Lancasterclaret wrote:Dsr/Paul - I get the concerns about the way the EU is going, but it depends on how willing you are to accept change.
Whatever happens (as far as I'm concerned), I'll still be British, and English, and a part of Europe.
You are both knocking on a bit, so you be long gone (apologies for the terminology!!) but I look at my kids (for example, and I know other people will have differing views) and they will happily be chatting to the Hungarian and Polish kids at their school, without drawing any negative connotations from it.
Thats the future, not some vaguely remembered "better time" that the likes of Farage go on about.
The rise of anti-immigration rhetoric, the almost certain economic impact and the resulting scramble to heap yet more blame on the blameless (immigrants) is not something that I'm ever going to be comfortable with, and if stopping that means being more integrated into our closest neighbours and allies, then I'm happy with that.
I fully understand others are not, but it doesn't mean that you are right.
Hi Lancs,
You are tough debater; yes, I'm in my 7th decade - but my financial consultant/pension advisor tells me I need to plan to make my pension fund last 30 years - and that's after a heart attack early this year! (I'm doing my best to make it).
Of course, at my age I don't need to vote for myself. I've got 3 grown children and many nieces and nephews and a wider family beyond, including some in a 3rd generation. Maybe I'll be lucky also to be around when there is a 4th generation coming after me.
My vote is for all of them - and everyone else both in this country and in other countries. Intellectually/spiritually/emotionally I'm a "citizen of the world." I'm working now as a consultant, my client has a global business, offices in Asia, Europe and the Americas (I was on the phone with Houston yesterday, it will be the same with Singapore in a few days or so). I've been employed in a number of "global" roles: hired staff and led teams across 3 continents on a number of occasions. My small team in my last role were 3 x Italians, 1 x Malaysian and 1 x Guyana (formerly British Guiana). My friends come from all nations and from multiple racial backgrounds/heritages. I care for them all - and I think of them all when I'm voting (of course, my votes have always been limited to UK elections/referendums). My vote was not a selfish vote.
I'm not "anti-immigration." I've lived and worked in Netherlands and USA in years past - in addition to working globally from a London/UK base for the majority of my working life - my employers include firms from Japan, Arab Gulf and USA. (Even at my age, I'm still ready to work elsewhere and experience other cultures).
Yes, there are obviously some who don't recognise the debt we all owe to Poland: the experienced Polish fighter pilots were the foundation of the UK's survival through the difficult days of the Battle of Britain. Of course, I'm not one of them.
My children - all now grown adults - also had friends at school from immigrant backgrounds. I was pleased, proud and encouraged that for their generation, differences of race or nationality (and all the other diversities) are not differences to be feared, rather values to be celebrated and the foundations for great friendships.
Let's take courage in our democracy. Let's acknowledge the outcome of the referendum - and be thankful we all got the chance to have a vote. Let's now move forward and make a success of the new opportunities we have, both in the UK and with the rest of the world, including our friends in Europe.
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