In my dismay, I thought that this reminded me of the "Blood and Soil" language used by the first Chancellor of the unified German Reich, Otto von Bismarck.
I now realise I am guilty of misquotation and misrepresentation.
Of Bismarck, that is.
The phrase of his I had been misremembering was "blood and iron". Turns out that it was actually "iron and blood", and was simply an 1862 forecast that German unification would require military action to overcome the opposition of its neighbours, not just political resolutions.
No, the "Blood and Soil" phrase got its 20th Century popularisation by Nazi ideologue SS-Oberfgrueppenfuehrer Richard Walther Darre, one of Hitler's cronies.
Now, do I resile from anything I said earlier? No, absolutely not.
“There is no country on earth that we have more family connections with than Northern Ireland,” said Salmond. “They are the blood of our blood, bone of our bone."
As I said earlier at Unionist Lite, this is a classic Nick Ridley moment. A politician relaxes in an interview and gives away a lot more than they really meant to: an insight into their subconscious thoughts.
So, Salmond really thinks that the relationship between "we" Scots and "they" Northern Irish is defined by "blood and bone". This is only possible, of course, if both "we" Scots and "they" Northen Irish are also defined as groups by "blood and bone".
Deep down in his psyche, he is an ethno-nationalist. He may have constructed a rationalist, civic-nationalist superstructure on top of that, but that is the way he thinks and feels in his core.
Yikes. Nasty.
[Edit:
I know he claims in his next sentence "I would have done the same for anyone."
First, too late: he's already let us see how he thinks. Second, I frankly don't believe him. There is absolutely no way he would have used the same language about any part of England. (Oh, I can see him offering to sell some water to one of their water companies, if it had hit trouble...)
I am also aware that he is paraphrasing a poem by Alexander Gray. This makes no difference: the original can indeed be seen as an expression of "civic nationalism", solidarity between all those working in a country, while Salmond's version has been changed in meaning and context to refer to the "family ties" between two "peoples".]
(Now I could go on about the other point - Salmond evidently thinking that it's right and proper for him to treat state-owned companies as playthings which he can tell to do whatever he likes. And the fact that Scottish Water habitually sits on "an emergency stock of 380,000 litres of bottled water, with 500,000 litres on stand-by from suppliers" - this isn't actually their water from their reservoirs, mind, it is bought from privately owned bottling companies. And people keep claiming that SW is tightly run and doesn't have any featherbedding which could be exposed by privatisation... Never mind, another time.)
30 comments:
Funny how a Con MSP forget his name annon will do who wants to label those on community service with a visual uniform just like someone back in the 1930's. But thats imperialist mind thoughts very narrow.
Is this an attack blog?
" would have done it for anybody in that position. "
Why are you misquoting Salmond?
Do you lie often to cover your woeful research skills?
The Imperialist look.
CH, I heard Mundell was 'pied' today, surely it's only a matter of time before Sm753 is battered with a white pudding supper by Angry SNp supports and other right wing unionists slippered.
"Why are you misquoting Salmond?"
Dealt with in an edit, Muttley.
"Dealt with in an edit"
You sir don't play with a straight bat.
Not very British what what?
Why didn't the Department of Health in England approach the Scottish Government to help out with supply of flue vaccination?
Why didn't England help Northern Ireland?
What's wrong with them?
Why are they so against the other nations in the United Kingdom?
The UK PM said the “whole country is incredibly proud”.
Which 'country' is he referring to Sm753?
He does know that this is a UNITED kingdom of different nations and that Scotland has a cricket team doesn't he?
Is this crypto imperialism or just clumsy tory little Englander syndrome?
"First, too late: he's already let us see how he thinks. Second, I frankly don't believe him. There is absolutely no way he would have used the same language about any part of England. (Oh, I can see him offering to sell some water to one of their water companies, if it had hit trouble...)"
My goodness, your vile.
So let's see - your theory is that Alex Salmond believes that people in Scotland & people in Northern Ireland are connected by a bloodline.
Is this a secret bloodline?
Is it the Merovingian blood line?
Is this a Dan Brown novel?
"Is this a Dan Brown novel?"
I think Sm753 has been watching a little too much discovery chanel over the xmas period, the old fool has got himself in a tizzy.
He's probably goose stepping up and down his garden as I type, dressed in his black all in one rubber 'tebbit' suit screaming 'don't mention ze war'.
I think we all know you the militaristic absolutist imperialist fascist is here.
Hiya Sm753.
Oh dear Sm753, Rufus is really struggling on the scotsman threads today, he's taken on the SFT subject but is clearly out of his depth.
Perhaps you can send in the cavalry to save your ideological comrade, he certainly needs it.
