I have not heard anybody, anywhere, argue in public or on the media the case for Scottish Independence for six months (except for me). I have not heard any elected representative of the SNP argue the case for Independence for… well since Autumn 2014.
It is not surprising the increase in the polls of support for Independence has stalled, as nobody is putting the argument. The trouble with leaving the matter aside until support becomes overwhelming, is that if you leave the matter aside support never will become overwhelming.
I am therefore considering standing as an Independent in the Scottish parliamentary elections, purely to put the full-on case for Independence. There are plenty of other people who can argue about the minutiae of the glorified council at the bottom of Holyrood Road. The SNP has explicitly stated it wants the votes of unionists as well as nationalists in this election. I don’t.
I want to give people who want to express their desire immediately to be shot of the corrupt and warmongering British state, a chance to say so unequivocally at the ballot box once again.
This is a question of principle. It is not undertaken with any expectation of being elected. I would stand in North East Scotland on the regional list ballot. The question is, were I to do this, are there people out there who would help me?
I wonder if the animus our Transatlantic Friend and “Chris Rogers” (welcome back, Chris!) display against Professor Richard Evans has anything to do with the fact that the good Professor, acting as an independent expert witness, was instrumental in demolishing revisionist “historian” David Irving’s libel suit against American Professor Deborah Lipstadt?
CM blog won’t accept comments from my smart £4.95 mobile as it thinks my server is not secure.
Philw:
“And I suppose the west had nothing to do with Kosovo or Bosnia? That was just Yugoslavia ‘balkanising itself’? Syria has nothing to do with the West channeling arms to Daesh? Its just a form of devolution I suppose?”
In the case of NATO Turkey, yes it’s devolution, otherwise known as proxy, war. But 2 can play at that game. Assad devolved Syrian Kurdistan in its entirety in order to entangle the NATO devolved Turks ( Davutoglu ?) with NATO backed Syrian Kurds.
This has given John 2heads McCain and general Allen some headaches. Instead of Eye-rak, Turkey and Daesh ( mostly UK Asian and Asian passportholders ) being used to colonise oil-fields, Russia, Assad and Syrian Kurds now have a moral stranglehold over CIAdi Arabia, Al CIAda and DIAsh.
The arch troll McCain obviously thought Islam was a pushover, as he was taught in Sunday School. Still waiting for Armaggedon rapture, he might get shoved, shunted and showbizzed out by Trump in the very near future.
Out of bounds but in the same vein, the spectacle of the chief Tory trolls, I D-F, Gove, and the blonde git being put on the naughty shelf to polish silver has increased my admiration for Cameron’s political awareness no end.
Craig – why don’t you hit them where it hurts ?
Go for a seat in ‘Yes City’ ! Dundee loves plain-talkers , and are well fed up with the new status quo . They voted in droves for change , and now the votes are cast there is nobody speaking for them any more .
Giyane,
This blog, like most https secure sites, will not accept connections using obsolete and broken security protocols. Even for ancient androids though you can update to a more modern browser which will work fine.
Just in the last few days yet another attack against the older protocols has surfaced – the DROWN attack http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35706730
‘Thousands of popular sites’ at risk of Drown hack attacks
@Lysias,
I note the Resident Troll believes you, and myself, have some kind of dislike of Prof. Evans, of who’s prestigious work one was quite familiar when resident in the UK. And the same applies to Ian Kershaw, who was in much demand by peers in the mid-90’s to oversee their post Grad work, be it MPhils or Phd’s – London being too expensive for some in the Midlands.
However, I note we are now supposed to comment on David Irving for some unknown reason – typical ‘bait & switch’ stuff, in which case perhaps the Troll could comment on Dershowitz and academic freedom, or lack thereof?
Still, we are very much ‘off-topic’ and I don’t want to disrupt the thread.
I will add one more statement though, namely perhaps Craig could also stand in Wales for its Assembly Elections given how ‘unionist’ Labour are presently compared even to the Welsh Tories – quite a few of whom are prominent Federalists.
You are so naive (or is it racist?). “Tribal warfare and the ‘diappearance’ (sic) of colonial laws” caused the collapse of Sudan, Somalia, DRC, Sierra Leone, etc? ‘Vast sums of international aid’? My arse! China was prepared to make deals with governments. The West finds it easier to get rid of the governments and barter arms for minerals with the local strongmen. And I suppose the west had nothing to do with Kosovo or Bosnia? That was just Yugoslavia ‘balkanising itself’? Syria has nothing to do with the West channeling arms to Daesh? Its just a form of devolution I suppose?
Woohoo. That got the gall boiling, didn’t it?
Still, I don’t recall Sudan, Somalia, DRC and Sierra Leone being particularly prominent among the developed nations in my time. While their plight may have been helped along by competing external interests, I don’t think you can exonerate their traditional methods of governance either.
Nothing China is doing in Africa is any more moral or designed for their hosts’ autonomy than what the West is doing. It is investing where it can obtain raw materials cheaply. Very often it imports Chinese workers rather than employ the locals. Don’t get lost in admiration.
