'If you were in a pit, with no means of escape, up to your neck in
excrement and someone threw a bucket of vomit at you, would you duck?'
Eek, now that is an unpleasant image.
Now I am not for one minute suggesting belonging to the EU is like being up to your neck in excrement, nor am likening a bucket of sick to leaving. I am amazed however and left feeling slightly incredulous that much of the media, social or otherwise is having a swipe at those who voted, with best intentions to leave. It is interesting that from the demographic make-up (and I am aware that this is generalising and there are many exceptions) those who voted 'in' were generally those who are home owners, middle class, better paid, university educated, with savings/pensions etc. Those whose current position was okay, stable. Essentially those who voted in wanted the status quo because the status quo was okay for THEM. Nothing wrong with that, but that seems to be a fairly reasonable generalisation.
What about those for whom things aren't so good? What about those who don't own their own property and can never see a way of doing so? Those whose rents are skyrocketing because 'buy to lets' can charge what they want and they do? What about those on zero contract hours or feel that they have unfair competition from those willing to work for less? What about those whose benefits are being cut to the point where surviving seems impossible and they still get the blame for 'bleeding our country dry'? What about those who have become jaded by cynical politics and corrupt politicians? Those who are disenfranchised, who feel when they are asked if they would like a change feel that they have little or nothing to lose? They vote 'leave'. Years of the rich getting richer and austerity that hits the pockets of the poor to 'save the country', that all starts to add up. For those who have little, or perceive they have relatively little, change is a good thing. I really get it.
Today I ran over a bridge that crosses the M5. For the last 6 weeks I have crossed that bridge and it has been okay. For the last 6 weeks I crossed that bridge and didn't think about throwing myself off, this is different because for the 18 months before that crossing bridges had become difficult for me. Now I don't think for one moment that I would have actually done it but I kept thinking about it, the idea just kept coming into my head. I don't want you to feel sorry for me, nor worry about me or judge me - it was a thought, a thought I had no control of. Was it depression, mental illness or sadness? I don't know and I also know of the many reasons why it would have been a terrible idea, not least the poor person who would have had to scrape me off the motorway.
Jumping, ducking, leaving might seem like a good option when what we feel we might leave behind is worth less that what we actually already have.
With the pit of excrement there is no good choice, though my sister - a nurse would say she would duck every time. With the bridge there is a terrible choice, a choice I will never make and I am so glad that that is no longer present in my mind. With Brexit, I still don't know but I will not blame those who voted 'out' because they were hopeful for a brighter day and a better future, I just hope for all our sakes we can build one.
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