It is 7am on our last day in Majuro and the the sails are quivering in nervous excitement as I grab the internet once more before we go. While my substantive blog post is below, I must quickly pass on a request. We are not likely to hit internet again until the end of june, after the UK`s referendum on whether or not to stay in the EU. I want to vote, but won`t be able to. I want to vote to stay in the union, and I am hoping that someone who wasn`t going to bother to vote (understandable)will read this and then be like `oh, go on then, ill get my shit together, register to vote, vote...`.
Why remain? My main reason is very simple, though there are many others (and, granted, strong arguments to leave also). I believe that borders are basically unnecessary, and that people should be able to go anywhere they want in the world without some arbitrary authority (elected through an outdated and fairly undemocratic system) requiring bits of paper or fingerprints or lots of money for the privilege. There are free trade agreements galore (TTIP being the latest example) that allow money, goods and services to move freely; why on earth shouldn`t humans? This is one of the basic tenets of the EU and I think it is fantastic. It is fantastic that I can go to Berlin or Vienna and do a masters there for a few hundred euros, because they still believe in education as something positive for society in general, rather as a pathway to making loads of money. Fantastic that I can go and work as a ski instructor in Switzerland or a teacher in Greece or a rock star in Civitanova Marche. For as long as I want. And if I get sick, I can go to a hospital and be made well for free.
I haven`t done any of these things (except the rock star one), but what I have done is had my life massively enriched by EU citizens who have ended up in London. Some of my best friends in the UK hold EU passports and they, like the last two people I have been in love with, would not have been able to live and work in England without EU freedom of movement. And that would have sucked.
The well worn `the schools are full... the NHS can`t cope... this is because there are too many immigrants` counter argument must not be dismissed out of hand. As rabid lefties, we are prone to do this, and come off as holier than thou in the process, but these emotive ideas are the crux of the debate for many, and must be addressed methodically. Having said that, the internet is so slow here I won`t be able to find the references to do that, but the basic rebuff is that EU migrants contribute way more in taxes than they take in benefits, healthcare etc, and of course should be afforded the same rights to stay healthy and educate their children as the rest of us.
The real scroungers are the multi-nationals who can afford to pay teams of lawyers to practice tax avoidance (remember when it felt like Google was run by really nice tech geeks? How naive we were); the Sir Philip Greens who buy companies, strip them of their assets then allow them to go bankrupt, private jet safe in it`s hanger, pension fund subsidised by the taxpayer; the Bullingdon boys with trust funds in Panama... These people are denying the public purse millions, millions that could be spent on new hospitals and schools, and this daylight robbery will continue whether or not we are in the EU (unless of course we get together and stop it). The media uses `the migration issue` to play on our fear of losing the way of life and standard of living we cherish to distract us from the fact that a small group of people are screwing us every day. And when they do report on it, it is implicit that this is just how things are, and always will be whether we like it or not. Which is, of course, a lie...
But look at me going off one one... The point is that the EU mitigates nations` borders and allows us to explore new people and places without having to ask anyone`s permission, and in my eyes this is great and very progressive. The UK leaving the EU is like the flatmate who doesn`t like the smell of simmering fish stock, or is angry because someone used a bit of his cheese, so locks himself in his room and won`t talk to anyone, considering them evil personified, whille the rest of the flat has a great time sharing pasta with chilli and garlic, drinking wine and falling in love.
Let`s not be that guy.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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