Every time I hear Times Radio discussing whether Crimea could perhaps be given to Russia in exchange for peace, I feel like asking how British folk would feel, if Denmark had a radio show pretending to have a serious debate about returning the Danelaw to Denmark.
Just like Britain is Britain, Ukraine is Ukraine. And no matter how many times the Murdoch media empire keeps platforming people who insist on both-siding Putin’s illegal invasion, that will never change.
@randahl Actually, you can have Florida. You had an empire, once.
"Wales is somewhat isolationist"
- that's not a Welsh perspective.
Wales was invaded, brutally crushed and settled by a kleptocratic regime with expansionist ambitions who sought to crush neighbours who would not swear fealty to him (I'm talking about Edward I, but the similarity with Putin should be clear).
What happened in Wales since then is what Ukrainians fear.
Like Ukrainians, Welsh people want some self-determination and respect.
I hear you. However, if there is one thing I have learnt as a now emigrated Brit, English people are generally oblivious to their Anglocentric / colonial perspective, certainly more than they realise (hence the casual jokes about the Welsh / Irish / Scots combined with a studied indifference to the interests and concerns of these people.
And of course Zelinskyy is - was - a comedian, and he is not giving away any of Ukraine to a more powerful and arrogant neighbour.
@NovaNaturalist @randahl I wasn’t condoning anything, and Zelenskyy has a keen enough sense to inject humor where he can even in these horrifying times for Ukraine.
I’ve heard far worse cultural-isolationist jokes about the Northeast of England, for example, than Wales. Overall, the jokes on panel shows tend to be inclusive ribbing rather than exclusionary and divisive.
@JohnLoader6
Aye! Wouldn't no-one in real ol' yurop ever do this! Evar0z!
Cuz, u know, no miles, hence no mph.
@NovaNaturalist @randahl @godofbiscuits I wonder about these 800 year old cultural grievances.
It's OK to say "the current central government is daft for the following reasons" and want out of that. But "my ancestors 200/400/800 years ago had a different setup" feels like something that's not physically meaningful on the ground.
Those who lost wars long ago will keep using these justifications to try to gain more power -- compare US Southern states and "historical pride" movements.
Ideas?
@StompyRobot @randahl @godofbiscuits
I left the UK for a new life in Canada because I had enough of being abused by the Conservatives and their chums. On migrating I realised, I was just the latest in an centuries long saga of abusive power, and people trying to escape it. All the Celtic nations endured this. And of course Canada has its own awful colonial legacy to address.
The aggressor continues to abuse, and is the beneficiary of historic abuse.
@StompyRobot @randahl @godofbiscuits take my last UK MP, Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax. His family wealth comes from slavery, and the compensation slave owners awarded themselves for the loss of their "assets". Despite the most privileged education, he didn't succeed at college. He creates nothing, he doesn't work. He collects rents, and then votes in parliament to maintain his hateful power.
These injustices are centuries in the making.
@freequaybuoy I guess it is like that in many countries. It seem to have become less and less in Denmark, because we move so much around, most people have lived in multiple parts of the country and realised, we are very similar.
When I grew up, everyone made fun of the people from Copenhagen. Now every family has a member who has studied in Copenhagen or lives there.
Why Essex?
@godofbiscuits
Brexit (or Austerity 2.0 as I called it) caused me to Leave the UK. And its being going well for me since.
Its then I realised how many millions of people have fled Britain over the centuries to escape the brutality of the Tories.
@OldWoofian you are not alone.
There was a period where every UK citizen who worked here under EU rules were told, they could stay, if they applied for a Danish citizenship. I know some who did, and they seem to really enjoy it here.
I really like how there is mutual respect between Brits and Danes, much like there is a strong bond between Scandinavians.
When Scotland talked about independence and rejoining the EU, I heard only positive voices in Denmark.
@randahl
in short, countries are established in agreements. not necessarily other factors, like language and ethnicity.
as an example, northern ireland belongs to uk, even though uk left the eu.
@randahl
i forgot murdoch.
i know that murdoch's media empire has poisoined u.s. media. and i classify murdoch as a propagandist at this point. is he poisoning uk as well!?
@randahl Denmark is taking over?? 🙏🏼 We're saved!
Seriously though, of course any suggestion of concession to Russia by Ukraine is absurd and deeply offensive.
"Keeping the peace" by ceding territory has never worked, ever.
Despots like Putin who use perpetual war to hide serious domestic problems, like corruption, will just start another war.
Putin's war is disguising the draining of Russia's national coffers by profiteering oligarchs.
The pattern & practice should be familiar to Americans.
The GOP uses war in the same way:
As a pretext to distract from serious domestic issues & by the same entities; the oil industry & its financiers.
@randahl, joking aside, please can Danelaw be returned to Denmark?
Politics in the UK is terrifying. The country is run by a mafia. I'm too old to emigrate, so if Denmark could take over and sort out the mess the 'Tories have made of our public services that would be great! I'd like hope and trust to return.
@randahl I suspect a much higher %age of people living in Crimea want to be part of Russia than people living in the Danelaw area want to be part of Denmark.
To me, I feel like there are other reasons why ceding Crimea is a bad idea right now. (It might be nice to have a proper referendum on this someday long after the violence stops, and free of little green men.)
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