss” (look it up) which decks the Englishman. From his position on the floor the Englishman asks the Scot “What was that for?” The Scot says “That was for Culloden!” The Englishman says “But . . Cullloden was more than 250 years ago!” The Scot says “Aye! That’s as maybe. But I only heard about it yesterday.”
Yessers are not voting for an Independent Scotland. They’re voting “Yes. I dislike the English.”
So here’s a question for them. When Scotland gains independence, how will The New Nation raise the finance to support the Scottish Army, Navy, Airforce and Security Services? Or will it expect the British Army, the Royal Navy and Royal Airforce to continue to Defend the Realm of Independent Scotland, and MI5 and MI6 to thwart attacks on its wellbeing? Just asking.
PS, No Facebook, Twitter, etc, Regard social networking as an evil. But you can troll me on email if you must.
“Yessers are not voting for an Independent Scotland. They’re voting “Yes. I dislike the English.”
What utter drivel. I am a supporter of Scottish independence. I have no quarrel with the English. I lived in England for some time and made some good friends.
“Yessers” dislike being ruled by another country, the current leaders of which despise Scotland and the Scots, quite openly. (Thatcher , who called us “whingers” and Johnson who thinks we would be better to be exterminated).
I am not “trolling” you Richard, just clarifying a point.