Alasdair Macdonald
In 2014, one of the unionist jibes against independence supporters was that it was Scottish ‘exceptionalism’, by which they were implying that we were claiming Scots were better than anyone else, i.e. we were blood and soil nationalists, which equated Scots with fascists and Nazis.
But, they were not averse at deploying exceptionalism to attack independence. Scots were not very good, not genetically programmed to manage our own affairs: Scots were exceptionally inadequate as a people.
There was also the jibe of ‘identity politics’ – we identified as Scots and nothing else (they claimed), so that was bad. However, having British identity was a good thing – ‘when Britain first at heav’n’s command/arose from out the azure main/this was the charter, the charter of the land/and guardian angels sang this strain/Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves/Britons never never shall be slaves’.
This was PATRIOTISM and patriotism was a good thing, because it was about pride in country, as long as that country is Britain/England. Independence supporters are nationalists and that is a bad thing because it is about pride in a country which is not Britain/England.
So, by these criteria Scottish, US, Canadian, New Zealand etc ferries are bad because they are not British/English, whereas Isle of Wight and Scilly Isles ferries are good because they are British/English and are affected by weather and wear, tides and tear, which are all natural things.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
What is almost never discussed by the unionist media when highlighting the ”failures” of Calmac /SNP Ferry provision is the enormity of the subsidy that islanders receive in order to maintain their links with the mainland .
Prof. John has touched on this several times but the stark truth is that the BBC , STV , even the Herald’s Vice-admiral in charge of articles intent on sabotaging Calmac Ferries NEVER refer to this incredible support . If , like the isle of Wight service , these islanders were at the mercy of private operators then it is likely that many services would not exist as they would be considered unviable ( translation : not profitable ).
Advice for Calmac critics : Never look a gift horse in the face !
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I’m thinking of spending a week in a caravan in Arran. As an outsider, that should be long enough for me to declare myself an expert on all things maritime and insular and be acknowledged as a leader able to guide the simple natives out of their ignorance.
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Please report back.
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That ‘subsidy’ from the Scottish government, just in case some confuse it with English false narrative of ‘subsidy’, the lie they promote pretending that England subsidises Scotland.
The British/English media are the enemy of Scotland.
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The British really are a pox. Speaking of pox I see the BBC are runing a piece right now (0653) in the efforts to increase measles vaccinations in England. The expertsays the target is to get to 95%, right now it’s 83%.
Second rate joke nation them English. If they can’t steal it they’re not interested.
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https://www.energylivenews.com/2024/08/29/uks-most-productive-wind-farm-and-260km-subsea-link-completed/
But we still have to pay the highest price and Slab are now taking our Fuel Payment from us. Wake up Scotland we are being shafted again.
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