Maybe blogging less is a symptom of tweeting more. I don’t know. But I wrote a few things on “popular microblogging site twitter dot com” yesterday evening and was very kindly encouraged to gather them together here. So (displayed slightly oddly), here it is.
No campaign war on the English language: 1. demonise nationalism. 2. every Yes voter is a nationalist. 3. Only BNP are British nationalists.
— James Mackenzie (@mrjamesmack) August 15, 2014
They want to reframe the whole question to "are you a dirty nationalist?", because they can win that.
— James Mackenzie (@mrjamesmack) August 15, 2014
Next time you see the No campaign use phrases like "a blow for the nationalists" it's not because they forgot Greens & Socialists etc exist.
— James Mackenzie (@mrjamesmack) August 15, 2014
I'm beyond not nationalist. I don't even identify as Scottish or British at all, unless the football's on. But I couldn't be more Yes.
— James Mackenzie (@mrjamesmack) August 15, 2014
I want a very different independence to the SNP's policies, but we have allies there: no pound, no Queen, no NATO, no tax cuts for business.
— James Mackenzie (@mrjamesmack) August 15, 2014
We will resolve those differences in the appropriate way: let the people of Scotland decide what kind of independence they want in 2016.
— James Mackenzie (@mrjamesmack) August 15, 2014
#1 by Justin Kenrick on August 16, 2014 - 9:44 pm
Absolutely to the point James – thanks
#2 by Aidan on August 16, 2014 - 9:58 pm
The No side live in fear of the Green / SSP electoral machine
#3 by James on August 16, 2014 - 10:31 pm
Not my point, comrade.
#4 by Richard on August 17, 2014 - 12:44 pm
The No side live in fear of non-party politics. The very idea of ordinary people thinking for themselves and (heaven forfend) becoming active is what scares the bejesus out of them. People whom the establishment can’t control are a frightening prospect indeed for any status quo.
#5 by David Lee on August 18, 2014 - 11:42 am
But what does any of this really mean?
By going to great lengths to say you’re “not a nationalist” you simply help the No campaign to use it as a scary word.
Is it not more productive to paint your nationalism as a progressive, inclusive desire for truer democracy, which it surely is? That is what will neutralise the No campaign’s attempt to use the word to frighten.
#6 by James on August 18, 2014 - 11:56 am
I’m pretty clear in it that I respect nationalism, but am definitely not one. I am a localist, with barely a jot of national identity in me. We need to win votes from hundreds of thousands of people who also do not identify as nationalist: the point is No try to make it look like the question is “are you a nationalist?”