Sixty-nine years ago in the SNP
By Ian Hamilton
Sixty-nine years ago I joined the SNP. In those days independence meant national isolation. Now it means international cooperation. I am no sort of politician. Yet I listen. Alex Salmond’s recent speech struck so many chords it was like a Scottish symphony. We are a caring people. We do not like to see the poor support the rich. We have regained our self-respect. It is time to take charge.
Yet the battle is only commencing. Keep your eye on Mediawatch. It gives an overview of the world press. Even the foreign press are given in rough translation by Alan Clayton. He edits mediawatch as it keeps its vigil.
From Mediawatch we learn ordinary English people find us difficult to understand. They see part of their country being torn away with only England left. Ironically they regard the word ‘England’ as the province of hooligans and the BNP. For these there is full coverage. The Daily Mail’s columnist Letts is virulent and indeed racist against the Scots. (He doesn’t appear in the Scottish editions.) Alan Taylor tries and fails to hold Alex Salmond up for laughs in the New Statesman. In the (Scottish) Telegraph Alan Cochrane stands on his head to pretend he’s not SNP at heart. These people are unimportant and can be disregarded.
One who cannot be disregarded is Professor Vernon Bogdanor of Oxford University. Never heard of him? Neither had I. He’s billed as one of the world’s most respected constitutional experts. That means he’s saying what the yah yahs want to hear. He taught David Cameron that a UK referendum is required before Scotland can go its own way. This is the first real signal of an attempt to keep us in the UK against our will.
Make no mistake. We’ve put the frighteners on the English millionaires. They’ll lose our oil. They’ll lose the Scottish seabed for ten kilometres off-shore. It’s even more valuable as a source of energy than our oil. They’ll lose assets such as whisky, a major earner of taxation at home and currency abroad. To keep these they’ll lie to us by omission and commission. Of the former none could be more obvious than the BBC Scottish news on the day Alex Salmond announced his ministry. It started with fifteen minutes on a murder trial and gave two minutes to the cabinet. Smothering can be as effective as Gordon Brewer ramming unionism down the throats of everyone he interviews.
The first priority of every third world revolution is their broadcasting house. Those who control the media control the state. That’s why they dare not give us a devolved BBC. It’s the UK’s propaganda house. We now have a mandate to boycott it. If I didn’t get a free licence I would stop paying it. I once called for Minutemen to march on the BBC. I got hundreds. Then I discovered that at 85 I was too weak to walk the distance. I now call on Minutemen and women and on all nationalists, to stop paying their licence fee. There is little they can do against a mass defection.
One thing remains. On 1st July the Queen opens a devolved Scottish Parliament. The will of the people is for independence. Next time she’s here it may be to open a sovereign parliament.
Let us republicans welcome her. I’ve waited sixty-nine years to see the State Opening of a parliament that supports independence. On 1st July I hope to be there. I’ll celebrate with tears of joy not with petty criticism.
June 1st, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Dear Ian,
how refreshing to stumble across your blog today.
Your insight and wisdom (as well as a truthful balance) into all matters Scottish left me in awe.
I left Scotland in 1978 as an 18 year old to join the army and obtain my electronic engineering degree whilst in service. The day of the oath ceremony I complained that the wording was incorrect. The recruiting officer who was overseeing the ceremony was from the Black Watch and asked what was wrong with the wording. I pointed out that it had Elizabeth the II written. “What is wrong with that he asked?” I replied that she was only the Ist of Scotland, so technically it was wrong.
After a few minutes of thought he suggested I repeat the oath and when I get to the Elizabeth the II part, I add my own part, namely, the Elizabeth the Ist of Scotland. Trivial I know but it did make me feel good being able to swear my own oath.
These small things all joined together is what helps in “Englishing” the Scots. Most people pay little attention to them, but before they know it they have been brainwashed into supporting the very people who are subjugating them.
Blogs such as yours go a long way to pointing out the more important matters and I thank you for that.
I presently live in Australia and work as a youth worker. Helping young underprivileged kids to achieve a modicum of self determination. It is, for me, very rewarding.
Seeing them write and txt every day, I can fully understand where you are coming from in the piece you wrote about the girl in the corner texting.
What I have noticed here in Australia, is that over the last 10-15 years their language has slowly been taken over by all things American. It is, to me, colonisation by stealth. All done through the MSM, which is also controlled largely by Mr. Murdoch here. What a shame that his ancestors were Scottish. I’m sure they would be pleased at his success as well as dismayed at the way he has achieved it.
