CommonSpace columnist Ben Simmons says telling someone they’re scum probably won’t win them over
AND we’re off! We knew it was coming. We watched the reporting and misreporting of polls, we bought our Yes2 mugs and made our guests drink out of them, we imagined Nicola striding about her war room sticking pins in a map of Scotland and now the moment has arrived. #ScotRef is on.
We were not the only ones watching and waiting. Media outlets opposed to independence farted out claims of treachery, and flushed their medication to declare that unions are the best thing ever (but not that union). #BetterTogether has tweets again. ‘Unfollow’ buttons across Facebook clicked into action as the hermetically sealed doors closed on the echo chambers of Yes and No.
We cannot let this happen. Or at least, we can’t let it get any worse. The groundwork for the next Yes campaign has been underway for quite some time, and Common Weal already has white papers out on what we need to do, but I am going to focus one thing I think is essential. Stop hating Tories.
At the Scottish Independence Convention (SIC) conference in January I was delighted at all the positivity in the room, and yet there the Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) was, with their ‘Ah hate Tory Scum’ badges.
At the Scottish Independence Convention (SIC) conference in January I was delighted at all the positivity in the room, and yet there the Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) was, with their ‘Ah hate Tory Scum’ badges.
I’m not picking on RIC, you see it in any pro-indy forum, but what do we think this is accomplishing? Is a unionist going to see it and think ‘oh no I’m scum’ and change their mind? Are they going to browse #toryscum, see your tweet and follow you?
It’s basically that scene in American History X where Edward Norton unveils his swastika. You might make some friends, but you didn’t do so by changing minds.
We need to get away from thinking that independence for Scotland is objectively better, and not just objectively better but self-evident. I might believe that to be true, you probably do too, but if we believe that then we start from the conclusion that unionists know it to be true, too, and choose to lie to us, to act selfishly to protect their pensions or property prices, or because they love watching Zulu, have a picture of the Queen on their mantelpiece, and wear a kilt of Princess Diana tartan.
The battle for the middle ground will not be simply divvying up the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ between us. Here’s what needs to happen: we need to show some love. We need to sell independence with a vision, with a story of optimism.
I’m not picking on RIC, you see it in any pro-indy forum, but what do we think this is accomplishing? Is a unionist going to see it and think ‘oh no I’m scum’ and change their mind?
We will not convince anyone by calling Tories fascists. We need the undecided or the reconsidering to feel like they are welcome in the land of Yes, without recrimination. We all have friends that told us they would have voted differently to avoid Brexit, the time for slapping your forehead in exasperation is over.
Don’t make ’20 years of Tory rule’ your opening line. Twenty years is nothing when you’re talking about history. Don’t appeal to nationalism, either. Nationalism should come from pride in what is happening in your nation, not vice versa. It’s already bad enough that Celtic and Rangers fans are broadly on different sides of the independence argument. Are you thinking with your heads, folks?
Instead, let’s focus on the positives. For me, as someone who came to Scotland from England and thought the SNP was a regional branch of the BNP, the turning point was that, for better or for worse, I believe in self-determination. That’s a pretty neutral principle.
Let’s focus on the fact that a vote will count for more when it is one in five million, not one in 64 million. Let’s focus on the fact that policies, laws and immigration are not one-size-fits-all, appropriate for London as much as Inverness, whatever those policies may be.
A vote for independence is not a vote for the SNP. You can vote for whoever you want policy-wise with a better chance of getting your way after independence. That the SNP lost list seats shows that lots of us will probably switch allegiances anyway (the Greens are licking their lips for sure).
We will not convince anyone by calling Tories fascists. We need the undecided or the reconsidering to feel like they are welcome in the land of Yes, without recrimination.
The time for gloating is over, we need to advocate for Scotland, not against Westminster. We need to stop being angry about why people voted No, and take the time to actually ask them.
Be prepared to accept that there are pros and cons, don’t just deny that cons exist at all. Independence should not be a bitter pill for those who voted against it, and as much as you might tally up your internet points for ‘winning’ online arguments you can’t make their vote for them and they aren’t going to listen to the message if they can’t bear the messenger.
Picture courtesy of Stuart Grout
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