Wednesday 17 September 2014

Hello, Goodbye and Hello

‘Hello’ to everyone within Sign for Scotland and the wider ‘Yes Scotland’ movement. Hello to the Scottish National Party who put forward the independence vote, hello to the Scottish Green party who backed it, hello to Labour, Liberals and Conservatives for Independence who realised that this issue went beyond party politics. Hello, too, to the smaller parties currently outside the Scottish parliament but who offer a wealth of choice to future governments.


The biggest hello goes to those of no political party. Those hardy souls who stood for hours collecting signatures in all kinds of weather for these past two years, who gave whatever funds they could afford towards our noble cause and who never allowed themselves to give up.

 
Most people will not be recognised for their efforts, for they number so many, yet they will have something much more precious. When they are old and grey, they will be able to tell their grandchildren the part they played in winning Scotland’s sovereignty. They’ll say ‘this was when we took responsibility for ourselves and returned to the family of nations’.

It’s an especially poignant moment when I think back on all those people who believed in an independent Scotland and yet couldn’t see this day. Ever since we lost our sovereignty there have been those who have tried to win it back and now we have the chance to make their struggle and sacrifice worthwhile.

 
Amongst all these ‘hellos’ we need to say a few ‘goodbyes’. ‘Goodbye’ to the divisive and poisoned Westminster politics who could never put Scotland first. Goodbye to warmongering, and constant fighting overseas. Goodbye to ‘business as usual’ and the sense of entitlement Scotland’s MPs too often suffered from.  And finally, we say goodbye to helplessness. No more will we be reduced to a faint voice far from the centre of power. We will become the architects of our future. The ultimate power in Scotland above all others will once more be her people, the way it should always have been.

A ‘Yes’ vote means saying another ‘Hello’. This hello is to a move diverse, inclusive politics, a hello that welcomes reform and change and the possibility of a better tomorrow.

 
The referendum on Scottish Independence is only a few days away and this will be my final entry before that historic vote. Soon, we will know if the destiny of Scotland lies with her people or not.  We will know if our efforts to secure a ‘Yes’ vote have been successful or not. We will know if we are a nation or not. Please, it might not seem like there is much more that can be done, but make sure to vote ‘Yes’ and to tell others that you support independence. Make sure that over these last few days that you do one more positive act for the campaign. And after the result comes in, make sure that you are ready for the early days of a better nation.

Let’s say ‘hello, goodbye and hello’, together.
Drew
 
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