I wish you health and the time to see our wish of an Independent Scotland come to fruition.
warmest regards
Keith Robinson
June 1st, 2011 at 10:59 pm
“I now call on Minutemen and women and on all nationalists, to stop paying their licence fee.”
Standing order to BBC cancelled as of now.
Please visit http://www.newsnetscotland.com/
June 2nd, 2011 at 7:56 am
I think we should have a dedicated radio station that can compete with BBC radio Scotland which has degenirated into a psuedo comical unionista talking shop whose predenters cannot compete with Salmond MacKaskil et al. There would be run almost like Newsnet Scotland standing on its own reputation as an honest and fair broadcaster.
If we could only get an organised demo at Pacific Quay to vent our anger at the shoddy service we get from the BBC Scotland
June 3rd, 2011 at 10:47 am
I hope that Ian makes it to the opening of the Scottish Parliament in July and that he savours the experience of witnessing the Royal recognition of a majority SNP administration in place. He has well earned that right and is likely to enjoy it rather more than some of the principals attending from just across the road.
That we have got to this stage in the face of a hostile Scottish (sic) Press and Media is a quite remarkable feat. The slant of BBC Scotland in its reporting of Scottish politics is noticeable in its selectivity, its consistency and its bias. I too remarked to colleagues about the reportage of the result of a murder trial that received not only priority over the formation of the Scottish Government that same day but that the former had received an time allocation of eight to one to what the latter was given. Complaints to Pacific Quay are not dealt with there but are diverted to an agency based in Ulster. Many years ago the late Oliver Brown described the BBC in Scotland as the “Anglo-Saxaphone” -not much has changed there but it is thankfully clear that the influence of this monopoly is now as diminished as that of those once proud pillars of the Scottish establishment The Herald and The Scotsman.
June 3rd, 2011 at 4:16 pm
I second Kenneth MacColl, enjoy your day Ian, you certainly deserve it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if you will be asked by many well-wishers for your autograph. Have a nice day !
June 4th, 2011 at 5:37 am
Have a grand day!
June 4th, 2011 at 9:08 am
You’re so right Ian - and I know you have not forgotten the Declaration of Arbroath - but it could do with a good Scottish airing - it’s time has come again!
.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
I hope you have a good day at the Opening of Parliament. I also hope the SNP turn up on the day and not go off on their holidays like the last time.
Nothing would more clearly underline their victory than their massed ranks filling all those seats in the Parliament. And nothing do more to undermine it than lots of empty seats.
June 9th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
Yes but remember the fundamental differences between the English and Scottish concepts of the rule of law. The concept of “rule of law” per se says nothing of the “justness” of the laws themselves, but simply how the legal system upholds the law. As a consequence of this, a very undemocratic nation or one without respect for human rights can exist with or without a “rule of law”, a situation which many argue is applicable to several modern dictatorships. However, the “rule of law” is considered a pre-requisite for democracy, and as such, has served as a common basis for human rights discourse between countries such as the People’s Republic of China and the West.
Remember the iberal concept of justice is that a person should not be disadvantaged or punished except for fault (intentional, reckless or negligent wrong doing, strict liability applying in exceptional circumstances). The idea of fault is the golden thread that runs through the fabric of the legal order. The Magna Carta contains one of its early manifestations. But the whole of the common law relating to crimes, civil obligations and property rights is characterised by the notion that fault underlies punishment or deprivation. A system of sanctions based on fault presupposes known and pre-existing standards of conduct which bind the community.
We only need to look back to the case from the early 00’s relating to the chap that was accused of rape and who miracuously was let off. Under English law this would have been a formality of a decision for his Lordship sitting in Parliament Square. These are the flaws our Scotland should learn.
June 12th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
MSPs sitting like corgis for the Queen’s address is a hell of lot more than “a touch” of treason Ian, only this time is Scottish representatives committing high treason against the Scots and our rights to elect our own head of state!
Scottish republicans are not presentng a “petty” criticism Ian. Boycotting the Queen at a Holyrood ceremony is a golden opportunity to snub the Queen big-style and give a lead to the Scots and set a national course for a Scottish republic. It is an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.
On July 1st 2009, not an “opening ceremony” with riding etc. right enough, but still 48 MSPs in total did not attend upon the Queen in 2009 and these were the SNP MSP non-attenders.
