Wings Over Scotland

I believe unwanted Tory election leaflets can be returned to this address:

Freepost
Scottish Conservative Central Office
67 Northumberland Street
Edinburgh EH3 6JG

I can imagine Hamish’s thought bubble… “Aye, right!”

A nice wee show of dumb insolence from Hamish there!!! :):):)

You’ve captured domestic godess Ruth perfectly. Reminds me of a Janey Godley sketch about the big soup pot and aw the Sandras.

I think there was a typing error in the title – should read 333.

Thick as mud.

Six months off work, three years as leader and still no policies!

Davidson and her party have no vision for Scotland’s future, are in utter chaos, have no leadership and are firmly back to their old position of being the “nasty party!”

What is Davidson for other than a media created poster girl for unionism!

Do as you’re told! I demand it! A very British attitude. An attitude that less and less in Scotland are listening to. How’s that working for you Ruth? Did you not engage in the National Conversation, Ruth? Or did you only read the Tory Bulletins and Dispatches from Mayhem?

Her armband is missing.

Where’s the sash that mammy wore?

My dislike for Toryism knows no bounds.

As for the butchers apron wish there was a simple law of Scotland stating the Saltire will fly from all buildings with any others adjoining set lower.

Edinnburgh castle comes to mind. The. Military occupation continues.

Puts Joan Crawford in the shade.(Mommie Dearest)

Ha ha, good one Chris.

Meanwhile James Doran SNP MSP tells of the multiple death threats he’s had from unionists. I wonder if STV or the BBC will cover that.

link to thenational.scot

Labour/Tory Customs deal will severely damage Scotland’s economy. We must leave this unequal union as soon as possible.

link to thenational.scot

Hamish is being *allowed* to read, her lot usually prefer burning books

Best wishes to those taking part in the AUOB march in Wales today. The Welsh Dragon is stirring.

Colonial Davidson.

When you hold all the cards, as the Independence movement certainly does, there is no longer any need for circumspection, discretion and politeness.
Turn up THE VOLUME!

Sumbdy report yon afu cruel wummin tae the RSPCC Children Lions 1st.

That’s a right belter, Chris.

Veering a little off topic but BBC have story about Glencoe Massacre that’s quite detailed but forgets to mention, even once, that the massacre was carried out on the order of the British Governmen by British troops. Only says the massacre was carried out by ‘troops’. Bias by omission again!

link to bbc.co.uk

Definition of Democracy: A form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

Ruth Davidson.. self proclaimed “Democrat”, and person elected to office to serve those who elected her.

Definition of a Referendum: A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal.

Now join the dots, and ask yourself what right, calling or authority Davidson thinks she has to arbitrarily ration Scotland’s access to democracy? What a brazen fking liberty. She has such a jaded and crass appreciation for what democracy is, that she should be impeached on the grounds of her stunning lack of self awareness.

Join more dots together… If Davidson and the BritNats are so certain the Constitutional issue was permanently settled in 2014, then why are they too spineless and cowardly to face up to the electorate a second time?

The simple truth is the BritNats operate to different standards from the rest of us. Democracy is only democracy if they get their way. All that matters to them is winning. A corrupt media is fine, so long as it favours them. Dark money and influence is fine, so long as it favours them and buys the influence that suits them. Bigotry and sectarianism is fine, because it favours them and enhances their footprint. Electoral Fraud is fine, because the fines are dwarfed and swept away by the benefits of dubious victory. The whole rotten system is fine, because it’s their rotten system, bought and paid for by their rotten Establishment, fuelled by the deluded BritNat exceptionalism which convinced itself in the 18th Century that the rest of the world should pay for its upkeep and privileges.

Ruth Davidson’s the next First Minister don’t cha know? Must be true. I heard it on the BBC. Don’t know about First Minister, but she’s a shoe-in to be Scotland’s First Pierre Laval.

Wow! Just had a look at Murdo Fraser tweet and replies, need a break now, there is only so much madness I can take. Someone called Historywoman sees to be particularly, how can I put it, challenged.

…but still people vote for her!

a quickie, to raise the eyebrow …

link to theguardian.com

– this is why satire is so difficult. you make an outrageous joke, then someone says it all sincere

Nicola Sturgeon went to London to support the second brexit referendum.
We know SNP have said that there will be another Scottish independence referendum if Scotland is taken out of the EU.

I am of the opinion that if brexit does not go ahead and that is distinctly possible , we can kiss goodbye to another Scottish independence referendum anytime soon.

I believe the SNP will not support another Scottish independence referendum if brexit is cancelled and will say that their mandate to call one was only if brexit took Scotland out of the EU.

I’m a member of SNP and support Nicola sturgeon as leader but I used to think we were heading for another Scottish independence referendum no matter what but that is clearly not the case and is explained by Nicola sturgeon going to London to support the call for a second brexit vote or as they call it a people’s vote.

