Keep the Faith

As lockdown continues the topics are getting harder to find. However, social media got a bit hot last night (Monday) among SNP members, some saying they were resigning their membership. This seems to have become fashionable. I’m not sure resigning is necessary as you just need to stop your monthly payment. However, if you think you need to draw attention to yourself, I can see how an email or a letter of resignation might be something you would want to do.

The SNP Westminster group was reshuffled on Monday. This is something that happens from time to time. It is no great deal usually. However, Ms Cherry decided to throw a hissy fit. Now I am not a constituent and I don’t know her. I am sure she is very competent as an MP and as a QC. What I have noticed about her is she loves publicity and a headline. As a party member, there is no entitlement for a position. As a member of an elected body, I am sure there is no entitlement for a position either. Positions allocated would be on a ‘who’s best for the tasks ahead’ basis.

As for the membership in general. Those of us who have worked for the cause most of our lives bear many battle scars. Both physical and mental scars from campaigning, debating, losing elections. Those of you that are newer to the cause may also have some battle scars but you have also experienced the successes and highs that have been built by many years belief and sheer hard work. Can you imagine what campaigns were like before technology? I remember my dad, as we were going to bed, sitting at his drawing board drawing the posters on the large, SNP headed, poster blanks. We gathered data in those days but it was stored in someone’s house in a box. A separate card for each voter ID’d.

During this past year of frustrations and struggles with something beyond our control, we have had the luxury of consistent polls showing the Yes vote in the lead. The surest way to destroy this is to be using social media in the wrong way. Let’s keep positive, keep campaigning for Independence. Once we have our freedom to live as we want, that is the time for full debate about the issues that then become important about how we want to take Scotland forward.

4 Comments

  1. I couldn’t agree more!
    Unless these social media maniacs come to their senses and stop playing into Wastemonster’s hands, the sacrifices of all past struggles for INDEPENDENCE will be destroyed. Unionists’ only effective weapon is ‘Divide & Rule’. Why can’t we activists grasp and act upon the importance of realising that?
    My suggested solution is this: Nicola, Alex, Ian and Cherry meet and agree to produce a joint Statement. It would say they acknowledge the damage being done by their disputes and that between now and independence they will focus solely on achieving harmony in the best interests of all indy supporters. That would blunt the ‘Divide & Rule’ weapon for good!

  2. Hear, hear!
    Like Tricia Wallace’s Dad, in the 1974 Election as well as the usual election work I set up a primitive printing shop in a friend’s shed.
    There I could turn out posters on a daily basis if and as required. We could respond to opponents’ claims within hours and have them distributed throughout the constituency. Black on vibrant yellow, hand drawn and cut stencils and silk-screen printed by hand. Hundreds printed and posted for a price that was questioned in the returns but I had all receipts. After Andrew Welsh’s win one of the posters that I think hurt our opponents a lot was a simple A3 poster with the SNP symbol and THANK YOU. These appeared all over the constituency before most folks had had their breakfast.
    The point I make with this was that back then we in the SNP believed in the CAUSE and had little truck with politics seeing it as nothing more than a Westminster dominated necessary evil.
    I drifted from the SNP when the politicos moved in, the “gradualists” who were interested in promoting themselves and to hell with the CAUSE and to hell with Democracy. Setting back independence and democracy for Scots by at least two decades.
    We saw the result of that attitude in 2014 when the self-promoting politicos at the head of the party lost the Scots an outstanding opportunity for independence.
    Most disturbing is the lack of shame displayed by these same politicos.
    With the increase of the “celebrity” the “influencer” the “personality” culture these self-same politicos continue to self-serve. Attitudes akin to those of demanding pre-adolescents prevail.
    I ask these politicos, “What is more important, the CAUSE or your irrelevant egos”?
    If you let the YES folks down again it will be your infamy that will live in Scots history.
    Put aside your ME and support the WE. If you are for YOU then yuu are agin US.

    1. My dad and Tricia’s dad were flag bearers at Bannockburn rallies and both involved in the Scots Independent. Politicians are necessary to move forward. Unfortunately some issues that some of them are promoting have become inflamed beyond their importance. Equality is important but the vast majority are being left behind in the battle for recognition at the moment. Equality does not mean being the most important, it’s about all getting along together. The real reason for the existence of the SNP is Independence

  3. As far as my experience goes back in the 60s we were having a lot of dispute about our PPC Bruce Cockie. This resulted in 2 members of the NEC coming up to Peterhead to investigate.
    Many years after I was speaking to Bruce at an Inverness Conference. I said to him “Do you remember when you tried to get me expelled? He said Yes, and I said “My wife is sorry you failed”.

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