The Brexit Arms. Please drink ( & post ) responsibly.

[surferjet]

Some selective posting from that Citizen of the World blog. You could have included:

And increasingly this is what it comes down to. We have a broad class of people with access to (and the desire to be part of) this emerging global tribe based in the top cities, and a class of people either cut off from this world or with little desire to participate in it. Now, we should certainly use economic policy to lift those who want to live more global lives into a position where they can do so, and avoid the urge to persecute or condescend to those who do not. But in general, we could all do with a bit less smugness and sanctimony from the Citizen of Starbucks Brigade.

Which is a paragraph that sits between two of the ones previously quoted.

I feel British not European, never have done and probably never will. We are are a very successful island, we have come through difficult times and will do so again if necessary, we have a lot to offer and we have always been open and welcoming to EU and non-EU citizens and on the whole we all rub along quite nicely BUT apart from being on the European continent geographically I would not class myself as European (whatever that means) and certainly not over being British. We are not part of mainland Europe, languages are a barrier for a lot of us, we don't have the benefit of being able to jump on a bus in Germany and be in Austria within the hour so to that extent we are pretty isolated (maybe I have an island mentality if such a thing exists?) You can't underestimate identity (either individual or country). I don't subscribe to the brainwashing of 'we are all European' I don't find that anything to be particularly proud of to be honest and 'citizen of the world, I won't even go there. I would be interested to know how people from other islands identify themselves.

Europe is having an identity crises! FOM whilst of being a huge benefit to lots of people has also left people without a true identiy so the EU have said "let's all call ourselves European" and that sorts that out.

Does the above make me a bad person, a lesser person, a xenophobe? I don't think so, I just know my identity.

Some selective posting from that Citizen of the World blog. You could have included:

Well of course I selectively quoted
I linked to the whole article, and then posted some extracts.

I didn't stop anyone from accessing the full article.
Why would I have cut & pasted the whole thing when I linked to it?

😂

I don't subscribe to the brainwashing of 'we are all European'

Brainwashing? Who has been trying to brainwash you?

I can honestly say that before the referendum the concept of a European identity never even crossed my mind. It just wasn't relevant. It is now of course.

FOM whilst of being a huge benefit to lots of people has also left people without a true identiy

This doesn't make sense. Identity belongs to the individual. You can have a British identity whether you live in London, Cardiff or Madrid. It's seems to be the Brexiters who want a monopoly on identity. You cannot frame peoples identity it belongs to the individual - hence whether you feel British, European a bit of both or neither is your decision. That is true freedom.

Yes, I cannot see how having freedom of movement would leave you feeling that you had no true identity, or in any way less British.

And yet the prospect of having no FOM and leaving a trading bloc has had some people saying they feel their European Identity is being ripped away from them.

And why is it important to have a strong national identity? It seems, looking at the evidence of history at least, that this is often very dangerous.

We're all just people trying to live out our short time on this planet, most of us hoping not to cause too much harm along the way. "Homo sum, humanum nihil a me alienum puto" as Terence put it. Or as John Lennon reprised: "Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too."

Of course we're going to have certain cultural preferences because of where we've lived our lives but we're just a random collection of people born on these islands. We're not intrinsically guaranteed to be creative or powerful or imaginative or narrow-minded or liberal or conservative. National identity is a construct to encourage obedience, really.

Ok that's fine, just thought I would express my opinion/thoughts - not expecting everyone (or anyone even ) to feel similar. I just put down what I feel regarding my own identity and what I don't identity with and I certainly wasn't speaking for all Brexiteers.

My second paragraph was really more a thinking out loud/musing.

I'm bored already with the attempt by Brexiters to cast themselves as champions of the people and defenders of 'brickies from Stoke-on-Trent'. The majority of Remain voters are shire Tories and Kippers who wouldn't have been seen dead in Stoke-on-Trent before the referendum.

National identity is a construct to encourage obedience, really.

I would agree with that.

I am British by an accident of birth, I am also British due to the social constructs that surrounded me throughout my life.
If I had been born in Britain, but grew up and was socialised in Germany I am sure I would 'feel' German etc.

The 'EU Identity' is something that has been constructed within my lifetime though, so it feels forced rather than natural - perhaps that is why the younger generation 'feel' European?

I'm bored already with the attempt by Brexiters to cast themselves as champions of the people and defenders of 'brickies from Stoke-on-Trent'

Again, who was 'defending the brickies of Stoke-on-Trent'?
Why do they need defending?

The point was that the brickies of Stoke-on-Trent are quite happy with being a brickie from Stoke.

Not quite sure what your point is tbh.

The majority of Remain voters are shire Tories and Kippers

No, they're the ones who happily admit to voting leave. millions of other leave voters just keep quiet. ( & who could blame them )

And yet the prospect of having no FOM and leaving a trading bloc has had some people saying they feel their European Identity is being ripped away from them.

British identity is not compromised by being in or out of the EU. Curtailing FOM is regressive policy that denies people European identity and enforces an identity upon individuals that is acceptable only to the state. Dangerous.

The bit of my European citizenship that I'm most worried about losing is my right (and the right of my children) to live and work in all the other EU countries. I'm not worried that I'll feel less European.

To be honest, a bit like feeling female or male, I don't know what I think I am. I don't spend lots of time worrying about my national identity as I think it's a load of tosh.

I'm worried about the economic implications too of course.

'The bit of my European citizenship that I'm most worried about losing is my right (and the right of my children) to live and work in all the other EU countries. I'm not worried that I'll feel less European.'

YES, that I can relate to.

Seems appropriate to post this - hopefully good news - here...
EU negotiators will offer Brits an individual opt-in to remain EU citizens, chief negotiator confirms
I would certainly opt-in to this if I could and don't see any conflict between being both British AND European.

Well semi you reproduced the parts of the blog about hipsters being wanky arses and blaming the woes of the country on them being unable to connect with the working class but ignored the bit about problems in the UK should be addressed by UK economic policy. The failure of the UK governments to help the poorest in society has been the biggest problem over the last 40 years.

Opt away!

If that's what individuals want to do, then so be it.

I didn't blame the woes of the country on hipsters

Opt away! If that's what individuals want to do, then so be it.
I will. However, I do find it ironic that a European MEP is more open to fulfilling the expressed wishes of many UK remain voters than our own government.

And yet the prospect of having no FOM and leaving a trading bloc has had some people saying they feel their European Identity is being ripped away from them.

Rights and prosperity, not identity. Couldn't give a monkey's about identity.

The grotesque inequality we have in this country is a result of government policy. It has nothing to do with EU membership. And it certainly has nothing to do with people choosing to live and work outside the country of their birth

But how does it make it better for the poor people of the UK to have millions of extremely poor people coming to live with them? As Frank Field said - find compassion vote Leave for the Poor, he didnt just pull this out of a hat, this is his views after seeing this in action in Birkenhead.