How has the Scottish independence campaign been reported outside the UK and what are your opinions? : AskReddit
u/up-quark
How has the Scottish independence campaign been reported outside the UK and what are your opinions?
it's reported without much detail, history
I believe, therefore, many people are ignorantly neutral here
Am American, can confirm the ignorant neutrality I feel. Haven't heard much about it at all. I suppose if they want independence, I would take that side of the fight though.
I'm sorry, but the only things reported in the US are football, Jaysus, and ISIS.
It hasn't been portrayed as a really big deal here in the U.S. From what I can tell, the only thing that would really change is the flag, moving the nuclear missiles out of Scotland, and a change in currency. That might sound ignorant, but that's the impression I'm getting from the news.
You'll see this flag, instead of the Union Jack. I think. There's a freakin' dragon on it!
Would the flag not just be the Union Jack but without Scotland's blue and white?
Id rather the dragon though, I am guessing it is to finally include Wales into it?
Is that not the Union Jack sans the Scottish blue? I saw it reported on the news somewhere and on Reddit. I'm confused.
Who cares?! DRAGON!
US here. It's been covered fairly decently by NPR, however nothing groundbreaking. I'm aware of some of the financial arguments against independence but that is about the extent of it. From what I know (and I'm no expert), the independence movement seems to be more of a pride issue and that it will do Scotland more harm than good. Please feel to correct me if I'm mistaken.
No detail, mostly make it out to be a trivial effort that won't succeed and is a bad idea in general.
US/Hong Kong:
US: Little to no coverage, but when it is it seemed very surface level. Lots of parallels drawn to the history of the US, almost cheering them on to leave the UK for their own independence.
Hong Kong: As a former British colony that is now under Chinese rule and in an uncertain political period you can see why they think Scots are nutters for trying to part with the UK. Very much pro-UK (understandable as most expats there are British) and often points to Scotland's deadbeats and the fact that it is an aging welfare state pulling in more money that it pays into the NHS. Hardly unbiased, I'd argue at a similar level to the BBC on the issue.
My opinion: After watching both debates I can't help but think both Salmond and Darling are ignorant political mouthpieces that can barely articulate their arguments. Salmond devolving to calling Darling as "being in bed with the Tory party" during the second debate was a particular low point. That and Darling never explaining why the currency was such a huge issue to him, and constantly coming back to that issue and pretending he never heard Salmond's 3 answers to the currency plan B question. Salmond also strikes me as someone that's never crunched numbers or written a budget before.
All in all, while I believe Scottish independence is admirable and they need more representation in the UK... I can't help but feel that they are shooting themselves in the foot so hard here. This made sense to do 20-40 years ago, but not now. I feel the right move is to threaten independence to get more representation and reshape the political theater from there. Too much risk (threat to social programs and currency uncertainty), with the only reward being more autonomy that we've not seen concrete plans on what to do with.
That said, as a former British colony resident, I wish you luck Scots whatever your choice may be. However do not under any circumstances expect a peaceful divorce.
impartially. Personally I am all for it. Good on you Scotland. Now if aus could get off our arse and become a republic, it would be great.
I listened to a new story this morning on it. From what I hear it is a very close race. The funny thing I heard in the story was, all the "yes separate" campaign work may have driven away people from yes separate because Scottish people don't like being told what to do.
How has the Scottish independence campaign been reported outside the UK and what are your opinions? : AskReddit
u/up-quark
How has the Scottish independence campaign been reported outside the UK and what are your opinions?
it's reported without much detail, history
I believe, therefore, many people are ignorantly neutral here
Am American, can confirm the ignorant neutrality I feel. Haven't heard much about it at all. I suppose if they want independence, I would take that side of the fight though.
I'm sorry, but the only things reported in the US are football, Jaysus, and ISIS.
It hasn't been portrayed as a really big deal here in the U.S. From what I can tell, the only thing that would really change is the flag, moving the nuclear missiles out of Scotland, and a change in currency. That might sound ignorant, but that's the impression I'm getting from the news.
You'll see this flag, instead of the Union Jack. I think. There's a freakin' dragon on it!
Would the flag not just be the Union Jack but without Scotland's blue and white?
Id rather the dragon though, I am guessing it is to finally include Wales into it?
Is that not the Union Jack sans the Scottish blue? I saw it reported on the news somewhere and on Reddit. I'm confused.
Who cares?! DRAGON!
US here. It's been covered fairly decently by NPR, however nothing groundbreaking. I'm aware of some of the financial arguments against independence but that is about the extent of it. From what I know (and I'm no expert), the independence movement seems to be more of a pride issue and that it will do Scotland more harm than good. Please feel to correct me if I'm mistaken.
No detail, mostly make it out to be a trivial effort that won't succeed and is a bad idea in general.
US/Hong Kong:
US: Little to no coverage, but when it is it seemed very surface level. Lots of parallels drawn to the history of the US, almost cheering them on to leave the UK for their own independence.
Hong Kong: As a former British colony that is now under Chinese rule and in an uncertain political peri
od you can see why they think Scots are nutters for trying to part with the UK. Very much pro-UK (understandable as most expats there are British) and often points to Scotland's deadbeats and the fact that it is an aging welfare state pulling in more money that it pays into the NHS. Hardly unbiased, I'd argue at a similar level to the BBC on the issue.
My opinion: After watching both debates I can't help but think both Salmond and Darling are ignorant political mouthpieces that can barely articulate their arguments. Salmond devolving to calling Darling as "being in bed with the Tory party" during the second debate was a particular low point. That and Darling never explaining why the currency was such a huge issue to him, and constantly coming back to that issue and pretending he never heard Salmond's 3 answers to the currency plan B question. Salmond also strikes me as someone that's never crunched numbers or written a budget before.
All in all, while I believe Scottish independence is admirable and they need more representation in the UK... I can't help but feel that they are shooting themselves in the foot so hard here. This made sense to do 20-40 years ago, but not now. I feel the right move is to threaten independence to get more representation and reshape the political theater from there. Too much risk (threat to social programs and currency uncertainty), with the only reward being more autonomy that we've not seen concrete plans on what to do with.
That said, as a former British colony resident, I wish you luck Scots whatever your choice may be. However do not under any circumstances expect a peaceful divorce.
impartially. Personally I am all for it. Good on you Scotland. Now if aus could get off our arse and become a republic, it would be great.
I listened to a new story this morning on it. From what I hear it is a very close race. The funny thing I heard in the story was, all the "yes separate" campaign work may have driven away people from yes separate because Scottish people don't like being told what to do.