It struck me as strange at the time that Nicola sturgeon did that knowing that Scotland did not require another brexit vote and knowing that another brexit vote in Scotland would not do anything other than reject brexit again but then it became clear to me that Nicola was attending that London gathering of remainers trying to prevent brexit not for Scotland but for the whole of the UK.

She firmly believes in political protocol and is leading us down the road of trying to persuade Westminster to give more powers to the Scottish parliament in the hope that good governance by holyrood will persuade more and more people to vote SNP, the chances of enough people doing so to make another Scottish independence referendum inevitable in my lifetime are slim.

Who else is there to get behind for Scottish independence ?
Nobody.

Scottish independence in my opinion will only happen in my lifetime if brexit happens.

Re..a recent discussion with and about Craig Murray I say..

Craig Murray in my opinion is very clever, honourable and a real asset to Scotland .
I do not agree with the people who have been rather rude and aggressive towards him in my opinion they do not appear to have much knowledge of his achievements or his political leanings but that kind of behaviour is not uncommon here.

A frootloop who regularly fouls the pages of our disgraced Scottish press.

Scotland has become rather popular among England’s academic and archaeolgical boffins these days, and many of them can be found on most days traipsing around Scotland digging holes and unearthing documents from antiquity with puzzled expressions of bewilderment on their faces as to why so much of Scotland’s history has been erased

Perhaps asking some actual Scottish people instead of making pointless documentaries pretending Scotland’s past has been *lost* in the mists of time and nobody knows why

Ith a mythtery ith a mythtery?

No it’s not Scotland’s scholars and clergy were educated in Maths Latin Greek and many other languages and cultures a very long time before some other countries, and we still are

It’s no mythtery where Scotland’s history’s gone, well much of it anyway

O/T:

Got this on the Record’s on-line version:-

link to dailyrecord.co.uk

Quite hilarious in a kind of threatening way.

It begins with reports of the form of abuse political figures get on-line and it holds up as example Joanne Cherry’s, (taken seriously by police), death threat and goes on about how particularly females are abused on-line.

Here, though, is the hilariously stupid thing about it. It ends up on the theme of curbing those, “Vile Cybernats”.

Can you believe these idiots from the Record?

Are they seriously attempting to have their readers believe it is Scottish independence supporters sending on-line death threats and rape threats to the SNP’s Joanne Cherry?

You couldn’t write that if you tried – but the Record can.

Ahhh, the sun is shining within the Southside Festival

Glasgow

The People are in the sun…

Merlot bottle nummer 2 aye like aye heh!

The Wuden Spoon for mooth

@galamcennalath says: 11 May, 2019 at 1:42 pm:

” … Clearly a bot. Couldn’t possible be a real human. Just an early example of a poorly coded BritBot.”

‘Fraid not, galamcennalath, that, “bot”, is what passes as a highly regarded academic at one of Scotland’s well known universities. Strikes me, though, that there is at least one afu shooglie screw in the cranium of said academic.

Robert Peffers @ 15:08,

(I think it was a joke, RP. I’m sure he knows.)

I think you were actually describing the personality type that has been labeled the “old fashioned personality”.

The Old-Fashioned Personality

Abstract

It is noted that the authoritarian personality theory of Adorno et al. is now seldom referred to in race relations research and that the scale used to operationalize the theory (the Fscale) is a very poor measure of what it purports to measure (right-wing authoritarianism). The Fscale does have many correlates, however, and the work of Pflaum is referred to support the contention that the F scale in fact taps an old-fashioned orientation. A large correlational study by Kline and Cooper is reinterpreted in this light and it is shown that when pejorative assumptions are discarded, the old-fashioned person would appear to have many potentially admirable characteristics. The new understanding of what the F scale measures is also shown to be helpful in making sense of the findings from many other studies.

link to journals.sagepub.com

Indy march in Cardiff, not a single mention can I find on BBC news site???

Best wishes Welsh marchers, may it be the first of many.

#AUOBCymru

Just changed they get a mention “HUNDREDS march in Cardiff” – typical playing the numbers down!!

But a new ‘front’ is opening!!

Chris a very apt representation of a belligerent self absorbed vacuous BULLY , we have all experienced her kind ,

The only ones who are convinced ??????? (are they ) and are trying to con the Scottish public are the presstitutes who are SHAMING their profession , the dribbling sycophantic mutterings of toodle oo the noo after FMQ’S was boak inducing , the whole of the SP were on the steps in the garden hall for a photo op but all toodleoo could say was OH LOOK THERE IS RUTH or was it mummy

Want to understand History Woman and those who perceive political ideology as sacred religion (see (white) British nationalism and the full-English Brexit)?

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN AUTHORITARIANISM AND
FUNDAMENTALISM IN THREE CULTURES:
FACTOR ANALYSIS AND PERSONALITY CORRELATES

ABSTRACT

The goals of the study were to examine whether fundamentalism and authoritarianism could be distinguished by the Big Five factors of personality in American, Romanian and German samples, and to determine whether fundamentalism and authoritarianism could be distinguished by factor analysis in any of the three cultures.

