Wednesday 24 January 2018

On being in the European resistance. On Europe day.


In the end it comes down to who you are really deep inside. Its the emotion for me of seeing my son, seeing my lover. It comes down to reaching outwards, it's about knowing the history, literature and culture of Europe. It's about experiences of travelling, knowing the smell of the air in the countries of Europe, it's about smiling about our own odd little ways and theirs.
It's knowing that there is more than one book, that there is no us and them. It's about knowing that Tom Paine prior to his pamphlet “Common Sense” reminded the English that they were always part of Europe, its about knowing that Europeans want equal access to knowledge and education. It's about knowing that the French think one way, the Germans another, it's about knowing that the Magna Carta was imposed by French Knights, and the Glorious Revolution by a Dutch Army, and that Christmas Trees were a Victorian tradition tradition that came from Germany.
It's about knowing that even if you have done wrong, your argument is still as important and emotional and uplifting. It's about knowing that we are all immigrants, that we all came out of Africa, that our ancestors were all economic migrants, that James Dyson that great saint of the Brexiteers refused to place his factory in Wales.

It's about knowing and feeling in your heart, tolerance, understanding for the refugee, the victim of domestic abuse, the broken and the outcast. It's about daring to think in new ways it's about crossing over to new solutions and new perspectives. It's about not liking self assurance, those who are blaming the other, the little Englander and the simplistic Kipper analysis or the Daily Mail.
It's about seeing how Shakespeare was influenced by those European ideas stretching back to the Greeks. It's about seeing how the latest Edition of Big Brother shows how important the works of Freud and Darwin are. It's about celebrating both popular and high culture and finally its about seeing how good it is to see Wales win the match and beat England.. it's about knowing that the Glyndwr rebellion was part of a European backdrop. It's about appreciating that Nietzsche was not a Nazi and that Margaret Thatcher was no friend of the Welsh. It's about seeing situations with new lenses and new filters. It's about understanding that we make new wines in both new and old vessels. It's about seeing the Mediterranean Sea and smelling the air. It's about the Friday feeling as the T6 drops me in Penrhos. And finally its about possibilities, hope and respect. That is why I am a remainder and why I will not give up and except Brexit...just as in 1975 the leavers did not give up. It's about running away when in Europe from the leavers wearing white socks with sandals.. and explaining that Wales is not England...

Its about how by looking at the threat of Isis, that we do not forget the evil and poison of the far right. Its about what will come next now we are to leave. Its about the fact that the majority of Brexiteers worship the “free market” and the privatisation of the NHS.Look at Farage, Johnson and Gove and my head rather than my heart is convinced...its about thinking clearly ; reading widely and avoiding the Daily Mail and the express and it's about the shame and regret at the intolerance; bigotry and ignorance of so many of your fellow subjects...and knowing historically that there is no such thing as a British citizen..and also knowing historically why...."if a clod be washed away, Europe is the less"...

1 comment:

  1. Remainder remainer remnant I remain as you may not cut off my hand nor gauge out my eyes nor still my heart and expect me to thrive.

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