SCOTLAND AND LESSONS FROM IRELAND
Posted by Jim on August 9, 2014
“Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead! Those words from Monty Python’s movie THE HOLY GRAIL came to mind when it was reported that the late Labor Party icon Tony Benn did not support an independent Scotland. This despite the fact that the former member of Parliament never stated as much while alive. His brother David produced a letter to that effect. How desperate the English aristocracy must be to roll out this post-mortem declaration!! Apparently the faint-hearted ‘endorsement’ of United Kingdom unity by President Obama failed to take hold with the Scottish electorate. His press conference remark that “…the US prefers “…a strong, robust and united Britain” was followed by the afterthought disclaimer that this issue, of course was “…a choice for the Scottish people.” These latest political stunts brought to mind British author George Orwell’s description of political language. He claimed it “…is designed to make lies truthful, murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”
The forces now mounted against Scotland’s independence emanate from all those who have a preference for the status quo and something to lose if change, however gradual, is undertaken. These are the financial and media institutions and military and intelligence services. All of these are infused with British hereditary privilege, wealth and power. It is less than 100 years since this same array of opposition forces fought against freedom for Ireland. Even back then the British would regularly produce letters, usually forged, claiming something that would serve their political purpose. Even after the colonial ties from 26 counties were severed in 1922, the British manipulated Ireland’s political, social, economic and cultural spheres. To this day it promotes division in Ireland North and South. Their failed attempt in the Boston College tapes affair to smear Gerry Adams and to derail his re-election was but the latest example of their mendacity. Expect London to direct the same tactics at Alex Salmond and other Nationalist leaders prior to the referendum.
England threw their media weight around in 1999 to try and derail Ireland’s conversion to the Euro Zone currency. Catastrophes of biblical proportions were predicted. As long as Ireland’s currency was linked to the British pound, Britain could control or initiate financial and economic actions that were, if not necessarily harmful to Ireland, gave England’ banks and companies advantages. The Irish voters then, like the Scottish voters today, were not sure how the conversion would work. Irish voters were reasonably certain the break from England would bring greater transparency and prosperity. And so it did.
All of the fears being stoked by media pundits like Bagehot of the ECONOMIST magazine claiming if there is a YES vote “…a cataclysmic secession “…, have precedents in Britain’s efforts to inflame anti-Irish and anti-Catholic hatred amongst the unionist/loyalist population. After all a united Ireland would be a greater competitive threat than one afflicted with partition. A Bradford University Professor named Gallagher did his part to spread the fear and smears by referring to the Scottish National Party “…and its Radical allies.” You know those people who advocate for a new structure of government, a Bill of Rights or a more equitable distribution of resources.
One newspaper quoted a publican in Portpatrick , Scotland as fearful of the loss of the British Army as if the sleepy village was under some imminent invasion! An English editorial, claiming to speak for America, stated that the U. S. would take revenge if nuclear silos were ordered removed from an independent Scotland. At stake was nothing less than the vanity of the British political establishment and their “major world power” delusions. If the Scottish voters were to address that issue, I hope they would recommend to London that a missile silo might be more appropriate for Margaret …May her memory be blessed… Thatcher’s constituency of Finchley!!
While an independent Scotland may present challenges, in the end it will be Scotland in the 21st century determining what is best for them, and not Whitehall and England’s fossilized colonial bureaucracy. Think of the possible revelations as the transfer of records begins! I mean, of course, those records that the British have not destroyed or found ‘missing.’ This has been the case with police and MI-5 records in N. I. ever since devolution there. England may be spying on the Scottish people the way they have been spying and eavesdropping on the Irish people. The PRISM system used under contract for the U. S. National Security Agency to spy on Americans, may well be used domestically. Remember British Subjects of the Queen have no rights to privacy as do American citizens. Lastly, Scotland might learn it was illegally deprived of financial aid from London. Bishop Cahal Daly in N. I. learned the Catholic schools had been deliberately cheated out of aid payments for decades. The same might be true of tax receipts. There is a reason London has been reluctant to fully disclose corporate tax receipts emanating from Northern Ireland and that very same reason may apply to those tax dollars from Scotland.
Mark well these words. The final push to keep Scotland under the Royal lash will include –in addition to the dirty tricks and media scams… the appeal to patriotism, the last refuge of a scoundrel. At a time of World War I memorials it is worth remembering the words of Alan Brydon’s song Calling Doon the Line. Remembering those who lost their lives in that slaughter is as important as remembering why they did so. Scotland’s brave did indeed “rally roon the pipers tune” but “the victory claimed would disguise the shame.” This is one American’s wish that the Scottish people will vote in this referendum to dance to their own tune!!
Michael J. Cummings
12 Marion Ave
Albany, New York 12203-1814
518-650-6049
Michael J. Cummings, a native of Springfield, Mass., is a graduate of St. Anselm’s
College (B. A., 1968) and New York University (M. P. A., 1970). A member of the National Boards of the Irish American Unity Conference (IAUC,1996-2013), the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH,2001-2008), and the Irish Northern Aid Committee (INAC, 1988-1996), he served six National Presidents of the AOH, 5 National Presidents of the IAUC and two National Chairman of INA primarily in public relations capacities. He is the only person to serve on the national policymaking bodies of all three major Irish American organizations. He also served on the Commission on Peace and Justice of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.
Cummings has appeared on American, English and Irish television and radio and his commentary and letters and those of the Presidents have appeared in major American, Irish-American, Catholic print media. He is a frequent columnist for the weekly IRISH ECHO newspaper. He has been married to Nuala Hogan, a nurse and native of Ireland, for 40 years and resides in Albany, New York . They are the parents of five children and two grandchildren.