My Scottish Referendum article appeared in today's edition of the Cumberland Times-News. Today I shall proudly wear my tartan kilt to my college classes. To read my article, you can click on the link below or download the print version below. Cheers!
0 Comments
The day we have long since feared has arrived! Tomorrow, Scotland's future will be determined! Tomorrow, September 18th, the people of Scotland will vote in a national referendum, to whether or not they shall break away from the rest of the United Kingdom and become an independent country. I am one of the thousands of people who are supporting the “NO” vote for independence, here are some of the reasons why Scotland should not become an independent country: First, if Scotland were to break away, this would mean that national stability in Britain could slip. Foreign enemies (such as ISIS or Al Qaeda) could see this as a weakness in the country and this could become a prime target for terrorism. If they stayed, they would remain part of one of the top members of defense alliances in the world, such as NATO and the UN. Second, Scotland means a lot to the economic stability of the United Kingdom. By this I mean all of the natural and man-made resources found in Scotland. Scotland's industry is built upon coal mining, ship building, and not to mention the Whisky Industry. The country is also big in the petroleum industry with the extraction of North Sea Oil. There is also a lot of buzz about what Scotland's Plan B will be if they cannot use the Pound as their currency. Alex Salmond, the First Minister has been questioned and questioned and will not explain. He keeps referring to page 110 of the publication "Scotland's Future", which is the guide to what will happen if there is a "Yes" vote. He says there are 4 plans. I have read page 110 and it lists them only, and does not describe them. He is pushing for a currency union with the UK to share the pound. Whether it would work or not is too large of a risk for Scotland to make. Third, we(England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland) have dedicated over 300 years to this glorious Union and it would be horribly demeaning and cruel to end it now. Yes, in the past 700 years there have been tensions, but through it all they have had Scotland's back in good and bad times. Others will disagree with this, but most people believe that Scotland was meant to be a part of this union, and that goes for Wales and Northern Ireland as well. The whole point is to show that the people of British Isles have a deep sense of communal relations and feelings that cannot be broken up no matter what a few people think. British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke at the recent NATO Summit in Wales. When asked about Scotland’s future, he had this to say “I take a very clear, loud message from the rest of the United Kingdom, which is “We want you to stay”. We care passionately about our family of nations. Of course Scotland can make a different choice, the Scottish people are sovereign in this matter. But, they shouldn't be in any doubt that the rest of the United Kingdom passionately wants them to remain a part of our successful family of nations.” He went on to speak about Scotland staying due to its importance to defense of the United Kingdom. He spoke about it being a “dangerous and insecure world”. This is what he said, “I would have thought, one of the strongest arguments that those of us who want to see the United Kingdom stay together can make, is in that dangerous and insecure world, with terrorist threats and other threats, isn’t it better to be a part of a United Kingdom that has a top five defense budget, that has some of the best security and intelligence services anywhere in the world, that is part of every single alliance that really matters in the world in terms of NATO, the G8, the G20, the European Union, a permanent member of the Security Council of the UN? To have all of those networks and abilities to work with allies to keep us safe. Isn’t it better to have those things, than to separate yourselves from them?" There are many other reasons, but I shall let you look into them yourselves. Below is the official site for the referendum. It provides all of the information about it, and what will happen with a "YES" or God permitting a "NO" vote! It also provides all of the details why the Scots are pleading for this vote.
Below that are two of the "No" campaign sites. These are really the two official ones. They provide excellent reasons why Scotland should remain part of the United Kingdom and the plans they intend to put into effect should the Scots lovingly vote "NO". Below that is a link to read the Official Publication called "Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland". It is a guide that maps out Scotland's plans and terms for what will happen if God forbid a "Yes" vote is successful. From the bottom of my heart I pray that this vote is not successful and the life of the United Kingdom shall not come to a forceful end. In honor and awareness of this historic event, I shall be wearing my Blackwatch Kilt and sporran with pride tomorrow as I attend school and walk through Cumberland. I hope that all of my fellow Americans with Scottish descent shall join me in awareness for this day. I shall be back tomorrow or Friday with the results. As always Rule Britannia and we are "BETTER TOGETHER"!!!! It is hard to believe that 30 days from today, Scotland's Future will be decided. Thats right, in 30 days on September 18th, Scotland will vote in its Referendum on whether or not they will break away from the United Kingdom and become an independent country. 2014 is known as the Scottish Homecoming year. First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond is a clever man. He chose to have the Scottish Referendum in the 700th Year Anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. It was in 1314 that King Robert the Bruce led Scotland to a bloody win against the English for Independence. By that act he gave the Scots the hope that by this vote Scotland may gain victory again over England and become independent. I for one hope that the vote is "no" for independence. I think it would be catastrophic for the economy as well as the continuity of the lives of millions who live peacefully. I am sympathetic for those who do want independence, but I think it is just un-logical. For info on the Referendum, click on the picture below for more info, and keep an eye on the countdown clock on my home page. Cheers!
When I saw this list of places, it changed my view on Scotland...well... not by much. I have always had a deep love for Scotland, but this just increased it. Once you see the pictures of this place, you will be awestruck. Click on the image below to go to the article!
As the 20th Commomnwealth Games come to an end in Glasgow, the festivities are just as wonderful as they began. For the medal standings click on the Button below. If you wish to watch the closing ceremony click on the youtube link below. Also, for more info on the games, click on the Official website below. I hope you all enjoyed the Commonwealth Games! Cheers!
Although it was almost a week ago, the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was a sight to see. It showcased Scottish culture and achievements as well as performances by Rod Stewart and many Scottish groups and volunteers. The Queen's Baton relay ended there that night. Last fall from Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty the Queen handed her baton to the first of thousands of bearers before it set off on its historic journey. It traveled over 100,000 miles around the world through all the nations of the commonwealth before ending up in Glasgow, Scotland that night.It was also a landmark night, UNICEF teamed with the Commonwealth Games Federation to help gain supportive donations for children all across the Commonwealth and the world. The motto of the night was "put children first". It all led up to the Parade of Commonwealth Nations and Her Majesty's Baton arriving in the stadium. Her Majesty the Queen was the finale of the night, she read her message which was held within the baton and declared the Glasgow 2014 Games open. Click on the link below to watch the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games!
|