You are right OP. Ever since the referendum result the chosen insults remainers have used to describe brexiteers are “thick” and “racist”. There are plenty of examples on this very thread. Yes brexiteers have come up with their own insults, but that is not the topic of your post.
The irony makes me chuckle. The very act of throwing insults by either side truly demonstrates thickos who cannot win the other side over in debate hence resort to insults. However the striking use of the “thick” label flung by remainers is particularly patronising.
In truth nobody knows what the better long term outcome will be for the U.K., absolutely nobody. There is hyperbole and supposition on both sides. But nobody can know. We do not exist in a vacuum. Europe is lurching to the right, China and US are ramping up a trade war, climate change is forcing mass movements of populations. Nobody can truly say against this backdrop whether it will be better for the U.K. to leave or remain taking a 50 year view. Or even if there will be an EU in 50 years, or even 10.
Everyone is therefore debating about what they believe is the best course, coloured by their own subjective experiences. This is why the “thick” insult is so laughable. I think many remainers who use it truly believe it, and there lies the irony. Because those remainers flinging this insult and truly believing it are truly stupid on several levels. It shows a complete lack of empathy with the experience of others, an appalling lack of respect for their values and wishes and a sense of intellectual superiority that is thoroughly undeserved.
I may sound harsh but I can say here what I couldn’t say in real life. I live in Central London and I have been seconded onto a specialist Brexit project for the past year. I make a point not to discuss it socially because it is so divisive. But my god I have listened to some condescending bullshit from self congratulatory remainers who honestly think they know the right answer from their extremely narrow perspective. And slag off brexiteers at every opportunity.
Honestly it’s giving remainers a bad name.
So every poster on this thread gleefully throwing the “thick” label is displaying their ignorance and arrogance in my opinion.
And while I am at it, MN is known to be remain leaning echo chamber so all those repeating the same old cliche: “I haven’t read one benefit of Brexit”...what a crappy argument that is. As if an intelligent Brexiteer would bother putting the arguments here...the almost universal response would be “false news, thicko, racist”. It’s not worth the bother...most of the public are entrenched in their positions (partly due to mindless insults rather than rational debate being the order of the day on both sides). MN is a remain echo chamber where there are very few who would genuinely change their minds.
I have changed my mind since the original vote, and I may change it again. I voted remain in 2016. I am now very on the fence but if forced to vote tomorrow I would vote leave. My reasons are as follows:
- I think both options have very many downsides. I wish the bloody referendum had never happened and we would have been better off remaining as we were with our extra privileges. But we can’t turn back time.
- The division and anger in the country, and the perception that parliament is not following the will of the people is much more dangerous than whichever way Brexit falls. Brexit could bring short term shortages and economic downturn, but a break down of trust between parliament and the people is worse. It threatens rule of law, authority and ultimately the smooth running of society. Very dangerous ground.
- The majority voted for Brexit. Yet we have a remainer parliament who have from the start been v unenthusiastic. They have not negotiated from a stance of seizing opportunities that Brexit could offer but have concentrated their efforts on blocking or softening the outcome of the vote. This is appalling - it is a breach of their duty to represent their constituents and it squanders the opportunities that Brexit could bring.
- ...and there are advantages to Brexit as well as disadvantages. Not that you’d know it because people seldom get past mud slinging, and none of our politicians in the main parties have championed this cause. So we’ve only heard about the disadvantages...to heavy industry for example. No-one has seriously championed the benefits...to the services industry for example. There are potential benefits that we could seek to capitalise on but this has not been publicly debated in a sensible fashion because we so quickly resort to insults. It is infuriating.
- We must move forward. We can’t stay in a forever divided limbo arguing about it and focusing on nothing else. We voted, it was ratified by a subsequent general election. We must now leave...anything else will be a complete break down of trust between people and politicians. You would be telling literally millions of people that their vote doesn’t count, and compounding this by telling them that they are thick and racist. That is not going to wash.
No doubt there are hackles rising all over mumsnet and the “thicko racist” brickbats will soon be flying in my direction. Go for it. I can assure you that I am neither of those things. But frankly anybody who resorts to demeaning the valid opinions of others using such moronic insults is not worthy of engaging in debate with and should be held in contempt.
Finally the “racist” label that is also flung with gay abandon at Brexiteers is a silencing mechanism. It has been used throughout Europe over the past decade to silence debate. The reaction is clear for all to see...the rise of the far right across the continent. When any sensible discussion of the impact of immigration is silenced by hysterical shrieks of “racist” then voters are driven to extreme parties with extreme views. Hence the rise of the far right...in France, Italy, Germany, the U.K. Truly appalling, racist parties that are attracting voters in droves because all the mainstream parties shout “racist” if anyone so much as raises a concern. Multiculturalism is the only way forward in our society but the way to achieve it is through transparency and open debate, not by silencing voices of concern.
In conclusion, I think you are right OP and (outside of MN) people are generally seeing through the “stupid, racist” insults. It’s a sign of someone whose ego and misplaced sense of intellectual superiority eclipses their knowledge.