The great Unionist conspiracy theory
This is rather odd, because this flies in the face of all evidence. In my experience Salmond might try to avoid answering a question — like all experienced politicians — but I’d say he’s less mendacious than most. The SNP is a left-of-centre party that is welcoming to foreigners, and the first elections in an independent Scotland have already been planned for 2016.
The disconnect between reality and Unionist beliefs is so great that it’s starting to look like a conspiracy theory (defined by Wikipedia as an “explanatory proposition that accuses two or more persons, a group, or an organization of having caused or covered up, through secret planning and deliberate action, an illegal or harmful event or situation”).
In my experience conspiracies appear when people for some reason don’t feel that the obvious explanation makes any sense. For instance, lots of theories have appeared about the fate of MH370 because it sounds so unlikely that a Boeing 777 can go missing in the 21st century.
However, to me the facts about the SNP and the wider Yes movement are easy to find and make perfect sense. So what is it that make some people invent ludicrous theories about us?
Perhaps it all begins with the Too Wee, Too Poor, Too Stupid attitude. Lots of Unionists seem to take this proposition for granted (even if they don’t like to admit it out loud).
If Scotland is too wee, too poor and too stupid to be independent, then logically the Yes campaign must be either be misguided or lying when they claim Scotland will be a rich and successful country after independence.
Whereas many Yes campaigners can be excused as being misguided (or useful idiots, if you will), this cannot be said about Alex Salmond, who is intelligent and well-informed, as well as having hundreds of civil servants at his disposal. He must therefore be lying.
But why would he be lying? What’s his interest in claiming that Scotland can be a successful independent country? He must either be doing it out of personal ambition, or he must believe in an evil ideology (such as fascism) that blinds him to the human cost of this endeavour.
As soon as you start seeing Salmond as a budding fascist dictator, it suddenly makes sense that the entire SNP party must be full of blood and soil (Blut und Boden) Nazis. Also, fascists are known to be very regimented, so it cannot possibly be the case that the cybernats are acting independently — they must be controlled centrally, preferably by Alex Salmond himself.
And there you go — it all makes perfect sense. Except that it is completely and utterly wrong! It flies in the face of all available evidence, as anybody who has attended an SNP or Yes Scotland meeting will tell you.
It is a conspiracy theory and should be treated as such.
The great Unionist conspiracy theory http://t.co/YtFDloX9wZ
@Daveinmaryburgh @Leasky @AlasdairStephen @MhairiHunter I think it’s all a unionist conspiracy theory: http://t.co/Dh9k8ZgkEU
The great Unionist conspiracy theory | Arc of Prosperity http://t.co/iQtcMXfcc9 #indyref
@cath426 @iainmacwhirter I think some unionists have created a conspiracy theory that predicts coordinated abuse: http://t.co/Dh9k8ZgkEU
@arcofprosperity @iainmacwhirter Good article. And with social media they only understands it as campaign tool. Don’t get genuine upswell
The great Unionist conspiracy theory http://t.co/ZODJPldGYB #IndyRef #BetterTogeher #YesScotland
RT @TheRealHenBroon: The great Unionist conspiracy theory http://t.co/HXDUJkG2In
RT @JRTomlinAuthor: The great Unionist conspiracy theory http://t.co/ZODJPldGYB #IndyRef #BetterTogeher #YesScotland
The great Unionist conspiracy theory http://t.co/oZzilGo2Ho
This is a deliberate act on the part of the leaders of the No campaign and many unionist politicians. In the absence of any real case for the union, they have decided to adopt the standard Westminster strategy when dealing with “colonies”, divide and rule. Create a situation where one group of “natives” are encouraged to hate another group because they can be portrayed as less deserving humans who have managed to organise things to make sure they get more than they should.
This is the same strategy Westminster have adopted against the poor and disadvantaged, Make the middle classes and the working poor believe that they are losing out because there is an underclass of “shirkers” who are playing the system and taking all the money that should rightfully go to pay for the services they aren’t getting.
There have been many examples of the same tactic used in the past. How many former British colonies have been left with a divided population when Westminster had got all they could get and graciously allowed them to become independent. If no other, think of what British rule of Ireland led to.
Look at the current situation where many Labour activists harbour a hatred of Alex Salmond and the SNP that goes way beyond reason, actively encouraged by the leaders of Labour in Scotland.
My fear is that the current No tactics will leave a residue of bitterness, distrust and even hatred between the two sides which may take years, even generations, to heal. And if the bitterness and distrust escalates into violence, I suppose they’ll see that as a bonus, allowing them to lock up the most outspoken of the critics.
But they don’t care as long as they can continue to benefit from Scottish resources and enjoy the money and privilege that being part of the Westminster elite gives them. They want to win at any cost, especially as the cost will be paid by us and the benefits will go to them.
From the archives: The great Unionist conspiracy theory http://t.co/cUfwxwybA4
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RT @arcofprosperity: From the archives: The great Unionist conspiracy theory http://t.co/cUfwxwybA4
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