Home

My 350 on BREXIT: Not my country

The referendum was subverted into a push for ethnic cleansing. No-one stopped it and no-one will undo it now.. WHY?

Dave Winthrop
11 July 2016

When the cowards ran away some of the politicians who were jockeying to replace them were going “Pick me! Pick me! I can help heal the scars..”

Me, I'm not 'healing' a racist England. Those who became 'the 52%' after thirty complicit years of being stoked, herded and prodded are loathesome.

Generations battled racism. How a nation managed to eradicate its racism was once a touchstone of its democracy and civilisation. Now, we have 15 million self-declared racists amongst us; about 1 in 3. Couple that with their fabulously stupid non-reasoning and repellent contempt for suffrage - “I didn’t think [my vote] counted,” “I always vote UKIP,” “It was a protest” brews up a mix so indelibly toxic that it poisons daily life.

Even if I'm supposed to accept that 'dog-whistle' has some perverse legitimacy, it is accepted that voters see it for what it is, that they don’t take it seriously and above all that they don't use it as a trustworthy decision-making source.

Yet that is exactly what happened. It was genuinely shocking to see the 52% aping racist mantras. That is not 'repairable.' Such zombification on a vast scale tests my capability to understand. The difference between me and the 52% - I admit an inability to comprehend.

The referendum was subverted into a push for ethnic cleansing. No-one stopped it and no-one will undo it now.. WHY? And why is there so little rage over this? I'm seeing a democratic state being reforged into some kind of ethnic cleansing machine. Those who object are quiet, respectful, polite, almost acquiescent. Why? This is an outrage. This is sedition. Someone needs to stop this but no politician has the courage to stand up. And so in their continuing cowardly silence I'd have to say that every English politician wanted this outcome. 

Sold lies by liars so I get to freely hate other people? Not my country.

In the aftermath of the historic British vote to leave the EU, openDemocracy is asking for our readers' thoughts on Brexit and what needs to happen next in 350 words. We've had an extraordinary response and you can read them all here.

Had enough of ‘alternative facts’? openDemocracy is different Join the conversation: get our weekly email

Comments

We encourage anyone to comment, please consult the oD commenting guidelines if you have any questions.
Audio available Bookmark Check Language Close Comments Download Facebook Link Email Newsletter Newsletter Play Print Share Twitter Youtube Search Instagram WhatsApp yourData