The results in all three cultures indicate that fundamentalism and authoritarianism have virtually identical personality correlates. In all three cultures, the two constructs were indistinguishable via exploratory factor analysis and could only be distinguished via confirmatory factor analysis, although direction-of-wording effects dwarfed the differences between fundamentalism and authoritarianism.

The findings suggest that researchers should view fundamentalism as religious authoritarianism, and should therefore be cautious when making inferences about religiosity from research on fundamentalism.

link to pub.uni-bielefeld.de

Republic of Scotland
Sassenach
et al.

anks to everyone for their best wishes and support.

AUOB Cymru March today on the BBC – More authentic news later …

link to bbc.co.uk

Alistair Darling has come out of his crypt and announced he is not convinced by the SNP currency plans for an independent Scotland. Someone should ask him what he would be convinced by. What would he recommend. Or is Scotland the only country that can’t have its own currency.

Also perhaps ask him about all the broken promises of Better Together. What a brass neck that guy has. A brassneck seems to come as standard for Britnats.

Good to see so many saltires, too.

Thank you, Scotland / Diolch yn fawr, yr Alban.

Funnily enough, Critical Theory was invented as a weapon against cultural authoritarianism, which is another CORE issue. It’s a funny old world. 🙂

RUNNING HEAD: Factor analysis of RWA corrected for acquiescence

A bias-corrected exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of right-wing authoritarianism: Support for a three-factor structure

Abstract

The factor structure of Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) remains a contentious issue. Although designed to measure three underlying attitude clusters, aggression, submission and conventionalism, many items are deliberately double- or triplebarrelled, to capture the covariation of the three clusters in a unidimensional scale.

Additionally, although the scale is balanced, there is an item-direction bias in the clusters; aggression items are pro-trait, and conventionalism items are con-trait. Subscale structure is therefore potentially confounded with acquiescence bias.

Although RWA as a unitary construct has been an effective tool for exploring prejudice, it would be useful in many cases to measure its underlying components directly. Proposed solutions to this problem include creating short-form scales as subsets of the original scale, or modifying items to simplify and un-confound the structure.

We present convergent evidence of an underlying factor structure by considering one-, two- and three-factor solutions to the uncorrected scale and then using an indirect method to correct for acquiescence bias. Before and after correction, factor analysis supported a three-factor solution. Confirmatory factor analyses also support a three-factor solution compared to a one-factor solution.

Key Words: right-wing authoritarianism, factor analysis, social dominance,

link to core.ac.uk

Liberal Democrats, our moral guardians who would point out the mistakes of others over posting some mailshots as evidence of failings of governmental competence have just reinstated David Martin Scott Steele, Baron of Aikwood KT, KBE, PC

This is a man who covered up the peodiphilic activities of others and admitted to it yet the Liberal Democrats feel that because he’s one of them and a *noble* gentleman it’s all good

Lord save us all from the guardianship of Willie Rennie Jo Swinson, Vince Cable and the morals of their chums

Of course we Cybernats are vile if we mention the foul proclivities of Unionists as they (The Unionists) demand immunity from the insulting truths we hurl at them, because apparently it demeans us?

What a Scotland we live in now where the right the just and the truthsayers are berated and attacked as the wrong doers

It’s a Trumpstopian new world

OFF TOPIC

Every time I log onto Wings, I make a point of having a swatch at the Rev’s twitter feed, on which there is always a fair amount of comment on trans-gender issues.

Being a “Baby Boomer,” this sort of stuff does little or nothing for me, can we maybe not agree – if a person has a penis and testicles, “She” is a “He”, regardless of how “She” self-identifies.

If you want to bat for the other side – get rid: simples.

And, I wonder, will trans-gender “women athletes”, who have had the operation, be required to join Caster Seymenya & Co, by having to take testosterone-reducing medication?

@Welsh Sion
From that: “Speaking ahead of the Cardiff event, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said that people were “waking up” to the idea that independence was normal.”

That’s the thing, Wales has a long way to go, but could do it faster than dear old Scotland. Go for it!

@ Robert J Sutherland:

you said “While I’m somewhat sceptical of Angus Robertson’s “sunshine and flowers only” strategy, since you just have to expose and call out BritNat lies and manoevrings to win, @Historywoman does rather prove his point from the other side.

I seriously doubt her OTT public bile has won anyone over to the cause of her sanctified Union. Very much the contrary, in fact.”

This is a very good point and something we all need to have a good think about.

I do think however, that the SNP need to be challenging the MSM far more, and if they did, perhaps the Rev wouldn’t have to fill the vacuum that people like Angus has left.

Ukip Trumpton
link to youtube.com

HYFUD determined to re-write history by ignoring the colonisation of Wales.

Yes!

