The Saltire strikes back!

Let’s start by clarifying a couple of points. The office of First Minister is not the incumbent. Whoever bears the title of First Minister of Scotland does so only with the consent and approval of the people of Scotland and the Scottish Parliament. The office of First Minister belongs to the people of Scotland. The incumbent merely borrows it with permission. Whoever the incumbent may be and whatever your personal opinion of them or their party or their policies you should stand ready to defend the office of First Minister.

Whomsoever disrespects, demeans or denigrates the office of First Minister insults the Parliament and people of Scotland.

The Saltire is the flag of Scotland. It is our national flag. It represents only the nation and people of Scotland. Whoever uses it and for whatever purpose, this remains true. It is Scotland’s flag. It symbolises Scotland. The Saltire is important not for what it is, but for what it represents.

Whomsoever disrespects, demeans or denigrates the Saltire insults the nation and people of Scotland.

The Union flag represents neither a nation nor a people. It is the emblem of British Nationalism. It symbolises only a repellent ideology characterised by exceptionalism, nativism, xenophobia and arrogant, overbearing imperialist pretension.

In Scotland, the Union flag speaks of the capture of Scotland by the ruling elites of England-as-Britain. Whenever and wherever the Union flag is displayed in Scotland it proclaims the British state’s ownership of our nation. The purpose of displaying the Union flag is to remind the people of Scotland of British superiority and our subordinate status within the structures of power, privilege and patronage which constitute the British state.

Whomsoever displays the Union flag disrespects, demeans and denigrates the nation and people of Scotland.

Union-jackery

For some time now there has been an unconcealed effort by the British state to undermine the idea of Scotland as a nation by obliterating the Scottish ‘brand’. Supermarkets in Scotland have become instruments in the apparatus of British Nationalist propaganda. Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, has been quite explicit about his ambition and intention to crush Scotland’s spirit under a mountain of Union flags.

I’ll tell you what we’ll do. We make sure – with every policy we pursue, with every investment we make in Scotland, then we put a Union flag on it.

For instance, the COP26 climate change summit that’s going to be held … the leaders of the entire world will come to Glasgow.

I guess I don’t mind seeing a Saltire or two on that summit, but I want to see a Union flag – I don’t want to see Nicola Sturgeon anywhere near it.

Nicola Sturgeon fires back at Boris Johnson over plot to sideline her at COP2642

Witness the contemptuous condescension in the phrase “I guess I don’t mind seeing a Saltire or two…”. Be aware that when Johnson mentions Nicola Sturgeon he is referring to the First Minister of Scotland. With every word that oozes out of the British Prime Minister’s head like pus from a putrefying wound he insults Scotland. He insults Scotland’s people. He insults you!

What are you going to do about it?

A nation offended

White Rose Rising is an unabashedly nationalist group dedicated to ending the Union and restoring Scotland’s independence. But even if you are not yet persuaded of the need to normalise Scotland’s constitutional status you should still object wish some passion to the British political elite’s attitude to and treatment of our nation. Even Unionists who nonetheless value Scotland’s distinctive identity should be offended by the plot to extinguish that identity. Everyone who identifies as Scottish in whole or part must be sickened by the British Prime Minister’s comments and feel compelled to protest against his plan to smother Scotland in Union flags during COP26 in order to conceal from world leaders Scotland’s true identity and in the hope of impressing them with his domination of this rebellious wee country.

This is primitive scent-marking on a grand scale.

Strike back!

Is Boris going to get away with pishing on Scotland as he intends? We should not expect that the SNP+SGP/Scottish Government will do much. There will be pompous but totally ineffectual speeches from the likes of Ian Blackford and high-minded Tweets from Nicola Sturgeon. But that is all. No action will be taken. They will do nothing. If anything is to be done it will have to be done by the people of Scotland.

White Rose Rising proposes that we strike back. We appeal to every citizen of Scotland to start now stocking up on Saltire flags, posters, banners, badges, stickers etc. in preparation for a mass effort commencing Sunday 31 October to make a highly visible statement of Scotland’s true identity for the benefit of visiting world leaders and as a rebuke to the Johnson regime.

As COP26 begins on 31 October we would like to see a saltire in every window. Everything on which the British state would stick a Union flag should instead carry the Saltire. Every lapel should sport a badge. Use your imagination!

This is an opportunity for the entire Yes movement to come together on a shared project. It’s a chance to regain the unity of purpose which made the Yes movement such a powerful force ten years ago. This is Scotland’s people flying Scotland’s flag in Scotland. Who could sensibly object to that?

We do this not just to impress the world or to chastise the British state, but for the sake of our own self-respect.

Watch White Rose Rising for further information.

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