Nobody Wants You (so please stay with us!)

The phrase ‘too small, too poor, too stupid’ has been used to describe the principle arguments against Scottish Independence.  I feel that it this is too simple.  There is also ‘[name] is bad and supports independence, thus independence is bad’ (also known as ‘Salmond ate my hamster’), ‘Everyone is so jealous of Britain’ (also known as ‘Empire was a great thing’) and ‘there’s too much uncertainty’ (also known as ‘we don’t want to acknowledge anything positive about independence’).

 

But today we’re going to focus on perhaps the most dishonest and hurtful argument that the ‘no’ campaign has been using in its rainbow of scares so far: nobody wants you.  This is always international in scope and borrows aspects of all of the above.  To explain what I mean, let’s look at some examples.

"You'll be alone and poor and friendless if you vote Yes," cast of Rainbow (probably)

We’re told that NATO doesn’t want us if we’re nuclear free (the way Iceland, Denmark and Norway are).  We know from historical prcedence that this threat has nothing to do with nuclear weapons, so what is the underlying basis for this scare?

 

Well the conclusion we’re supposed to come to is that we aren’t wanted.  NATO won’t treat us fairly because we’re not important enough to deserve fair treatment and can't offer anything of value.  Let’s look at other examples.

 

We’re told that the EU doesn’t want us if we become independent and that membership will be awkward for us.  We know from actual comments (see here, here and here) that this threat has nothing to do with self determination, so what is the underlying basis for this scare?

 

We’re supposed to believe that we aren’t wanted.  The EU won’t treat us fairly because we’re not important enough to deserve fair treatment and can't offer anything of value.  Let’s continue.

I know which vision I prefer

We’re told that we might not be able to use the Pound Sterling following independence.  We know from historical precedence (see here and here) that this threat has nothing to do with what money we use, so what is the underlying basis for this scare? 

 

No-one wants us.  The Bank of England won’t treat us fairly because we’re not important enough to deserve fair treatment and can't offer anything of value.

 

The truth is that we do have value, would be warmly welcomed to join the family of nations and that there are very few people who wish us ill.  NATO wants us because of our strategic location, historical alliances and highly regarded personnel.  The EU wants us because many people from EU nations call Scotland home and many European businesses have operations in Scotland.  The Bank of England want us to use the pound because we’re an exporting nation which adds to the value to the currency.

The only people who talk us down are those who stand to lose their positions of unmerited privilege, and those in the ‘no’ campaign who claim that every little thing is a problem, and that others will put up obstacles against us.  We’re supposed to accept what we have instead of reaching for what we want.

 

I believe that Scotland can be a better place, and that leaving power at Westminster will bring nothing good, even if they claim to be the only ones who want us.

Drew

 

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