Wales was just made England’s Lebensraum, I remember the Welsh being unhappy about this in the 60’s/70’s as they tried to highlight this colonisation.

I believe Wales is almost colonised. A bit like Galloway and Scotland North of Glasgow.
It appears that the population of Wales is now 30 per cent English incomers. Perhaps it was those incomers that tipped the balance towards No ?

I was browsing around YouTube getting things like fringe meetings at the recent SNP National Spring Conference and I came across a fringe meeting with Alyn Smith. His speech, as usual was top notch but what really struck me was that this, “Fringe”, meeting was crowded and far better attended than the main meetings of the recent Tory Party conference.

Now just what does that tell you

I put the following question on Twitter last night:

‘Regardless of what age you are, do you feel you will see Scotland becoming independent within your lifetime?’

Right now there have been 2,953 votes cast.

Yes 90%
No 10%

That seems, on the face of it, very encouraging, but some of those who voted ‘No’ have taken the time to explain why. I’ve omitted the names of the tweeters in case they would not like them appearing here, but some will be familiar to Wingers and I’m as sure as I can be that some have commented here in the past.

The reason I’m dong this is because I believe these voices and opinions should be heard, especially here. The argument that expressing any form of negativity somehow empowers the ‘enemy’ is bogus. Whether we like it or not, the great power of social media comes from the ‘social’ element of it, and so the distinctions between discipline, privacy, secrecy and outright paranoia are impossible to draw with any certainty. Commenters who are barred from here – or are made to feel unwelcome – can pop up elsewhere within minutes.

Most of us accept that there are provocateurs, and some folk are just, by nature, gloomy glass-half-empty whinging mood-hoovers. But they are still entitled to have an opinion and – more importantly, perhaps – they also have a vote.

Some of these folk would get short shrift if they posted such comments here. Why should they? We all get down from time to time, we all get jittery and doubtful. That’s allowed, isn’t it? And isn’t one of WOS’s greatest assets the community spirit which has grown over the past seven years? Shouldn’t we be inviting fellow travellers to share their concerns and help them?

Perhaps I’m coming across as hopelessly naive, but that’s my take on it all – I don’t detect any malice or mischief in the following quotes. I hear genuine worry, sometimes very moving, heartfelt concern that the prize is falling away from us.

No. My daughter’ll see it but can’t see our current leadership disentangling themselves from British political party shenanigans in the near future. Any1 who thinks independence’ll be gained by trying 2play the game in London hasn’t been paying attention2 British colonial history

We have joined in the game of monopoly and they have all the top places and all the money already and we are playing by their rules that they change at will. Tough gig.

We’ll gain independence when the people charged with delivering it cease trying to save the country we’re wanting to be independent of .

It really really pains me to say it but NO, i no longer see Indy in my lifetime, recent events have led me to feel this but it is what it is ?

No I don’t. And I’ll tell you why. Despite it all, we have MP’s who aren’t focused on it. Some may argue (bring it on) but the facts are that they are posing around, pissing about & caught up in Brexit & Cybernat name calling.
That’s my view. Something. Radical needs to happen.

I want so much to press yes. I don’t think it will be allowed to happen. Too many external forces with the potential to sabotage a fair and honest referendum. If it doesn’t happen this time then not in my lifetime.

Not with the current wishy washy approach. We have the right leader but the softest message. It needs ramped up.
We are also succumbing to Westminster & Media politics; that style won’t achieve independence.

I said no….but I truly hope we get Indy I just think SNP have gotten too cosy in Westminster

Hopefully now that #peoplesvote have stabbed them in the back theyll finally learn a lesson re cosying up to Westminster. But i doubt it.

I’ll never forget SNP big-wig faces at an interview for an SNP job at WM – puzzled looks when I stated I thought the party’s grassroots via social media was a strength/asset, and PANIC when I said that of course we/they were all working hard so they could leave WM asap!

Looks like when Eck left he took all the courage with him.

Not unless the SNP grow a spine anytime soon.

Tough Q, all hinging on different scenarios turning out.
I being a pessimistic auld git said No, cos i feel playing by UK rules only gets you UK outcome.

No. I have a life expectancy of five years (chronic condition), and the SNP just isn’t showing sufficient sense of urgency to deliver within that timescale.

Feel now, after last weekend, that the heid bummers no longer pursue independence, but rather a form of devo max which I do not believe will ever be available to us. Really feel despondent and disillusioned.

I used to, and I do want it to happen, but I feel its slipping away. I see the way in which many are accused of being x/y/z by elected members of SNP and despair that I’ll ever see it now.

I don’t think we will, sadly. Independence would be incredible but people are gullible and too easily swayed by unionist propaganda, and SNP ain’t aggressive enough in challenging lies. Even if we did somehow get a YES vote, the Westminster establishment would never let it happen

Sadly I think there just too many rule britanna arseholes that will vote no regardless, added to that those who believe all the lies they are being told, hopefully one day and I’m here to see it, but I think our chance came and went.

