The Scottish Independence Referendum has happened, the votes have been counted and the outcome led to a 55% majority vote of the electorate voting ‘No’. But is it really over?
I think we had all, well 55% of us, initially hoped that on Friday 19th September 2014 we could wake up, see a ‘No’ vote on the television and all over the news and that we could take a sigh of relief – we saved the union, that’s it. It’s done. But for some reason, I don’t think it is, and I don’t think any person that voted No in the referendum really did feel a sigh of relief. Personally, I don’t think we’ll ever be done fighting to save the union. In the same respect, I think this is because the newly established ‘45’ movement will never be done fighting for independence. After all, as Salmond has claimed: ‘the dream shall never die’. The attitude towards independence definitely took an odd turn after the outcome of the vote was officially announced. The campaign tactics had been questionable on both sides of the campaign, with the defacing of property, vile comments on social media of those advocating either side, and even physical violence – quite a few people, myself included, had the idealistic outlook that after the vote, all of this would come to an end – but so far that hasn’t really been the case.
I would like to think that both sides of the campaign could come together, and work together in order to produce the best outcome for Scotland. Politically, this could happen; both sides of the campaign would need to come together to save the country. But on a ground level, I think it may be more difficult in the near future for ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ voters to unite. Unfortunately, due to the divisive nature of any political campaign, it makes it incredibly difficult for people to come together whilst the result is so raw and new.
The 45, a reactionary campaign for those who voted yes, have been seen to be boycotting businesses, organisations and political parties, that came out in support of a No vote accusing them of ‘scaring voters’. It is important to realise that these people do not represent the entire 45% of the electorate that voted for independence. Having looked into the community of ‘We are the 45’, it is clear that it is a separate branch that believes in these extreme measures. The 45 community has come out in support of policy discussion, regulations of comments associated with the movement, and have denounced any sort of threatening behaviour, inciting of riots, and discrimination of any kind towards anyone. Just like the ‘Unionist’ rallies in Glasgow were not representative of ‘No’ voters in any sense. Unfortunately, people jump on bandwagons, if something extreme is mentioned in the media, like the list of companies to boycott, or the violent rallies in Glasgow. It gets escalated, and the media present it to the public as if the entirety of the ‘We are the 45’ movement is based on denouncing the ‘No’ vote, and the ‘No’ voters for ‘betraying’ their country and ruining their ‘one chance’ at freedom, and that all ‘No’ voters hate Scotland and want to burn the Saltire. It is sad because this is not true, and it further divides the people, and the nation.
After the birth of the ‘45%’ movement, it wasn’t long before those who felt passionately about voting ‘No’ created a ‘We are the 55’ movement as a reaction. Initially, I think I was feeling frustrated about the whole ‘45’ community, and my first reaction was to tweet that I was proud to be part of the 55% that voted against independence. But when Facebook groups began to arise, the only page I had any urge to like was ‘We are the 100%’. I liked that it presented a chance for people to come together, and to progress together as a united Scotland rather than a divided one. I think that this is what needs to be happening right now; the people of Scotland need to come together to work towards the necessary change that so many have called out for. So for me, the 100% is what should happen next – it’s what needs to happen next.
And whilst I can sit here on my sofa, drinking orange juice out of the carton, munching on breadsticks and pray that things like this will come to an end in the next few months, and that the dust will settle soon, I can’t be entirely sure that it will. But in the mean time… (the Bobbin, of course.)