Scotland On The Brink

In the next 24 hours, Scotland will have a chance to do what we Irish have never had the chance to do - leave the United Kingdom. Sure, people say the six counties are no longer a part of Ireland but for me, Ireland always has and always will include our brothers and sisters in the north. Years of conflict, murder, bombs and discrimination, under the agendas of both sectarian and class divides, has never changed this. We are of this island, whether you are a ''fleg'' bearer or not. It matters not whether the butcher's apron adorns parliament at the other end of the island. It matters not the hatred and the disdain that arises from a conflict that has for so long has been under the banner of religious conflict. Make no mistake, the north is all that will be left of the much vaunted and overly-celebrated United Kingdom. All that will remain for the family that was... ahem... chosen by god... is the Commonwealth Games and the fact that their blood-stained flag still taints 25% of the national flag of many countries around the world.

Scotland have a chance tomorrow to be something we never have been - completely free of the oppressors. Even in the south, where we flaunt Michael Collins and his actions of eight decades ago like some kind of anti-establishment hero, we still adhere to many British traditions. Our governments have a very similar system. Our banks are identical and often owned by the same companies. We are as conservative as our conservatively-run neighbours - little change, high taxation, the division between the 1% and and the 99% become greater by the year - it is there for all to see. Our education and health services are almost identical also, as are our attitudes towards Europe, despite our insistence that we do as they please. This is the problem with Ireland. We settle for what we can get. We never say no. We take the pounding and shrug and say to ourselves ''ah, sure it could have been worse''. We had one of the greatest booms the world has ever seen and we blew it. Every penny worked up, every market that was thriving has been destroyed by our reluctance to stand up to the those who continue to put us in our place.

For those who criticise David Cameron for giving Scotland the opportunity to leave the Union, do not be so foolish. This is a win-win situation for the Conservative PM. Should the Scots take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity and gain independence, the proportion of Conservatives left in Britain rises dramatically, securing Cameron a further term in office ahead of the remarkably incompetent Ed Miliband, as well as at least another term for the Tories. Should the Scots fail to leave the UK, David Cameron will be hailed as the greatest strategist since Churchill saw off the filthy hun for mighty Blighty. He will be revered for crushing the opposition in Scotland, who have posed the biggest threat to the Union in history and at the same time secure the Scottish oil reserves. Dave is no fool. The only fools are those who abide by him.

So Scotland, we here in all 32 counties of this beautiful island, as well as the Basque, the Catalans, the Palestinians and many other oppressed peoples of the world emplore you to throw off the oppressors, take this opportunity with both hands and stick it to the queen, prince Charles and the establishment that facilitates, supports and practices apartheid, sectarianism, genocide, internment, torture and wars for oil. Do what we cannot.