I have wanted Independence for Scotland all my adult life, but sometimes as currently, I feel despondent at the lack of cohesion amongst the movement, everyone especially the SNP, must learn to tolerate and work together toward our ultimate goal, otherwise it will not happen.

When the SNP doesn’t include an unconditional referendum in its manifesto and doesn’t put independence front and centre at the GE … you have to ask … are they any use to us?

We have to give credit where it’s due and the SNP have had this up and running for over half a century, but they must not arrogantly think that they own the movement and must listen to the wider voice, for if they’re complacent it will not serve them or Scotland well.

I didn’t vote because there’s no option for don’t know/not sure but that would be my answer. I’m bloody hopeful cuz I’m only 26 but honestly atm with the issues within the SNP and the determination of the British lot to stop it by any means I’m worried.

I would love to vote Yes, am an ardent Indy supporter but am now not confident we will see it in the next 20 years.I really hope i am proved wrong but i think the SNP need to take the gloves off and use everything to their advantage.I am 57 and hope to live at least 20 more years

Too many Scots simply don’t have the critical thought to grasp that they are being played Westminster and the British Establishment. Scotland will become independent by default, because the English with vote for breaking up the UK before them.

I said no because I don’t believe the UK will allow it. They will resort to anything, there’s no dirty truck they won’t use. Too many people with too much to lose.

If you want to see the original comments in context, and/or vote or pass it on –
link to twitter.com

@Simon Curran

There is little point actually worrying what Lord Darling of Roulanish says, he is an uber unionist and will say whatever is required to keep Scotland under another countries control, he is a patriot, just not a Scottish one.

Goodness me. That was an eyeopener. I just had a scroll down the content of Historywoman’s twitter feed.
I think there’s little benefit in attempting to soften her views as she’s already an extremely useful tool in assisting folk decide which side of the Scottish Independence question they should be on!
Between her own tweets and the retweets they seem just a wee bit extreme and angry. Not a great advert for the ProUK side.
I’ve no idea how those folks have the time to sustain that sort of relentless output. Do they ever tweet about other stuff they do in life…

Quite a few pictures of the Welsh AUOB here, go on Wales you can do it.

link to walesonline.co.uk

BBC news online, Welsh politics, report headline “Welsh independence rally brings huge crowds out in Cardiff”.

The report itself contains an estimate of “2000”.

???!!!???

2000 for Wales = huge. 100,000 plus in Glasgow = 30,000 and a no-big-deal shrug response. What is it that causes the EBC to take such a different line?

Sarah says:
11 May, 2019 at 6:04 pm
BBC news online, Welsh politics, report headline “Welsh independence rally brings huge crowds out in Cardiff”.
The report itself contains an estimate of “2000”.
???!!!???
2000 for Wales = huge. 100,000 plus in Glasgow = 30,000 and a no-big-deal shrug response. What is it that causes the EBC to take such a different line?

That’s easy England does have to subsidise Wales as thy have strangled its economy.

Scotland’s resources goes straight into the pockets of England’s rich. Cant let that go now can they.

Both situations are money boosts for England, dump Wales and imprison Scotland’s wealth.

@Sarah 6:04pm

The mostly pensioners of Scotland must under no circumstances ever be allowed to know what the rest of us know because if they do find out the real truth England and its dreams of Brexit Independence and all the lies in between and before will surface and the pensioners might vote Yes and without Scotland England becomes a shadow of itself and its econonmy shrinks to embarrassingly low levels and only London survives

Whereas Wales has little to no effect on the economy of England and at the moment unfortunately for them they’re subsidised by Scotland’s wealth redistributed as part of the glorious UK

No offence to Wales but they’re not quite ready yet, but good on them for making the noise and let’s hope the people of Wales get behind the idea, and who knows

Nice one Chris.

Davidson has a face that not even an offspring could love surely.

No oeudipus complex likely to be an issue with that particular mummy is there?

Oops there goes that creepy trashiness in me again.

I had better shove that rod back up my arse in case I upset Gus , Alyn,and the Herald luvvies.

We probably should start a count of how many SNP MPs and MSPs will be in line for the smearing over the next year

Women smearing men, women smearing women, trans people smearing everybody, what do we think one a week? per month maybe? they like saving them up for Fridays so the papers can get a whole weekend out of the smearings

And that’s not even counting the supporters the members the jannie the cleaner the folk in the post room

Liberal Democrat paedophiles are all good though, they’re noble apparently and actually legally guilty but you know what SNP stands for in Westminster ……………

*Shall Not Pass*

Stick with me in this post, as what I am going to say has the potential to offend some people. To offend anyone, is not my intent. I merely want to explain where I am coming from in terms of argument and personal belief.