Aid:
http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/documentupload/2%20Africa%20-%20Development%20Aid%20at%20a%20Glance%202015.pdf
Your arse. Next time look it up for yourself.
And I suppose the west had nothing to do with Kosovo or Bosnia? That was just Yugoslavia ‘balkanising itself’?
It was you who stated that the West had balkanised Yugoslavia. A little history lesson: the term balkanisation refers to the mutually hostile little group of Balkan nations prior to 1918, and until then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. With the exception of Serbia, which was independent. The West unbalkanised these. Unification survived WW2. Then, following financial problems due to reckless overborrowing by the Tito regime, Tito died, and the country began to fall apart on ethnic lines. It didn’t need to be pushed, and I remember quite a lot of Western handwringing about the loss of Tito’s strong government at the time. Tito was regarded as a fairly good chap for a Commie….
Is the West intentionally channelling arms to Daesh? Show me, with credible sources. It’s an allegation often made, but not substantiated.
Good, sensible posts from Ba’al.
As often.
Craig, F. F. S. Stop being such a reactionary. The only way to get Independence in the short term (by early 2020’s) is by supporting the SNP. Thumping majorities for the party are what strikes fear into the heart of Wastemonster. Splitting the vote, just what our enemies want.
Big majority in May, big gains in the 2017 council elections, Tories returned to Wastemonster in 2020…… Then Indy Ref2 in 2021……. That’s something to aim for. There’s a new car sticker waiting for you at HQ.
It is the odious troll who supports the lone nut theory about the Reichstag Fire, which exonerates the Nazis for at least that one crime. What does opposing that theory have to do with David Irving?
Congratulations on your decision Craig – although I don’t agree with all your views, politics needs people like you. I don’t understand the SNP stance though – don’t they desperately want independence as well?? Although, it is perverse and odd that they support Cameron in wanting to stay in the EU.
One key thing to remember – it is the crown who ultimately controls the current Welsh Government as well as the Scottish Government. The crown is the corporation of the city of London – they are not even part of the ‘UK state’ – rather the UK state is a colony of the crown. The crown is bad, bad news but very few public figures and politicians evevr talk about it. That needs to change
Actually, as president of the Independent People’s Republic of Fullers Slade, I have to point out that you forgot the “Preamble” which is essential to any declaration of Independence.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. etc”
@Clark
4 Mar, 2016 – 12:59 am
Perhaps I shouldn’t get into late night arguements!
Clark, thanks for the late night posting over at my place, to test out the position that posting links reveals the poster’s IP address; and as you pointed out, also by posting on a comment board you reveal your IP address. Years ago I used to run a quite busy poetry critique board. It was a time of ‘board wars’. As the webmaster I configured it so that a poster’s IP address would always be shown next to the time stamp of their post. This did wonders when it came to getting rid of trolls and flaming, etc. For some reason, many webmasters thesedays don’t enable identity of IP addresses. I wonder why?
I found the post you made on my board last night quite interesting, because I’ve never looked at your IP details that closely before. Since this thread is now somewhat buried away, here’s some of your IP details that your post provided me…
Author: Clark (IP: 91.125.246.186, 186.246.125.91.dyn.plus.net)
E-mail: [mods – email address deleted]
URL: http://www.killick1.plus.com/home.html
Whois: http://whois.arin.net/rest/ip/91.125.246.186
It is our Transatlantic Friend who seems to have it in for Professor Richard Evans, who was highly critical of the Reichstag fire thesis as set out in Mr Hett’s book.
I was just speculating that the reason for that might be that Professor Evans was instrumental in demolishing revisionist historian and Holocaust-denier David Irving a couple of years back.
I think our Transatlantic Friend knows what I mean….
Although perhaps difficult for a pugnacious Irish-American, our Transatlantic Friend must learn to accept that we are not obliged to take all his pronouncements and theories as Gospel.
No, people are perfectly free to espouse theories about the Reichstag Fire that exonerate the Nazis. It’s just that those theories happen to run counter to the evidence.
I have to admit that I was not very impressed by Richard Evans’s three-volume history of the Third Reich. It’s been a few years since I read the three volumes as they came out, but my recollection is that, despite their length, they contained little that I was not already aware of. Evans’s review of Hett’s book also strikes me as excessively long, as well as missing the point. I recommend that anyone interested read Hett’s rejoinder to Evans’s review at the link I gave above. As I already said above, it strikes me as devastating.
Hi again, Craig. Following the live-stream this evening and the discussion on this topic, I did feel the need to come back to it here and question your stance on the issue.
You appear to hold the view that the SNP has completely stopped campaigning for Independence. I can understand your stance when based on this view, but it is the view itself I question.
I simply don’t accept that the SNP has stopped doing this. I would however characterise the party as having having gone quiet on the issue, which I think is a temporary matter and a politically sound call.
To continue banging the drum so loudly for independence in the current climate just gives ammunition to the opposing view, who will use it to complain about the SNP not accepting the Indy referendum result. It will be characterised as, ‘further demonstrative evidence that the SNP doesn’t care about the democratic process or the will of the majority of Scots…’
This will in turn affect the SNP’s ability to turn no voters into yessers – and wouldn’t they have a point? Shouldn’t the Scottish Government respect the democratic process and govern as best it can from within the UK, give a referendum that was still quite recent?
