Thread by @YourWullie

On the back of todays events in George Square and the following comment yesterday from one of my followers:

'The idea that “my nationalism is better then yours” is a narcissistic fantasy I’m afraid'

I wanted to highlight a few home truths.
A Thread -

Anum Qaisar, the general secretary of the Muslim Friends of Labour, organised a mock referendum vote at the University of Strathclyde in 2014 for Muslim students. She herself went into the debate convinced she would vote to stay part of the union.

After the debate, the number in the 'No'' camp almost halved. And it also changed Qaisar's own mind - "I worry about the direction UK politics is going; as the granddaughter of immigrants I don’t want anti-immigration and xenophobic policies at the forefront of political debates"

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said there is “no difference between nationalists trying to divide Scottish and English people and ‘those who try to divide us on the basis of our background, race or religion’”.

Yet, in 2014 a poll by Awaz FM showed 65% of Asians would vote Yes.

Dr Nasar Meer, an Edinburgh-based social sciences academic at the University of Strathclyde - "Scottish nationalism has a very "low boundary" which makes the movement accessible even to recent immigrants"

"Scotland is one of the most welcoming countries in the world. There's a real sense of community - not just between ethnic minorities but as a society I believe that Scotland is an incredibly tolerant country. Therefore immigrants gain strong ties to Scotland straight away."

Frank Angell, honorary secretary of Glasgow Jewish Representative Council who's father came from Hungary during WW2 - "Our family was always exceptionally proud to be Scottish Jews, and for me that has translated into the desire to want to be part of an equable Scotland"

"Scots are very tolerant people. Of course, the concerns about nationalism do cross your mind, but there has been a real rise in right-wing feeling and xenophobia across Europe and it hasn't happened in Scotland"

The Center on Dynamics of Ethnicity research showed that Scotland’s Pakistani immigrants were almost twice as likely to identify as Scottish as England’s Pakistani immigrants were to identify as English. Scottish Asians seem to integrate easier than south of the border.

“We get independence because many of us support our countries by celebrating their independence from Britain. No country that’s previously been ruled by either Britain, France or Belgium has chosen to go back, Africans get independence” - @CllrGrahamC

The anti-English narrative is also very tiresome. English Scots are always very well represented at independence marchers and get togethers.

And please let's drop our own narrative surrounding Rangers fans, again there's always a large turnout at events.
Some things are far more important than football.

I accept there are issues with racism in Scotland, there's issues with the far right and bigotry, often sitting hand in hand - however i won't accept the independence movement as a whole being tagged with these brushes. Anyone doing so is ignorant or pushing a false narrative

“I don’t care where you have come from, If you choose to make Scotland your home and you do this country the privilege of making it your home, then you have as much say in the future of our country as anyone else." - @NicolaSturgeon