First, I am an Atheist. What I call an assertive atheist. But I will not come knocking on your doors, pushing my beliefs, nor will I fight in (anti)holy wars or attack Mosques, Churches, Kirks or Synagogues. You will not find me marching past your place of worship playing a loud instrument, shouting ‘Fuck the Gods’. Nor am I interested in drawing cartoons of your deity.

Why would I?

Science, quantum theory, space-time, logic, rationale, anthropology and Occam’s Razor are more my ‘cup-of-tea.’

Technically, I was brought up Protestant, although I did spend some time in a Catholic primary school. (Believe or not, I can still recite the books of the Old Testament by heart.)
I am not at all a footie fan, simply because of the whole Catholic / Protestant nonsense. I hated all that primeval, tribal crap from a young age.

Warning:
Now the offensive part. My personal beliefs. My internal thinking, that I generally don’t share, out of respect for people’s ‘sensitivities’. If you do get wound up about ‘people disrespecting your beliefs’ I suggest you turn away now.

I believe that Religion of any description, is primitive, delusional, superstitious nonsense, has no place in a civilised world, and certainly not in politics or education.

And I know that this is going to be considered extreme by some, but I consider that the indoctrination of children into any religion, is nothing less than child abuse.

Controversially, I believe that Atheists are generally smarter people, than narrow minded, extremists or bigots. The Orange Lodges and the Vatican disgust me equally for their extreme views, manipulation, control and abuse of others.

I can argue for days, perhaps weeks on ‘Why there is no God’, but this is not the purpose of this post. It’s not to argue for Atheism against religion. Or why the Bible and Koran are historically inaccurate.

In my decades, I have learned that there is no value in debating ‘God’ with a deeply religious person who has been indoctrinated since an early age. They have belief or faith. They will never listen to rationale argument or logic. There is no point in me wheeling out all the Atheist arguments that have been posed by better thinkers than me. Live and let live is my credo.

My wife is Orthodox and gets ‘great comfort’ from the tranquillity of a Church. Good luck to anyone who finds peace in this world. My young Indian colleague genuinely believes in Ganesha, a deity with a trunk. Both probably sleep better than I.

The point is, our personal beliefs are sacrosanct (pardon the connotation). Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and all others, including the Great Spaghetti Monster (if you don’t believe me, look it up) and we Atheists. No one has the right to tell any of the others that they are wrong. Much less the Shia versus Sunni, or the Catholic versus Protestant bullshit.

So, my first argument, is that we all should leave our personal beliefs behind us when we are trying to build a better community, a better country, a better Scotland, and a better world.

It’s clear that Catholics suffered severe discrimination in Scotland over the centuries, and that history is locked into the today’s Establishment (Royalty, Judiciary, Elite, Banking, Masonic Lodges, and government). This has to change.

A society cannot be fair and progressive where there remains ‘threads’ of the past that are denied, yet still used to control. Westminster is an anachronistic representation of this past, we only have to look at the ‘5th of November’ to see how the threads of the past are inextricably woven into our culture.

The point I am getting to, is that the UK is trapped in time, in the past, it has hardly moved on. It was denied a proper revolution to bring about some step change. And Westminster politics is a big part of this historical madness. (Yes Ruthie, I include you and the Orange Order in this madness)

Bigots are the minority, unfortunately, they often make the biggest noise.

How happy I was, to see Wales start to wake up and call for Independence. How much happier I will be to see Catholics, Protestants and Atheists leaving their religious differences aside and aligning to fight for a better Scotland. To continue as now, is to allow the UK Establishment to use you to maintain control.

Break Westminster, and the religious divide in Scotland will disappear overnight.

My second argument is this. Much as it is impossible to change a religious mind, it is impossible to influence a member of the Establishment of any benefits of Scottish Independence. Darling and his ilk are in permanent denial.

Take May, she genuinely believes we are all unreasonable separatists trying to destroy the status quo. She cannot put herself in our shoes. She cannot assimilate our beliefs; she cannot empathise with us in any respect. (I use May as example, but I could equally have used Boris Jonson or an English Banking friend of mine, who just ‘cannot get it’.

Like religion, the Unionists suffer massive cognitive dissonance when we raise any counter argument to the status quo. (So, if my atheist views upset you, you might understand how we irritate the Establishment)

And now the end, finally. The point is that there will become a time for Scotland to take her Independence. Freedom never came easy to any colony and we need to stop kidding ourselves that independence will ever be a free gift from the hegemonic Westminster Establishment.

Make no mistake, Scottish or Welsh independence are both a Revolution of sorts. As long as people like Darling tweet about currency and the impossible, we know that we are indeed at war.

Independence is rather like that holiday you look forward to until the time you have to get the visa, do the packing, hang around at the airport…..the older you get the more bother, so I’m told.
With an ageing population Scotland is rather like that.
It’s the weakness Unionist’s like to stoke.
The enigmatic English expression “never look a gift horse in the mouth” applies now.
Time we had action, not posing, from the ‘movers and shakers’.
Brexit or no Brexit, there is a rich harvest to be gathered.
The Scottish propensity for clutching defeat from the jaws of victory is the lingering spectre at the feast. Time we laid this psychological ghost.

