Scotland on thursday 18th

Mountain · Post by **Mountain** » 15 Sep 2014, 20:32

What do you think will happen???

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 15 Sep 2014, 23:59

I think it will be a high turnout and close call - but we don't know. I have already voted. It's a hugely complex topic.

It is interesting to understand, among all my [Scottish] facebook friends who are proponents of a Yes [and why], and those who are No [and why] and also those who wish it would all have ended weeks ago. The cut and thrust of those who don't want others to "shut up" over the past couple of weeks have been interesting. In totality I'd guess what I've seen is about 70% negative mostly dire mudslinging and 30% positive and thoughtful (which is why you've not been getting many likes facebookers!); but that +ve 30% lies almost exclusively on one camp. That camp has also typically used a lot less swear words.

I could write a lot more on this, but what is perhaps more interesting in this forum is what (if anything) those forum members outside of Scotland think and have been seeing, hearing or reading in their local media.

Jools

originalhandy · Post by **originalhandy** » 16 Sep 2014, 01:55

I think it well be a no vote unfortunately, scare tactics of that side will win.

I'd love it to be a yes, I see a similar vote in Ireland in the next ten to fifteen years.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 16 Sep 2014, 07:40

Somehow I'm happy I don't have to vote, because I'm not Scottisch.

One of the problems is, if one votes for government, and regrets the vote, there will Always be a next chance.

If Scotland will become independent, there will most likely never be a referendum to return to the UK, and they vote no, the next referendum will most likely happen over 20 years from now or later, in a whole different world.

And, to make matters even more complicated, after the referendum much has to be nogotiated. What currency will any independend Scotland use? Will the be member of the EU - or request membership? Nobody nows, but we can expect other cuntries to decide for internal purposes.

Spain has a problem around Barcelona, and if Scotland has problems, the Spanisch problems will decrease. Therefore I expect Spain to veto everywhere they can. But then - can Spain afford to veto? And if not, what would a prevented veto cost?

The independence of Scotland will have effects all over Europe. I hope you vote wisely - for I don't know what is a wise vote

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 16 Sep 2014, 12:05

I tell you another interesting thing. This forum is now over a decade old. In the early days, the admin team used to shudder at political posts because they ended up in flame wars. Now we have social media, a much lighter team and people have (mostly) got a better handle on how to interact with their fellow humans online.

Jools

Post by **Shane** » 16 Sep 2014, 13:59

Jools,
U.S. media is mixed but leans more to independence. I suspect that this has more to do with our own colonial experience with England and the fact that many Americans of Irish and/or Scots-Irish heritage (22% of our population) have been raised to see England's rule of Northern Ireland as an occupation than any analysis of the political, economic, or other important impacts on Scotland.
Note the imagery of The Week (a "centrist" weekly) below. Proud Scottish warriors in rebellion against an English state that is frightened and trying to buy them off with tea and cakes.
-Shane

Post by **Shane** » 18 Sep 2014, 22:25

Best wishes for all our Scottish friends on this important day.
-Shane

Mountain · Post by **Mountain** » 18 Sep 2014, 22:49

Yes! I'm biting my nails for them......

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 19 Sep 2014, 00:03

It has been a day and a half. My abiding memory will be the mass of people going to vote. That, and the two chaps on a bridge over a foggy motorway waving flags as the motorists passed. Some thing about how it came out of the mist was very striking.

Scotland, my Facebook, my family, and my household has been divided by this vote. However, it is a phenomenal display of democracy. My five year old asked me about voting and the two sides were being discussed in the playground. He's 5! So, it's midnight, no ones knows if Scotland will, or will not, be an independent country when the UK wakes up. Sitting in the middle of it is amazing.

I note Mr. Obama is a unionist in his recent missive.

For my part, I think most will accept Scotland will has been irrevocably altered. I am looking forward to getting behind whomever wins.

Jools

NCE12940 · Post by **NCE12940** » 19 Sep 2014, 00:57

The New York Times this evening -
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/world ... -news&_r=0

Narwhal72 · Post by **Narwhal72** » 19 Sep 2014, 02:02

I find the whole concept extremely intriguing.

154 years ago we had a number of states that decided they did not want to be part of the United States any longer and voted to leave.

We all know how that turned out.

While I see little chance of the same thing happening in the UK/Scotland, I find the parallel fascinating.

Andy