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tjj wrote:
As Jo Cox's husband said on the news this morning - Jo would have wanted us as a country to look at the things that unite us, not divide us. I think our ancient heritage, whether it be on Orkney or in Cornwall is one of the things that unites us. And should Scotland ever break free of the UK politically we will still be the British Isles. No-one can change that.
And the late Willie McRae would have wanted us in Scotland to vote for Independence and not listen to the lies than bind us to the shabby "Union". 32 years on from Willie McRae's death it is more relevant than ever, especially when British Army boots hit the ground in Syria and Parliament was not recalled. That does not unite us. It is the behaviour of Westminster which divides us and has always divided us. No amount of whimsy about a Clava Cairn is ever gonna fix the splashback from that crock of brown stuff.

I didn't know husband's of former "No Campaign" MP's were sources of wisdom on "Unity and Division" or even on referendums which neither that husband or wife had a vote in, let alone a say in. There are many, many things which divide us in Scotland from those in other countries which are part of the Union. To begin with "we" - whatever that means in the quote above - are not "a country". The inhabitants of the three countries (England, Wales and Scotland) and the six counties of Northern Ireland are equal participants in a Union. The Union was a political and economic maneouvre over three hundred years ago which many feel has run its course in these more enlightened times. "Our" (whatever that means) "ancient heritage" does not unite us. It consists of mostly forgotten stumps of stone, panels of RA or collapsed tombs with no money for consolidation or preservation. It is pathetic to try and imbue such unique and individual monuments with some unifying political 21st Century Liberal agenda. Yuk!
The last two sentences in the quote above show where some of the problem lies. Weird dramatic language ("break free"!) and skewed perceptions of the status of the equal partners in the Union. When Scotland decides to let the "lame duck" (a Thatcher term) of England face the future on its own two feet (maybe leaning on its wee pal Wales and some Ulstermen) then maybe the inhabitants of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and even England will all feel more unified and equal.
Scotland doesn't need to "break free"(if "ever" it "should")... Scotland just needs to vote for Independence and end the charade, or get on with the status quo. It is an issue for Scotland as a whole nation. England doesn't have a say - however much it wants the last word.

Deleted by tjj

I've just re-read The Urban Prehistorian blog about the 'hands across the border' cairn. It is a long read and perhaps I didn't take it all in the first time. Worth reading twice.
I've also re-read your response to what I thought was my fairly innocuous post, certainly not intended to offend. My first reaction which you may or may not have read was defensive to say the least (have since deleted it).
I just want to put on record that I love Scotland and wish a happy outcome in all of this. It is true one of the arguments in the 2014 referendum was that Scotland could lose its EU membership if it became independent of the UK. And now it will lose it anyway if it doesn't become independent and re-negotiate its membership to stay in. I get all that and understand Scotland must become an independent country as the Irish Republic is.
Where your 'Ulstermen' fit in I cannot see as I always thought they had closer ties with Scotland than England. Perhaps a good time for Ireland to pursue their full independence as one Republic - I certainly get that too.