Mac
Still waiting for the offensive bit.
Very tame stuff IMO

galamcennalath at 1.36pm says referring to the Glencoe Massacre:

Perhaps because it wasn’t? It happened 15 years before the Union. The Massacre was one part of the struggle to put William II on the Scottish throne, which was opposed by Jacobites. Battle of Killiecrankie etc..

Yes G’lath in terms of historical detail you are sort of right but in terms of the big picture, the massacre was a proto British project and ‘teaching the Jacobite Highlanders a lesson’ was seen by the British party in Scotland as an essential measure to secure the political Union. It was planned and orchestrated by leading supporters of the British party in Scotland and they exploited local animosities to get the job done. Very clever, very British.

Bets to avoid Wikipedia – it generally provides superficial accounts of complex histories and can easily be subverted. Try the work of Historians instead, For example,

Ferguson, William. “The Making of the Treaty of Union of 1707” Scottish Historical Review 43, (1964), p. 89-110.

Or an easier read there is of course Prebble’s excellent book

Welsh Sion all the bestest to your Welsh compatriots

@euan0709
On one of those ‘move to the country’ shows this week, as part of setting the scene, North Wales being the area, they showed a video clip of Snowdon. The presenter described it as the ‘highest mountain in Wales AND ENGLAND’ (my emphasis).

How does that sit?

Terry callachan at 5:48 pm

Even if Brexit is cancelled the mere fact that it happened, and in the process laid bare Scotland’s lack of clout in this Union, means that there is still a case for indyref 2 because all the main players who pushed for Brexit will still be in place and will, sooner rather than later, start to push for it again. A situation that will mean constant turmoil and uncertainty.

If Brexit is cancelled it is also highly likely that the UK’s previous position in Europe will be weakened not least because of the constant agitation from certain quarters for another attempt at Brexit.

The Scottish Government has exploited Brexit to maximum effect by using it to demonstrate to the people of Scotland that their wishes, to stay in the EU is ignored. And ignored no matter how reasonable and workable the proposals put forward by the SG. Proposals that would protect Scotland’s economy but have been dismissed out of hand by Westminster.

People in Scotland have not been blind to that behaviour.

chicmac @ 7.27 pm

I get your point, but actually it’s quite pleasing to know that nothing in England reaches the heights of yr Wyddfa/Snowdon (1 085 m / 3560 ft.) We already knew this – and in fact on a clear day, I can see said peak from my bedroom window, 2 miles away.

Note the grammar: In Cymraeg/Welsh, we say ‘in Wales and England’ in English, they say, ‘in England and Wales’.

Incidentally, you will all recall that we are no longer tied in ‘union’ with said Eastern neighbour since 21 December 1993 – Welsh Language Act 1993 Sch. 2: Repeal of the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 aka ‘the Acts of Union’.

@Pete

You’ve got the wrong guy Pete, wasn’t me, I’ve never made any reference to Heidi Allen or HIGNFY for as long as I can remember, I don’t even watch it

@Abulhaq says: 11 May, 2019 at 6:50 pm:

” … The Scottish propensity for clutching defeat from the jaws of victory is the lingering spectre at the feast.”

Of course you are right, Abulhaq.

Aye!
Richt!

That is if you are set upon keeping up that great, “Scottish propensity for clutching defeat from the jaws of victory.”, and that is most often brought about by jumping into the fight, battle, match or whatever all full of a great enthusiasm for the fight and ending up the bedraggled losers because you went in too soon and without proper preparation.

How many here remember Ally MacLeod? football player and manager. Best known for his time as the Scotland national football team manager, including their appearance at the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

Not a bad left winger on the field. Not a bad manager at club level and not even a bad manager at international level but he was really great at snatching defeat from victory. at that level.

Just in case of any more funny junk, yrtis link to archive.is

Quite shocking actually, and rather futile. Several of the posters there know me, and I can communicate elsewhere …

Pete,

you seem to think QT is pro remain . Really?

You can google on line and get the list of attendees at all QT Programmes. You will find that you are wrong.
Of course QT is supposed to be more than just Brexit however important. Explain why the 3rd Largest party is continually overlooked from QT and its sister programme Any Questions compared to when the Lib dems were in 3rd spot. When in coalition with the tories we had both parties representing 1 government.
Still I am sure you are fair minded and accept the facts as presented.
Still I am sure we will have the usual imported luvvie from down south next time QT is in Scotland to tell us how much loved we are and to do as we are told.

Here the link to Nicola Sturgeon’s tweet this morning.

It says ‘It’s time for independence, Scotland. #ItsTime’

Please have a swift gander at the replies and consider the similarity to the selection I copied from that poll (@5.36, above).

The concerns being aired are real, and people are telling them to the FM directly.

