In the last few days I’ve been having a few Brexit discussions on Facebook, after a childhood friend posted a pro-Brexit stance. I approached it in the softest, most respectful way I could, and got pretty respectful responses back.
It’s made me think. Not to change my Remain position, but to actually respect the pro-Brexiters.
2 and a half years ago, the Leave vote came as a shock. I, amongst many, couldn’t believe it. ‘You want to do what to us? But why?’
WHY?
No good answers ever came, as far as I could see. Why do this? I don’t understand. Even 2 and a half years later, I still don’t understand – especially the people harping for a no-deal Brexit. ‘Why do you want to do this to us all? Do you not see it will harm us in every way for many years to come? Do you not see the ugly signal it sends? Why do it?’
But still, they feel the same way.
In the vote’s aftermath it felt like there had to be some misunderstanding. They HAD to have been misled. How could anyone want THIS? HOW? Yet they still do. 52 to 48 then. Maybe it would be the same now. That has to be respected, even if, to me, it makes no sense at all. Thinking this way, it helps me understand why they are so upset about our calls for another vote. They want their first vote to stand.
I’m still very pro a second referendum. I still think it can’t really be 52% who want this. But maybe it is. A second referendum would show us that. All Remainers would have to accept it. I don’t really know how to feel about that. It just feels ugly and small to me. It makes me feel diminished as a British citizen. Yet if that’s what the majority wants, there will be no choice.
We will find out pretty soon.