A Few Thoughts on Brexit

Unless there’s likely to be a significant and immediate impact on my country, I don’t like to comment on other countries’ politics. One of the thousands of things I don’t miss since quitting Facebook is the fatuous, ill-informed political pontification, typically coming from my friends overseas (sorry guys, but no matter how much you might think you know about genre fiction, you know less than nothing about America’s politics, history, and values). So I live the golden rule. Still, I do want to say a few things about Brexit.

Turn Those Machines Back On: I’ve learned that millions want a do over on the vote to leave the EU. Well, to quote president Barack Obama’s gracious words, “I won.”  Votes have consequences.
Hitler=You: It’s interesting to see that so many ordinary, average people who voted their consciences and want what they think is best for their country are being called racists, nationalists, and bigots . That’s the go-to claim made by a certain type of half-wit who can’t bear it when you disagree with him. I myself was called a Nazi by Ginger Nuts of Horror’s site owner Jim Mcleod for expressing, in my own space, opinions that millions and millions and millions of other people share, so I’m familiar with the tactic. That sort of name-calling only succeeds if you let it.
The Merkel/Obama Effect: Even the most casual observer would have to conclude that one of the tipping points toward the Brexit vote was Angela Merkel’s throwing open Germany’s (and thence all of Europe’s) borders to Syrian refugees. Funny that this time the Germans were the canaries in the coal mine, but in this case it was a self-inflicted injury. Another last-minute boost for Brexit came from the aforementioned American president, who warned Britons what would happen if they crossed his will. UKIP’s Nigel Farage said of this, “A lot of people in Britain said, ‘How dare the American president come here and tell us what to do?’” How, indeed.

As always, I wish my friends across the pond the best of success, and pray that they get everything they want. As a proud citizen of the first Brexit back in 1776, I can only say that I’m glad everything worked out so well for us.