For those of us quietly sad about leaving the EU.

[DioneTheDiabolist]

I'm not making a song and dance about it. I'm not falling out with anyone over it. I dont want to debate it. I'm just sad about it.

And that's ok.

Anyone else with me?

I'll bite and tell you why I'm sad - because my grandparents fought a war against other Europeans, and when that was over they were able to come together with former enemies, and build a union with the aim of ensuring that would never happen again. When I as a teenager was able to freely travel in Europe, work, and make friends with other Europeans, they thought it was wonderful. They, like the WW2 servicemen in the Led by Donkey's video, would be incredibly sad to see what is happening. And it makes me sad too, because something very special has been taken away from us, it's not just the practicalities, something deeper. You may not feel this, fair enough, but many of us do. We grew up knowing we were part of something bigger than this island, and now we aren't, not in any meaningful sense.

You may come back and dismiss all this, but I really don't care. If you are happy about leaving, great, just accept that plenty of people aren't. We're allowed to feel this way.

We don’t know for certain how it will turn out till the deals or no deals are done

Just a bit poorer or much poorer. Either way, the cooperation and trade and information sharing and power of Europe is important to me. Plus symbolically being part of a great plan to work together.

@Hester54 why am I sad? On an emotional level because I feel very much European, I love the fact that although we are different countries we are all part of the same whole. I'm sad about what the referendum and everything that has followed says to the rest of the world about Britain. I'm sad that my local area, which has received huge levels of EU funding and is quite deprived, voted out despite clearly having no idea of the impact on the place that they live.

On a practical level, DH is self employed and works a lot in Europe, it's where a significant part of our income comes from and right now we have no idea if that can / will continue post Brexit, even if it does the red tape around travel and work will be a massive PITA.

And we had always planned to retire somewhere else in Europe; it looks like that too will no longer be available to us.

Other people's situations are far more complex when there are spouses / partners / children with different citizenships and passports.

I guess if you're someone who lives in Britain with no plans to leave, is married to someone British, works in Britain, goes on holiday once or twice a year and plans to retire here then I can see why perhaps you wouldn't think it's a great loss.

But to an awful lot of people for a myriad different reasons, it is an incredibly sad day and a day which means less freedom going forward.

Sad here too, and embarrassed too; Farage waving his silly polyester flag was crass.

Why are you all so defensive? I just find it really hard to get my head around why you are sad to leave a council,
You may still be able to things you think you are going to miss

The EU was responsible for our equality laws, our parental leave laws, most of our employment laws, including our leave allowances, and very, very many more protections that we have at the moment.
So yes, on a practical level, I'm worried that without the EU , our government will dispense with some of those protections.

On a personal level, I will miss belonging, being part of something bigger, and all those countries being open to me, and providing me wih all the protections and health care that I'd have at home.
We were part of something, and now we're not. I'm sad.

Have you read the thread? We already know there are things we can't do! And in any case it goes far beyond practical matters. Have a bit of empathy.

You may still be able to things you think you are going to miss
But what do you think you are going to GAIN ?

Why do we need to be in the EU to feel European ( what ever that means )
People go on about living or retiring to other EU country but as we can see from the figures only a very small percentage of U.K. citizens actually do.

I'm sad because I lost my job, as a SP, my family have lost their income and are now dependant on benefits. I'm sad that my city will never be European City of Culture, despite our amazing culture and vast EU investment. I'm sad because I believe in being part of a diverse society. I am sad because of the ridiculous financial costs at a time when we need the money elsewhere. I'm sad because others are losing their jobs. I am sad because the United Kingdom is at risk. I am sad because the terrorists have got what they wanted.

I'll bite and tell you why I'm sad - because my grandparents fought a war against other Europeans, and when that was over they were able to come together with former enemies, and build a union with the aim of ensuring that would never happen again.

Erm, you do know that the war ended in 1945 and we joined the EEC in 1973, don’t you?

Why do we need to be in the EU to feel European ( what ever that means )

If you don't get it, you don't get it.

at best the economic damage will hit as my kids enter the jobs market, at worst we no deal and they both don’t get their life saving meds.

The utter stupidity of those who still can’t see what they have done to this country and what’s likely to happen next have made today very depressing. All the gloating and calling remainers losers, snowflakes etc.

We are ALL losers!

Hester Have a look at this

and of course the fact that we have voluntarily turned our backs on forty years of cooperation, robust discussion, exchange of know-how, solidarity, shared peace and liberal democratic values and efficient trading methods! (Yes, ironically, trade with our EU partners will involve more bureaucracy from 2021 onwards.)

The EU is in no way perfect but it provided us with peace, security, stability and economic clout and I think many people in the UK will only begin to appreciate how privileged we were to be a member when those things are placed in jeopardy.

I am sad, hoping I'm wrong about it all and it's going to be a great success.

I guess if you're someone who lives in Britain with no plans to leave, is married to someone British, works in Britain, goes on holiday once or twice a year and plans to retire here then I can see why perhaps you wouldn't think it's a great loss.

What like 99% of U.K. people

Hester, you sound more defensive than the people who have just taken the time to explain why they feel sad.
I'm sad in part because of how rude Farage was the other day. It's not really the best way to keep a good working relationship.
I'm also sad because my sons are both working in EU cities, and it's going to get more complicated
But mostly I'm sad because so many EU citizens no longer feel welcome here.

Erm, you do know that the war ended in 1945 and we joined the EEC in 1973, don’t you?

It didn't just appear suddenly overnight. Maybe read up on what came before, the Treaty of Rome and the Treaty of Paris, for example?

smemorata Yes, they two were really in Love

Sameday Erm, you do know that the war ended in 1945 and we joined the EEC in 1973, don’t you?

No, I'm a bit dim and have no concept of history - why don't you explain it to me?

@Hester54

And it ended so well!

Sad here too.

So what I can assume is the people that are sad either work in the EU, work for Eu or companies that are EU funded, or are married to EU citizens
European citizens are welcome here, who said they’re not?

I guess if you're someone who lives in Britain with no plans to leave, is married to someone British, works in Britain, goes on holiday once or twice a year and plans to retire here then I can see why perhaps you wouldn't think it's a great loss.

I am pretty much all of that, but I only holiday in mainland UK. I am beyond devastated.

Same here.