Posted on 04/03/2008 2:05:21 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
The political leader of Scotland told a packed crowd at the University of Virginia on Tuesday that his nation deserves independence from Britain.
During his appearance in the Dome Room of the Rotunda, Alex Salmond, first minister of Scotland, praised Thomas Jefferson’s principles of self-governance and liberty, saying they underscore his argument that Scotland should secede and become its own country.
“Today, within the present constitutional arrangement, we do our utmost to improve the lives of the people of Scotland,” Salmond said. “And we know that, tomorrow, with full responsibility for our destiny, Scotland can become an even better nation. Our people more free, more prosperous and more secure. That is our vision. It’s not too different from the vision that Thomas Jefferson showed America in the Declaration of Independence.”
The British Embassy did not return a call Tuesday for comment. Many people in Britain oppose Scotland’s secession, including British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, himself a Scot. According to the BBC, Brown has said that the United Kingdom would suffer economically and culturally without Scotland.
Salmond, who was elected last year, is the head of the Scottish National Party and is an advocate for a Scotland-wide referendum on independence in 2010. He visited UVa as part of a tour of the United States to promote the first Scotland Week, which started Sunday and highlights Scottish academic, business and cultural accomplishments.
Salmond’s visit marked the 10-year anniversary of the U.S. Senate’s passage of its Tartan Day Resolution that acknowledged that Scotland’s Declaration of Arbroath may have helped inspire the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Arbroath, sealed in 1320, stated that Scotland was independent from England and that Robert the Bruce was the true king of Scotland.
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Feh! A peaty swill, that, just like Laphroaig and the other Islays.
I'll take any Speyside any day (even the Cragganmore), particularly if we're talking those that flow from a sherry cask like The (yes, "THE"!) Macallan®, or perhaps Glendronach.
And you can find The Macallan in Costco, no less. For that reason alone, I am a Costco member for life . . . .
Unemployment blights Glasgow's children
"The situation has been blamed on the current benefits system that allows some 70,000 British households to receive more than £25,000 a year. About 20,000 of these are claiming more than £30,000 in benefits every year."
Scottish beef is really excellent. You can also get cheep wool in places off of Princes Street.
“Peaty swill”?!? Heresy!
We don’t have any Costcos on my side of NC, only Sam’s Club.
Not that that matters anyway, because the state of NC has a monopoly on all the liquor sales. Jerks!
Peaty swill!? The smoky peat flavor is the best part!
I have some good friends that are Scots and they all are excited about home rule and feel secession will happen eventually.
That said, they also feel that the society itself will have a hard time because it is much more socialist that Great Britain (yes, I know some will find that hard to believe).
I am willing to overlook donations to the Democratic Party in exchange for cheap single malt and 24-packs of Bounty paper towels. Even if I weren't, my only other local option is BJ's -- which is vastly more liberal/touchy-feely/Ben-and-Jerryish than Costco will ever be.
England would benefit anyway, btw, as Scotland is the most socialist of any of the four nations that make up the UK.
Scotland has the same effect on the UK that Quebec has on Canada. Their mistrust of the conservatives of the other regions almost singlehandedly pulls the entire country hard to the left. Maybe dissolution would be best for all involved.
I like the way you think, King.
So, do they become an independent member of the Commonwealth, like Canada, or restore the Stuart claimant? (I think that would be a member of the House of Wittelsbach, since the direct Stuart line died out in the early 1800s.)
The Duke of Bavaria. He would be King Francis II of Scotland. (Yes, I looked it up. I am not a closet Jacobite.)
My only regret was that I didn't buy a Jimmy hat when I had the chance. When we went back to England I was unable to find one anywhere...not even in Great Yarmouth.
Yes.
But most Scots, inc yours truly, believe a powerful Scotland within a powerful Britain (which we joined of our own accord and can secede if we wish) is best for Scotland.
Even as a Conservative and Unionist, I roll my eyes at much of the ‘facts’ presented by those in England as ‘proof’ of Scotland’s ‘subsidy junkie’ existence...
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