WHAT A DEPRESSING TIME

WHAT A DEPRESSING TIME

I hoped for better than this. I set up this blog to hopefully encourage enlightened debate on matters affecting Scottish and International politics.

I regularly read sensible, well argued comments. Sometimes I don’t agree with them but I recognise they are legitimate views which deserve respect, even if I do not personally agree with them.

I thought it was working, until the last few days.

I know Ukraine is a big topic but I have been very disappointed at the intolerance of some of the contributions. I have not binned them but certainly some deserved it.

I would advise that throwing a tantrum, spitting the dummy out the pram, and saying you are not going to vote for a political party, or person because of one article, it is less than impressive. Far better to explain why you disagree, explain your reasons in a polite and effective way. This is far more damaging to whoever you disagree with. You have made clear you don’t support their view, you have explained why. Chances are if you have done that well then a lot more votes, than just your own, will have been lost.

It costs nothing to be polite, sure sometimes you can’t because the person involved is so ludicrous, factually inaccurate and the biggest fault of them, is so rude and abusive they are devoid of any right to be treated with respect

I had been out of politics since 1999 thanks to all the years I held a diplomatic post as Honorary Consul for the Republic of Estonia in Scotland. Between 1986 and 1998 I was both a National Executive Member of the SNP and was also for a short period the Vice Convener for Administration and Fundraising and was partly responsible for great advances in the then Party Finances. I was variously at times, the SNP Steel spokesperson, Trade and Industry spokesperson and Transport spokesperson. When I retired as the Estonian Consul in 2018 I decided not to rejoin the SNP. 

The reason for this was I was planning to start writing this blog and I wanted the freedom of not being a member of any political party so I could write freely on any topic without being accused of being biased in my commentary.

That position lasted until the Alex Salmond trial which was clearly a plot from the beginning. A vicious and grossly incompetent plot, saved only by Lady Dorian granting immunity to allow the main complainants, those responsible for the most trivial and ridiculous allegations I have ever heard of in my life, identities to stay secret. A plot that still requires protection and the creation of oppressive police and Justice procedures, extensive censorship and redaction. All in case folk get to know the real story.

While I am at it can I kill off the rubbish about me and Alex being bosom buddies. Not so, I opposed much of what Alex was trying to do. I rarely, over many years had any discussion with him. He was never my enemy but neither were we close colleagues. 

So what changed? The plot changed it for me. I was sickened by the careerists in the SNP, only there because Alex Salmond made the breakthrough that created the first two SNP Governments that made all things, for the first time, possible.

Now, if I outside SNP politics could quickly discover who were responsible, how better placed were those inside the Parliament, on the NEC. Yet those people were happy to look the other way. To ignore the injustice. Perhaps they were scared, bullied even, but I am sorry that is no excuse. For us to win Independence we need people of courage and principle. With very few exceptions they were nowhere to be seen.

To bring things up to date I can’t recall speaking with Alex since the last election. I joined Alba because I didn’t know what would happen and I wanted to make sure he had some support. That concern has now passed Alba is well established, numbers are growing so I think this is the ideal time for me to determine to completely retire from Party Politics and let my journalism continue on its original path as beholden to no political Party. I am not resigning from the Alba Party merely not renewing my membership because my days of Party politics is passed. I am of an age and have health issues that stop me being politically active in the traditional sense. I can of course do much to support issues through my writing and that will continue.

This is sensible and good for the Party. I am deeply upset about Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. I support the rights of any Independent Sovereign nation to make their own decisions. If they choose to join NATO then that is their decision and it should be respected. These countries need to secure Article 5 protection. It is crucial for them both in security and economic terms, who would make multi million investments if they are wide open to Putin and Russia just reinvading on his whim? What would you do if you had experienced what they did under oppressive Soviet rule for decades? Would securing your continued Independence not be your absolute priority.

I am not hostile to the USA. I live there for many months of the year and the Americans I know are lovely, generous people. I think their system of Government is corrupted with an election system that involves such incredible amounts of money needed to contest even minor elections e.g. a local council equivalent candidate requiring a million plus as an example. This greatly restricts who can stand for office and probably means many are bought by special interests long before they are elected. 

I think Americans, the ordinary people, see the sense in permitting all these countries to join NATO. I think they also see the sense in all these countries agreeing not to allow nuclear missiles, even the battlefield versions, to be stationed on their territory. I THINK THAT POLICY IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE SOLUTION TO THE PRESENT WAR. 

I intend to argue for it. I have no time for those who argue that Putin had no choice. He is an aggressive monster who at the drop of a hat would be happy to deny millions of people their freedom. He is on record as stating he wants a return to pre 1991 Soviet borders. That would enslave all my friends and millions of others in many, many countries. They are having none of it. They will fight to their last drop of blood to make sure it doesn’t happen. When after decades of oppression you finally win freedom you don’t give it up lightly. These people won’t.

I know many people are anti the USA. THAT IS THEIR RIGHT. I can even understand and agree with some of it BUT and it is a HUGE BUT, nothing gets close enough to remove my support and belief that Independent, Sovereign nations have the right to determine their own security and that they should be free from bullying interference from aggressive neighbours when they make those decisions.

Some Alba members are already angry, some have said they won’t vote Alba because of it. I am happy to make my arguments as an individual, so if you disagree recognise I am, and have never been an Alba spokesperson.

My views,as they are, are entirely mine. I speak for nobody but myself and I stand by the values of freedom and Independence. I hope many others will do the same and not be scared or intimidated to do so.

I am, as always

Yours for Scotland

BEAT THE CENSORS

Sadly some sites had given up on being pro Indy sites and have decided to become merely pro SNP sites where any criticism of the Party Leader or opposition to the latest policy extremes, results in censorship being applied. This, in the rather over optimistic belief that this will suppress public discussion on such topics. My regular readers have expertly worked out that by regularly sharing articles on this site defeats that censorship and makes it all rather pointless. I really do appreciate such support and free speech in Scotland is remaining unaffected by their juvenile censorship. Indeed it is has become a symptom of weakness and guilt. Quite encouraging really.

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