Hmmm…I might stop writing about Brexit soon..but in the meantime:
Remainer: ‘What exactly is Brexit going to do for us…eh? What exactly?’
Leaver: ‘Set us free! Give us control of our borders!’
Remainer: ‘And?’
Leaver: ‘Give the political elite, the financial elite and the London elite a kick up the backside. They haven’t listened to us for decades…bet they’re listening now…’
The Leavers are right…their ears have pricked up…everyone’s ears have pricked up…Brexit has made lots of previously apathetic citizens interested in politics. At least for the time being. Tick for Brexit.
My 20 minutes on the cross-trainer at the gym today was carried out with occasional strange jerks as I near burst into tears (with what exactly…joy was it? pride maybe?) while I was watching Sky News on the little TV screen attached to the machine (http://news.sky.com/story/zimbabwes-citizens-not-backing-down-anymore-10501747). A non-politician called Pastor Evan Mawarire (of the social-media-assisted ‘ThisFlag’ movement) had walked free from a Zimbabwean court, his country’s flag wrapped around him, after being tried (unsuccessfully) for being rude to Mr. Mugabe…or some such. It was what he and the crowds around him (all wrapped in their national flag) seemed to be saying as he walked along…’we are not backing down…we have had enough of corruption…of being bullied and intimidated by the political elite…enough of not being heard…of being fearful ….the people have spoken…we have a voice.’ It seems they want to peacefully ‘take back their country’..and were no longer afraid to say so. Britain is not Zimbabwe…but some of this was sounding rather familiar…maybe the UK has crystalised a ‘take back our country’ zeitgeist? Could the UK end up inspiring other people to peacefully ‘take back control’? If the zeitgeist is about equality and fairness at all levels of society – then that’s amazing. If its flipside is jingoistic nationalism and xenophobia…well…I think the world has been there before… and it’s not pretty.
So…the Brexiteers…perhaps individually have their own, personal (some may say suspect) reasons for wanting to ‘take back control’ but maybe, collectively, they are a shining example of people power – the unheard echelons with nothing to lose, ignoring the powers that be and fearlessly saying NO!? Could it be that the Remainers…nay…the world, may end up thanking the Brexiteers?….really? Wow! Maybe this is all a little fanciful…but I’m trying to look for the good in Brexit…and, it could be a stretch…but omg… I just might find it.
jx
Ain't we got it made? 