Brexit

(This is not a tantrum post. Little bit ranty though.)

So this morning I woke up and the country had imploded, because just over half of the country voted – for whatever reason – to leave the European Union. I’m not going to let my anger win out over my logic and call half of the country a bunch of backwards racists, because I’m sure many good people were enticed by the notion of £350 million a week going back into the NHS. (More on that later.) It is, however, hard to deny that much of the Brexit vote was made out of fearmongering, xenophobia, a rose-tinted view on the past and outright lies fabricated in order to steer the public in the disastrous direction of somebody’s idea of the greater good. When will humans get it into their heads that the greater good is a goddamn subjective thing and that thinking you’re right does not make you right?

Well, anyway. I promised myself I wouldn’t be angry if Brexit won through fair democracy… and I guess fearmongering and lies is what counts for fair democracy nowadays. But what does anger me is that when the country inevitably continues to struggle outside of the EU, many of those who voted Leave are likely going to let pride win them over, refuse to admit they were wrong and allow those with positions of authority or journalism to convince them that no, they’re not wrong, it’s still the immigrants’ fault. And they’ll believe it. Because they have to tell themselves that they did the right thing.

Remaining in Europe wasn’t going to solve our problems. But we had the opportunity to change things from the inside. Leaving Europe has just created a whole bunch more problems.

Now to the part that really does outrage me. One of the main counterarguments to remaining in the EU which I thought was worth pondering was the idea of keeping £350m a week, and putting that money back into the NHS. It was promised that this money would be going into the NHS. But lo and behold, the moment that the votes were in and counted, our good friend Nigel Farage takes to the stage and says that it was a “mistake” to promise £350m a week for the NHS and that it would likely not be going back into the NHS. This was the basis on which many people voted Leave, which has now been hastily withdrawn with an “oops lol soz”.

This deserves a protest.

Not just because Brexit won. But because many voters with intentionally misled into voting for something which would never happen. That’s not democracy, that’s manipulation, and considering how close the vote was, I’d call it grounds for a re-vote.

So, David Cameron just stepped down as Prime Minister. And for all the years that I’ve wanted that man out of his position, I’ve surprised myself by being upset about the matter. Not because I like his warped idea of leadership, but because his empty seat only leaves the way open for even worse right-wing leaders to take his place. If I honestly thought that another party had a chance at winning whatever election comes next, I’d be ecstatic, but if this referendum has proven anything it’s that prejudiced hearts prevail.

History Repeats

The lovely folks, our lords and leaders over at the British Government have just passed a vote through all fair democracy to bomb Syria, and many of them left with a smirk and a smile on their face, satisfied that what they’ve done is right and that we’re winning the war on terrorism.

Thousands will die, and with a swish and a flick of the pen, some rich white people over on some island a world away have decided that it is right to let this happen, for the greater good. Homes will burn and children will bleed and it will all be for a greater cause, and we are right.

My voice was heard tonight. Your voice was heard. Tonight, we stood up in the House of Commons and told these privileged few who get to make the decisions why they are wrong, who they will be hurting, and how this has all happened before, hundreds and thousands of times.

We have elected to sling fireballs at crowds so we can hit the cowards hiding among them, whilst we busy ourselves with civilised lives in groups, avoiding the strangers in dark coats among us, horrified at the notion of fireballs landing at our feet.

Tonight, we sat down like civilised animals and signed away the lives of thousands to right the wrong of the hundreds that were killed on our side.

Next week’s blog post is already written. I will not be changing it but I can’t guarantee I’d be writing “Devil’s Advocate” after the decisions made tonight.