Nationalist hysteria

The Yes vote is being carried on a wave of euphoric nationalist hysteria bereft of rational consideration of the consequences of the partition of the United Kingdom.

TV images of large ‘Yes’ political rallies with banners and marching bagpipes are reminiscent of film of the fascist rallies of 1930s Germany.

Salmond’s tactic of generating this hysteria while blaming the social and economic ills of Scotland on the UK government and the Tory party is one successfully employed by fascism throughout history.

I don’t believe that the vast majority of Yes or SNP voters have any fascist beliefs but then neither did the crowds that attended the 1930s rallies in Europe and Britain.

History tells us that it is easy for people with the best of intentions to get swept up and conned by a movement that appears to promise a bright new future but masks something much darker.

Personally, I am deeply suspicious of a leader of a party that has already moved the control of the police from the regions to central government. I find it worrying that without consulting parliament this new police force began patrolling Scottish streets carrying weapons openly.

I get even more worried when I read in the press that Salmond is demanding a £10 billion share of armed forces from the rest of the UK if Scotland votes for independence.

This ‘Scottish share’ of the UK armed forces is reported as consisting of aircraft, ships and the transfer of up to 9,200 regular and Special Forces troops.

It seems that Scotland is pretty much split 50/50 Yes and No. If Scotland becomes a separate country, and the fears of the No campaign are realised, then the social and economic upheaval that will follow will be as bad as anything in our history.

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Each side will then blame the other and Scotland (like the partitioned Ireland) could be in a very dangerous place indeed.

Let’s not forget that democracy and peace we enjoy as part of the UK is a precious and fragile thing and history has shown how easily that can be lost.

Allen Fraser
Meal
Hamnavoe
Burra