“1st” = 1st class honorable mention on the republic roll of honour
http://scot.tk/republicanroll.htm
MSPs with a “1st” admit to being republicans. Others didn’t say or maybe they did say but it wasn’t reported, or I never saw the report.
(Christine Grahame - 1st)
(Roseanna Cunningham - 1st)
(Sandra White - 1st)
(Bill Wilson - 1st)
(Bob Doris - 1st)
Gil Paterson
Brian Adam
Richard Lochhead
Bruce Crawford
Willie Coffey
Stuart McMillan
Joe Fitzpatrick
Kenny Gibson
Jamie Hepburn
Adam Ingram
Stewart Stevenson
Ian McKee
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Dave Thompson
Christopher Harvie
Jim Mather
Anyway time to get stuck in to those traitors from all parties who will be attending this time. Yes even though some boycotted in 2009, if they turn up in 2011 for the Queen then that makes them “2011 traitors”.
Queen to humiliate Scots on July 1st at Holyrood, Edinburgh
I object to the worst enemy of the Scots, Queen Elizabeth, attending at any ceremony of the Scottish parliament and being invited to address the Scottish parliament as she intends to on July 1st 2011.
The plans for the day were published on 20 March 2011 and all the signs are that these plans have not been changed significantly by the new parliament
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-11/pa11-006.htm
Elizabeth is going to be at Holyrood on July 1st so as to be seen to rub Scots’ noses in the shite of her rule over Scotland.
The Queen’s ministers and the Queen’s judges rule Scotland for the Queen’s interests, not the Scots’ interests and the Queen is turning up to Holyrood once again to accept the surrender of the new gang of elected members of parliament and I predict that once again, disgustingly, almost all MSPs will be happy to sell the Scots out for a seat in the Queen’s presence, to show the world that they do sincerely intend to serve Elizabeth loyally in a Queen’s parliament.
So once again Holyrood is not going to be host to a real “Scottish” parliament for the Scots. Oh no, it is going to be another anti-Scottish, pro-Queen parliament.
Every Member of the Scottish Parliament who attends that address of the Queen to parliament, who sits listening to the Queen like a loyal wee lackey is a traitor against the Scots and is betraying the Scots.
We Scots are being sold out and betrayed by yet another parcel of rogues in a nation.
The whole day of ceremony is to make fools of the Scots and to mock any notion of Scottish national independence whereby we Scots would elect our own head of state, a president of a Scottish republic.
The Queen is there to say in effect - “No, you subjugated Scots don’t get to choose your head of state! No way, do you stupid Jocks get a say in who rules you! I, Elizabeth, am the head of state in Scotland because I, Elizabeth say so! Listen up, tartan-lackeys, I, Elizabeth, am Queen of Scots - you Scots get no choice about it - you have no independence to say “no” or to refuse. Ha, ha, look at you, you beaten and enslaved Scots, happy with your kilts, shortbread, bagpipes but no freedom. Your pathetic elected representatives are sitting before me like well trained corgis! Scots are a beaten and enslaved nation - as beaten cowards, you will never rise to anything! I accept your surrender.”
And the worst of it is this - the scum vermin MSPs who have lied their way into parliament will sit there quietly like wee mice and lap it up like the Queen’s lap-dogs they are!
This whole “opening ceremony” with the riding procession and live music is a royalist lackey farce which is designed to sweep Scots along, pretend to us that we Scots are allowed a fair say in our own government when in truth we are not.
The say of Scots is daily denied by the Queen’s police and courts and Holyrood is there to rubber-stamp the shutting up of most Scots while a few Scots at Holyrood have to say “we serve the Queen”.
The opening ceremony is to make fools of the Scots as once again the Queen is imposed upon Scotland as head of state.
SNP bastard traitors!
When this year the Holyrood parliament has a majority of SNP members and the SNP has no possible excuse for inviting the Queen, finally we can see just what liars the SNP are when they claim to support “Scottish independence”. No they don’t!
The SNP support the Queen, not the Scots - they are bastard traitors to the Scots, they are simply more lackeys of the Queen!
Oh the other parties represented are royalist lackey traitors too - Tory, Labour, Lib Dem, Green - we know that, we expect those parties not to support Scottish national independence and the right of Scots to elect our own head of state. We expect to be betrayed by the UK parties.
However, the SNP have fooled the Scots. The SNP have pretended to be for Scottish national independence yet all along, the SNP only ever intended the Queen’s rule to continue over Scotland with the Scots having no say and no nation state to defend us, only a Queen’s kingdom to keep us in subjugation.