I see the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon making subtle references here and there about how the issue of the day might play out in an Indy Scotland. I think that’s the smart play. Subtle digs and references that gradually draw a picture and make the case.
We have the SP elections and the EURef coming up, so I think it is right that the parties concentrate on those, whilst headlines about how a Brexit could result in Indyref2 have been made, which further reinforces in the minds of everyone how easy it could be for a majority of Scots to vote yes next time.
This is all pretty positive in terms of establishing the concept and making it that much easier for no voters to consider yes next time, without even trying – and whilst the Tories are in a civil war.
Plus, Indy supporters are hardly being quiet. They are continuing to make the case, even if the SNP hierarchy has gone quiet.
As I said, I think that the SNP is biding its time over making a fresh case for indy, whilst concentrating on more immediate matters and letting the opposition continue to shoot itself in the foot.
It makes complete sense to me and I don’t quite understand why you seem to have drawn the conclusion that you have. I can only conclude that there is some underlying frustration(s) that has led to this stark view you have, that perhaps I am either not familiar enough with you, or your blog (as a relative newcomer) to appreciate.
T6he revisionist, Holocaust-denying “historian” David Irving didn’t think much of Professor Evan’s three volume history of the Third Reich either.
But I think Professor Evans’s reputation will survive both that and the similarly negative opinion of our Transatlantic Friend.
“Richard Evans’s three-volume history of the Third Reich…. contained little that I was not already aware of”
___________________________
Of course not – how could it? LOL
Troll guilt-by-association logic: lysias is unimpressed by Richard Evans’s history, and so is David Irving. Therefore there’s some association between lysias ans David Irving.
How’s this for a parallel syllogism: the troll rejects theories blaming the Nazis for the Reichstag Fire, Nazis also reject such theories, therefore, what?
“Troll guilt-by-association logic: lysias is unimpressed by Richard Evans’s history, and so is David Irving. Therefore there’s some association between lysias ans David Irving.”
______________________
They do appear to share some unfortunate characteristics, don’t they…..
The judge’s summing-up comments on David Irving’s relationship with scholarship, the truth, honesty and chutzpah make for very interesting reading.
The irony, that the troll has the nerve to accuse others of dishonesty and chutzpah!
Craig,
It is an absurd stance to resign from the SNP in order to campaign for independence. Just as absurd as the notion some supposed indy supporters have of list voting for some tosspot loser party rather than SNP x 2 this coming May. I did wonder why you did not get through vetting as an SNP candidate for GE 2015and now by your resignation from the only party that can bring independence about I need wonder no more.
Oh dear, I seem to have touched on a raw nerve there! 🙂
But I suppose it’s too late for our Transatlantic Friend and revisionist, Holocaust-denying “historian” David Irving to change. Never mind.
Michael Gove is also apparently unimpressed by Richard Evans http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/06/richard-evans-michael-gove-history-education
What consequences would you draw from that?
Why Be Ordinary
I get the impression from your link that Gove is not attacking on Professor Evans as a historian; his complaint seems to have been that Professor Evans “demeaned the memory of the British soldiers who fought in the first world war” and “attacked the very idea of honouring their sacrifice as an exercise in ‘narrow tub-thumping jingoism’”. That’s a different matter altogether.
In any case, Gove is not a professional historian and therefore would have no special locus for commenting on Professor Evans’s qualities as a historian. I would therefore probably pay as little attention to his thoughts on Professor Evans as I would to those of our Transatlantic Friend.
I am reminded, looking at the Amazon reviews of Evans’s lengthy three-volume history of the Third Reich, that he didn’t even purport to be presenting original conclusions. It’s all a summary of other people’s work, meant for university and secondary-school students. No wonder I can’t remind a single memorable insight in those three long volumes.
Contrast the much shorter historical volumes in the German-language Geschichte Kompakt series, of which I have just read four volumes on the years leading up to and during the First World War. They do adequately summarize the previous state of historical knowledge, but they also put forward original views, in quite an exciting fashion. And they are very short.
I am about to start the volume in that series on the Weimar Republic. I look forward to eventually reading the books in this series on the Third Reich.
If Professor Evans’s lengthy three-volume work is merely a summary of other people’s work then there must be quite a lot of those other people’s work out there. Which could lead one to the thought that there is very little, of anything, original left to say and that “memorable insights” might be rather thin on the ground by now. This, in turn, makes it rather doubtful that very short “compact” history books will be putting forward “original” views.
Too hasty, Craig, too hasty by far.
Have to say I agree with Clive Scott above on this one.
‘Vauntie cybernat’? You’re so out of touch with real people. Don’t you realise how many people you annoy with your fake Scottish stuff? This, on top of your flitting in and out of political parties to suit your whim, and your contempt for democracy (“evil or stupid” if they disagree; no need for a vote, etc.)
Craig, you’re a posh Englishman. If I want to vote for a posh Englishman, and I do, I’ll vote for David Cameron. He doesn’t pretend to be Scottish.