Ever get angry? Me neither!

I know that I’ve written on the subject of anger before, but seriously; I find that of late I’m getting that old pitch and toss of anger bubbling to the surface much more often than it used to. You know when you find yourself worrying about something but you just don’t quite know what it is? Well it’s the same with my anger. It’s just an underlying feeling that I’m aware of … and then I realise: of course, ‘Brexit!’ (with a capital ‘B’ naturally).

At the time of writing, goodness only knows what the outcome will be; and nor does a single living soul as far as I can gather. In consequence, I can’t really launch into anything too explicit, and anyway I have no intention of producing a political tract. To be honest, I much prefer to give you food for thought and, moreover, to make you smile along the way.

The first thing which I should admit to at this stage is that I did not vote to leave the EU. I tell you this in case you might think it relevant, but for the purpose of this article I can assure you that it is quite academic.

Let me make my point.  We were granted a referendum by a democratically elected government. The majority vote of the referendum – or a people’s vote if you like – was that we should come out of the EU. That should have been it, we would all buckle down – wartime spirit, chins up – and get on with it. Simple. Don’t you believe it!

Our system of government and our culture has evolved over many years to respect the tenets of democratic decision making. This applies whether it be a company board, a cricket club or a government. We might not like it but that’s the way our system works. Ironically, this system has evolved with the involvement of Italians (Romans), Germans (Saxons), Scandinavians (Vikings/Normans), the individual countries of The United Kingdom and many more. In many ways we are already an EU.

In simple terms we have learnt to grit our teeth and accept the majority decision. We didn’t seek to tear everything down, because we were sensible enough to realise that this would simply be counter-productive. In addition, we didn’t seek to denigrate our way of life because that would only give comfort to our enemies.

Not anymore – and that’s what agitates me above all else because our way of life is based on this compact. By refusing to accept what, just to reiterate, was patently a majority decision, we are undermining our way of life. In the long term this could be much more cataclysmic than our leaving the EU.

So there you are - and I bet that didn’t make you laugh - but what makes me angry is that, with all of the obfuscation that has taken place on both sides, the true implications of this process have been almost completely overlooked. I should stress that I haven’t changed my original view but I would fear much more for future generations if we allowed this process to destroy a system that has stood us in good stead for many years.

Maybe we should remind ourselves of Voltaire’s quotation (although variously attributed): “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”

Please do not think of this in any way an attempt to promulgate a particular political view. It is not meant to do so. Furthermore, I hope that all of you esteemed international readers don’t find this article too parochial. I am sure that what I have written can possibly have its echoes in your own countries. There’s always been problems throughout the world - mostly self-induced - it’s just that with modern technology we are much more aware of them

Whilst I’ve been writing this, I should like you to know that our next-door neighbour’s cocker spaniel has broken through our fence and dug up all of the tulip bulbs that I planted this morning. Now that really makes me angry.

Furthermore, I should add that I might possibly be writing my next piece from the Tower of London. I am sure that you will be most relieved to know that this won’t have anything to do with malicious damage to a gun dog!