Euch debating.

“We circumvent our feelings through an angry sound
He who complains the loudest, wears the fattest crown
We’re anti-everybody, call it paranoia”

– dc Talk, 1995

This post coming from shortly after the UK itv television debate between Nigel Farage and David Cameron. As per normal, the live debate was quite heated. Mostly from the audiences’ questions! The disrespect for both ambassadors was quite evident throughout the show.

Politics can be something of a fascination and also something of a headache for me. In light of recent personal revelations, I am trying to be more vocal with my thoughts without sounding too negative. For too long I have played the field on issues that I know are ‘hot’ topics. I’m not sure if that is to do with self-esteem issues or my being conscious of the fact that my opinions can be quite extreme. Either way, politics are just one of these issues. At times, my opinions have oozed out to social media. But usually I like to stay out of the debating. That said, this year the politics are quite abnormal. While normally, I would be discussing Labour vs Conservatives vs UKIP vs everyone else, there is something far grander at stake in our June referendum. As you would have heard by now, the question of the UK’s EU membership hangs in the balance.

The results of this referendum will either have significant impact or no change at all on Great Britain’s future. Perhaps it is the desire and the fear of the consequences that have driven both the ‘in’ and ‘out’ camps to get overly zealous in defending their side – by attacking the other side. While the ‘Out’ campaign has invested in a long movie, laying out the statistics and reasons why we should leave the EU. The ‘In” campaign has showcased major celebrities to illustrate the need to stay in the EU, closely followed by their efforts to ridicule those leading the ‘Out’ campaign.

It’s true that the ‘Out’ campaign (hereafter referred to as Brexit) isn’t as glamorous and star-riddled as the ‘In’ campaign (hereafter referred to as Brein, which is nicely coincidental considering it’s biggest supporter is my good friend, Bryn! N to offence intended with this post mate, I know you’re gonna hate it). But let’s not base this purely on appearance. Because if we did, we would possibly see that Brein got a bit desperate when it came to involving the US President and Brexit has some crazies in the limelight.

And while we’re on that, lets discuss Barak Obama’s input, as he (a non UK member or EU member) chimed in as a Brein. Yup the world’s most powerful man, weighing in on a matter of a nations independence. If only he represented a nation that understands independence. Maybe one that loudly celebrated it annually. Oh wait. Pfft. Nice one Bama.

Now lets talk of the clowns of the Bexit camp. Let’s start with one of my favourites, Boris. Man this guy is hilarious. His say-what-you-see and has a serious lack of think-before-you-speak. It’s left him as a primary target within the Brexit campaign as the Breins look for anything to pull them apart.

They’re just two of the big laughs that seem to be at each others’ throats during this referendum. Now, I’m not looking to argue and I’m not looking for fight here, but its utterly amazing that as the debates and arguments intensify – how personal the fight is getting. I mean I get it, the stakes are through the roof on this one. Both parties are defending their sides as one claims the Brexit could make Great Britain while the other side claims it could break it.

Which brings me back to the television debate of 7th June, it amazes me after watching show like this, mu opinions are only re-enforced. It seems that most people I have spoken to, it was a similar story. Which is a bit sad. It would have been nicer to have an unbiased documentary that outlined the facts rather than allowing the public to grill the alternative party leaders on live tv. But I understand that no party would be able to put together a completely unbiased programme. But hey, I thought it worth saying, I don’t mind Cameron that much and I really like Farage. It just annoys me that no-one seems to be able to respect the other side.

So, I’m trying to write a post that not *too* disrepectitful of the opposition. Although don’t hold you’re breath. But here goes. Now I know I’m generalising here but all the key players in Brein are the richer business owners, the more upper-class politicians, and the green party (or as I like to call them, the giant soggy bowel movement party – hey I never said I’d be nice to the greens). Not surprisingly, those who are the most vocal about Brein have something to gain that perhaps the everyday folk of the UK just won’t inherit longterm.

Meanwhile, the average joes who fight for the Great British Exit are the ‘alternative’ politicians that don’t fit the Westminster mould. While fighting for all that was once British, they battle the ridicule of the Breins based on nothing other than the way that they present themselves. That’s pretty sad. Now, I’ve heard statistics for and against until my brain started hurting, and frankly, the way I see it – you make numbers do whatever you want if you phrase the questions correctly.

So, in all fairness, a lot of the statistics are not relative or take out of context. And that’s coming from both sides. So while I could quote numbers and graphs, instead let’s just look at this in black and white.

We were independent once. It didn’t hurt us. In fact we established the commonwealth, traded with countries in Europe (outside of the EU! Golly, is that even possible?), and pretty much were a super force in the world gone-by. Now, we’re footnote in a union that literally every other non-inclusive country rolls their eyes at. Oh, unless they’re looking to join it so that can suck it dry. Cough. Turkey. Cough.

We pay to be a part of the EU to make travel ‘easier’, trade ‘cheaper’ and protection ‘reenforced’. That’s it in a nutshell. Well I’ve seen all the statistics, watched the debates, heard both sides and I’m still not convinced that we need an EU membership to achieve any of these.

You want easier travel? Book online in advance like normal people. It’s only last-minute stuff that’s gonna get effected. You want cheaper trade, lets re-build the relationships we had within the commonwealth – I’d much rather a curry to snobby wine. And hey – I’ve booked a courier before, and I can tell you distance really doesn’t make a blind bit of difference to price anymore – it’s 2016. And you want reenforced security – yeah me too. Last time I checked we had a secret service that rivals the superpowers of the world (after all, we have James Bond… so…). We’re definably better than any other EU nation. SO remind me why we need their help. Better yet, remind me why we need waste our security on faffing about with EU immigrations.

Yes I know, I’ve generalised a referendum into a short post. And I know I am mega biased on this one. But anything that gets my passport as far removed from france – the better. Call me racist or whatever, but bottom line, I was born in England and I am not ashamed to say I think we are better than every other country. And I’m not sorry to say that I am quite happy with the British culture, without the need to additional cultures introduced. If you fancy some different cultures, that’s absolutely fine. Go and experience them in the countries that house them. I am fed up of civil rights and humanist crap telling me that I can’t say stuff like that. Simple as that. It’s England and I like us the way we are, without EU influences.

And hey – it’s nothing personal if you’re a Brein. Good for you having an opinion. I’ll let you have yours, you let me have mine. And if you are a part of the Brein side, you will no doubt be screaming at your screens – “If it has to be an abbreviation – it’s BREMAIN”. Yeah, I know. But you’ll survive. Write your own blog. Then you can call it whatever you want.