There may be some who enjoy being teased, aye, but this cannot go on for much longer.

link to twitter.com

Lenny Hartley Kin ah hiv extra sauce oan mine lol

Dr Jim
My sincere apologies.
It was jfngw.

Looking back. The section on Ruth Davidson is interesting.
link to theguardian.com

@Robert J. Sutherland says: 11 May, 2019 at 7:14 pm:

” … Frankly, I don’t see the point of bringing religion into the issue of independence at all.”

Well really I wouldn’t expect you to, Robert. Yet the entire history of this bloody Union, (and I use that term advisedly), is, besides being steeped in blood, bound up with religion and religious bigotry. It still is and will remain so as long as the United Kingdom is a monarchy. don’t you understand what a monarchy is?

” … A temptation particular to zealots.”

Now that one really is hilarious?

” … It only offers the opposition yet another diversionary stick to try to beat us with.”

Whatever makes you imagine they need any excuse, Robert?

Have the unionists not already, without any urging from the independence movement, called in the support of not only the Orange Order but the Ulster Unionists?

” … Confusion is their only remaining weapon. So why bother?”

Whatever gave you the idea that others, besides yourself were confused?

So it looks very like I’m going to have to prove the point – yet again. Here is the second article of Union from the Treaty of Union – you may like to study it and then attempt again to argue that religion and sectarianism is not at the centre of the union:-

“II. ‘That the Succession to the Monarchy of the united Kingdom of Great-Britain, and of the Dominions thereunto belonging, after her most sacred Majesty, and in default of Issue of her Majesty, be, remain, and continue to the most Excellent Princess Sophia, Electress and Duchess Dowager of Hanover, and the Heirs of her Body, being Protestants, upon whom the Crown of England is settled, by an Act of Parliament made in England, in the twelfth Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King William the Third, entitled, An Act for further Limitation of the Crown, and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject. And that all Papists, and Persons marrying Papists, shall be excluded from, and for ever incapable to inherit, possess, or enjoy the imperial Crown of Great-Britain, and the Dominions thereunto belonging, or any Part thereof. And in every such Case, the Crown and Government shall from Time to Time descend to, and be enjoyed by such Person, being a Protestant, as should have inherited and enjoyed the same, in case such Papist, or Person marrying a Papist, was naturally dead, according to the Provision for the Defcent of the Crown of England, made by another Act of Parliament in England, in the first Year of the Reign of their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary, entitled, An Act declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the Crown.”

Today we still have a Protestant Queen on the Thrones of both kingdoms in the Union and Westminster using the Ulster Unionists to take both kingdoms out of Europe.

I really love the saltire but have always been a sucker for a dragon and it was great to see them fluttering in Cardiff .

Well done wee Wales!

Yesindyref2 @19.45.

I tried umpteen times to comment on the UKDJ, without success. I’m pretty sure its monitored by the British states online propaganda 77th brigade stationed at Denison barracks.

Dorothy Devine.

Thank you. If you look closely you’ll see y ddraig goch and the Saltire together in Caerdydd/Cardiff, today!

(Video included in link)

link to golwg360.cymru

Organisers say 2 000+ present!

RP @ 9.13

Nah! You’re alright.

I don’t want to know how it ends. I’ll wait for the surprise!

@ Welsh Sion

Congratulations on taking your first steps towards independence today 🙂

I noticed a shift of focus by the spooks towards you guys today so you definitely have them worried.

What to expect well to start with you will be tagged as vile nationalists,your movement will now be searched for posts online that can be used to back the vile nationalist smear against you,there will also be a lot of fake Welsh indy accounts created attacking the English so you can get hit with the old Anglophobe and nazi smear.

But do not be disheartened by this you must focus on getting the truth to your people ,you guys need to find yourself a brave fearless if a bit crazy Welsh Rev Stu to debunk the lies in your country.

We will do our best from here to help you take down the British nationalist snake that is Labour.

Man its a pretty sight seeing the Dragon awaken 🙂

link to mailchi.mp

We all prefer something we can rely on, well, you can rely on this by Ian Dunt:-

“Like Robocop, she (May) has three prime directives: 1: Survive internal and external political threats. 2: Negotiate the deal. 3: Pass it. There are no more directives. She just does this over and over again.

Her tactics are similarly unchanged. They are to say anything and do nothing. Whatever is required to survive the day, she will say it. But that has no particular bearing on her future behaviour. It’s so simple and obvious, but it has genuinely flummoxed people, because we still contain within us the last vestigial traces of our liberal naivety. We simply don’t think prime ministers lie directly to us. This one does. Relentlessly.

“In a complex and fraught debate, these are the two things you can rely on: That things hardly ever change and that the prime minister will say anything to stay in power and then go back on it later. The second makes the first harder to perceive. It creates moments where we assume news has happened, only to later discover it has not.”

PETE
How quick you count. I have another figure 62%.

How many times did a SNP representative appear as a 3rd party.