We crossed over to the Netherlands in our camper and spent the first night parked in a row of vans looking out over the exit from Rotterdam Harbour. Inevitably I ended up thinking about the impending exit from the EU and how unnatural it feels. Despite the water between us we have been part of Europe since dinosaurs walked the earth. I know there is an argument that says that the EU is under the control of too much vested interest and the only way to create a better balance is to de-construct the present system and build something new and better and I almost agree but I believe that the best way to tackle this is from within a united Europe created, after all, to build peace after a devastating war. I’m quite sure that only a tiny percentage of those in the UK who voted to leave did so for the benefit of Europe as a whole, the majority had self interest at heart and some, of course, voted to leave for the worst possible reasons of xenophobia, racism and right wing nationalism.
Nationalist and racist motives exist across the whole of Europe and beyond as we know and those are the real ills of society that need to be addressed. Assuming we leave, I believe that it’s crucial that all those who recognise these real dangers, as thankfully many do, create ever stronger connections across international, credal and cultural boundaries to build a better environment of understanding and co-operation in all our communities if our children and their children are to have any kind of real and sustainable future.
Thinking Aloud 