Well the SNP have not fooled me. I am a wise Scottish republican and I can see the SNP for the royalist lackey traitors they really are!
The Scots should open their eyes and see the real SNP for the traitors they really are on July 1st 2011.
What is the alternative to rule of Scotland by Elizabeth?
The Queen and her family should be banned from Scotland.
The Scottish military should enforce that ban by ANY MEANS NECESSARY!
Instead of an imposed Queen, there should be a Scottish republic with Scots electing a president as head of state.
MSPs - don’t kid yourself!
If there is any member of the Scottish parliament who has any shred of loyalty to the Scots then he or she should certainly boycott the address of the Queen at Holyrood.
A boycott of the Queen is the least and perhaps the most a civilian can be expected to do.
Attending on the Queen like a traitor but with crossed fingers, white roses or clenched fists will not make one bit of difference.
A traitor sitting for the Queen with a white, red or any colour of rose or any flower at all is still a traitor.
A traitor is a traitor is a traitor and I am telling Scots that we will know the traitors to us when they sit before the Queen because they sit before the Queen.
MSPs! If you sit before the Queen or stand before the Queen with a kilt or in any Scottish fashion you are still seen as a traitor.
MSPs! If you attend parliament before the Queen under any circumstances you are a traitor.
MSPs! Don’t kid yourself that you can save your honour by any item of clothing or adornment.
Do not sit before the enemy Queen under any circumstance unless you want the label “traitor”!
Don’t kid yourself that you can say “Och I am only there for the music - ‘am no caring about the Queen”. You are a bastard traitor to the Scots if you sit there while the Queen addresses parliament. No ifs, no buts.
The only patriotic Scots in Holyrood at the time the Queen is there should be Scottish military fighting to get that Queen out of Scotland and keep her out.
I don’t expect it this time but it would be nice one day if the Queen got assassinated for daring to impose herself on Scotland. Nice but I am not holding my breath for that happening any time soon.
If one day the Scottish military do finally decide to open fire on the Queen and family then we don’t want any civilian Scots hurt. So it would be a good habit for civilians to stay well clear whenever the Queen turns up to lord it over us.
——————————————————————————–
Check my links for more Scottish republican wisdom -
Scottish republican socialist Peter Dow, author and protester
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=789SkK7uwiY
Peter Dow’s Scottish National Standard Bearer website -
http://scot.tk
The For Freedom Forums, Forums for robust political debate-
http://figh.tk
Ian and friends, if you’d like to register a username with the For Freedom Forums, I’d be delighted to welcome you!
http://figh.tk
June 20th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
KM what on earth are you talking about? This blog is about the SNP not about the rule of law in Scotland. Your points are taken on board but they are not exactly relevant to Mr. Hamilton’s blog in this instance. Yes you do raise the valid point at the end, the decision of which was a disgrace to the Scottish interpretation of the crime at hand. The defendants name escapes me too but I recall reading the judgment a few years ago and was baffled at the outcome. You do raise a good point that had this perhaps been heard in not only England but perhaps a civil law jurisdiction like in Germany, or before the more stringent courts in the US, this lad would have been incarcerated for a fair while, and rightly so.
June 21st, 2011 at 9:56 am
Ian, have a wonderful day - Christina will be there to celebrate your being there. I’m still at the coal-face and daily miss that wonderfully craggy face that is yours. You are so missed. With Edgar Prais now away, I despair. I say to you what I said to him: “will ye no come back again?”
July 7th, 2011 at 12:45 am
@Peter Dow
Please refrain from posting your drivel on this blog. You demean it with every pixel in your offerings.
Ian - keep up the good work. Your words and insight are inspirational and I thank you very much.
July 8th, 2011 at 10:36 am
“I now call on Minutemen and women and on all nationalists, to stop paying their licence fee.”
And whom prosecutes and whom pays, twice the hands that seized the £75 fine from an income of welfare were Scots hands. There were no offers of defence from the class ridden tongue corrupted lawyers of Edinburgh’s New Town.
As millions of Scots are about to be cast into the abyss of destitution by the product of U.K. welfare legislation will those high minded lawyers defend their compatriots in the theatre of Scots law?
August 15th, 2011 at 6:25 pm
This site can be a stroll-by for all the information you wished about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you’ll undoubtedly discover it.
February 12th, 2012 at 5:18 am
inverse psoriasis…
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