Today I am left feeling bereft, horrified and fearful.
Yesterday I was horrified and saddened. The senseless death of an innocent, vibrant young woman (mother, daughter, career woman, carer, ambassador, advocate), shocked me beyond words. The images of her with her children brought me to tears. The words of her husband broke my heart.
This morning I feel sick to the stomach. This senseless, tragic death has become the advertising board for the average Brexit voter. Jo Cox, peace keeper, humanitarian. What would she think of us all? She has, overnight become an excuse for hate and a political shit covered stick with which to beat 50% of the population.
The Referendum is simply a UK wide OPINION POLE. The result, unless it’s Remain, is unlikely to bring forth any government change that will result in a Brexit. At best a large vote or a majority vote for Brexit will cause a much needed shake up in UK politics and EU structure. But, based on the fact that no Brexit plans have been revealed to back up a political (as opposed to race hate) campaign, suggests that there are no plans to follow through on a Brexit vote if that’s what the referendum (opinion poll ) suggests.
When the Referendum first began, I was (and still am ) a Brexiter. However. This is a MASSIVE HOWEVER. Brexit campaign has been commandeered as a race hate, xenophobic, fascist platform. I can’t imagine that the majority of Brexit-to-be-Voters ever wanted or expected this. For me it’s never been about immigrants. But the campaign has come to represent ONLY immigration and race hate. Honest, honourable, humanitarian, Brexit campaigners have been drowned out by a collective VoteRemain spin and an extremist VoteLeave front man, Nigel Farage .
And now poor Jo Cox, whose life was dedicated to peace and humanitarian causes has become, overnight, the ‘evidence’ of a divided, race hating Britain.
I am sick. Sick to the stomach of what we have all become since we were offered a referendum. On both sides we have become savages. I place some of the blame on the politicians, much of it on the media. But as human beings I blame most of it squarely on the shoulders of each and every one of us . Every individual who has lost sight of the facts and leapt onto the hate and spin bandwagon.
Shame on the people of the UK. Shame on the people of Europe and the world who are choosing to add fuel to the fire. Shame on us ALL
Jo Cox; Human Being, Woman, Mother, Wife, Daughter may your memory cease to be tarred with anything other than your goodness and kindness . RIP
Rose-tinted ramblings of a Less Ordinary Life 
Truly a tragic and senseless tragedy. We, in the U.S. can relate to that with our recent tragedy.
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the attack in Orlando was terrifying and tragic. sadly attacks and tragic accidents involving guns happen too often in the USA – we in the UK can’t understand the lack of gun control implimentation , Every other danger that presents itself is resolved with new H&S or risk management plans. Hooray for the filibustering that went on in the Senate last week. Thank fully here in the UK gun crime and accidents are very rare
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Some of us here can’t understand the lack of gun control either. Many of the politicians in Washington get large contributions from the gun manufacturers so that it won’t happen.
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“Every individual who has lost sight of the facts and leapt onto the hate and spin bandwagon….”
Nobody has lost sight of the facts, for the simple reason that nobody has been given any facts… just loads of opposing predictions, suppositions, scaremongering and chest-thumping. Facts would be lovely, so the masses have at least a chance of in informed choice.
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that is true – we have no facts. We have no details of the plan you would assume would be in place if they planned to follow through on a Brexit vote. We have no idea how the EU , Europe and the British Parliament will act and what will be implemented after this vitriolic, divisive and downright horible and (i suspect, pointless) referendum. What is clear is that feelings are strong, political engagement is high and all our heads are being filled with dangerous propoganda and bullshit – thats both sides. And now THIS
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Dear Berni,
Firstly, thank you. You’ve tackled many difficult topics on your blog and you always do so with honesty and writing from your heart.
This is a tragic day and I do feel a sense of shared responsibility for the death of Jo Cox and the general tone of hate in our country.
As you know, you and I have differing views on very few things; the EU referendum is actually the only thing I can think of where we have differing opinions. And I love that we listen to each other, respect the fact that because we have different thoughts does not weaken our friendship or make me love you any less.
The overwhelming opinion has been taken, on both sides, by the extremists. I feel shame at how every side has used anger, hate, lies and speculation to attempt to scare us into a result that suits them.
The loss of an MP scares me too; what are we becoming when a member of our parliament, there to represent us, is killed on the street? And when I think of her husband and children, my grief overwhelms.
What a fitting tribute it would be to Jo if the tone of British politics took a turn, learned to educate and explain with facts, engage in real debate not shouting and drowing-out, but respect and celebration of the fact we can voice our opinions, take steps towards change and make our country a better place, for everyone who lives in it.
With love
Dinah x
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hear hear, D. thank you xxxxxx
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