"So let's see - your theory is that Alex Salmond believes that people in Scotland & people in Northern Ireland are connected by a bloodline."
Not my theory Obby, his.
"They are blood of our blood..."
Why don't you ask him?
Muttley, a few points:
- I have now made it clear where the edit is. You have a point about that.
- I'm not sure what is going on with flu vaccines, and I don't really care.
- All the water companies in England & Wales are privatised, so naturally they would't be chucking free bottles of water around the place - they would be sticking to their mutual-assistance obligations.
Salmond no doubt thinks he is making a point about the moral superiority of state ownership.
Actually he's made the opposite point - what exactly is Scottish Water doing sitting on hundreds of thousands of litres of bottled water, bought for cash from private suppliers?
It demonstrates that the thing is feather-bedded and badly run, and that WE CONSUMERS are paying too much.
"All the water companies in England & Wales are privatised, so naturally they would't be chucking free bottles of water around the place - they would be sticking to their mutual-assistance obligations."
The Scottish Government via Scottish Water bought water from private bottled water producers.
Your point doesn't hold water (titter)
Apparently, the NI Executive refused whatever help the Uk Offered, the issue is, nobody seems to know what that help was.
"Actually he's made the opposite point - what exactly is Scottish Water doing sitting on hundreds of thousands of litres of bottled water,"
Oh for goodness sake, we've just the coldest snap since records began, that has meant lors of burst pipes for homes, shops and offices.
It's called 'Good Governance' planning for eventualities, you'd do well to acknowledge it periodically, your continually sniping just looks silly.
I don't need to ask him Smee, it's just typical Salmond flourishing language.
Politicians are quite prone to that, you should hear George Galloway when he gets going & I am sure that the Bar L will be flowing with it when Tommy moves in to the Big Hoose.
Not that I am comparing Salmond to Gorgeous or the tanorexic one, he is far less vain, but they do like their wee speeches.
You are I believe reading far too much into this. I think it is perfectly possible indeed likely that Salmond got a kick out of one devolved government helping another devolved government.
He would also have got a kick from Scottish Water being able to step into the breach - as it has performed well in comparison to other water companies while still in public hands.
Well, that's what politicians do, they seize their opportunities when they can. The unionists seized the opportunity to force Stewart Stevenson's resignation, Salmond seized an opportunity to stick two fingers back at 'em.
That's politics, & the people in NI got their water - which is actually the only thing that anyone will remember at the end of the day.
I would bin your paranoia & remember that the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, & NI have built up good working relationships together & act as a bloc when they feel they have common interests.
I think it more likely that is where the bond is, rather than nonsensical rubbish about bloodlines.
"That's politics, & the people in NI got their water - which is actually the only thing that anyone will remember at the end of the day."
Exactly.
What they will also remember is the lack of help offered by the UK Government to their citizens as the Tory Pm was too busy gushing over English cricketing success to worry about those without water.
Have you tried horlicks instead of brandy at this time of night, it might help control your anger and seething resentment as displayed on Scotland on Sunday website.
You really must try to control this infatuation you have for the Eck Meister, your incessant attention that you give him is a little embarrassing from a middle aged man.
Of course Scottish nationalism is based on certain völkisch sentiments. A "nation" is after all not a state but a people, defined by a combination of things such as common ancestry, history, language and culture.
What else could is possibly be defined by? Blind irrational faith that anyone inhabiting a particular arbitrary geographical locus north of the Cheviots should be in their own state? It hardly seems plausible, and it is amazing that Scottish nationalists even try to pretend it is the case.
It can be defined by the fact that the people who live in Scotland believe that they would be governed better if the whole governance was based in Scotland, rather than 400 miles away.
It's not a difficult concept to grasp & doesn't depend on blood.
Now of course I haven't actually managed to convince all of the people in Scotland that they would be better off being governed from home, but when I do it won't be based on völkisch sentiments:-)
"people who live in Scotland believe that they would be governed better if the whole governance was based in Scotland, rather than 400 miles away."
At the last election, 80% of us disagreed with you.
When will you be posting your groveling apology to me, I can't wait forever you know.
The Scotsman threads are waiting.
Muttley
Beelzebub will be skating to his office before there is any need for me to apologise to you.
What are you bleating on about?
I see you've got my posts deleted.
How sad for you.
Nevermind, there be other times.
Michael Gove, one of your favorites, taking a shellacking over misguided Tory policy:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12171281
Observer: "It can be defined by the fact that the people who live in Scotland believe that they would be governed better if the whole governance was based in Scotland, rather than 400 miles away."
Again, though, without a Scots people what makes Scotland a country? Why should people in Shetland - or Glasgow, come to that - be any better off being governed from Edinburgh than they are from London, especially in the age of the fiber optic cable? Why don't Scottish nationalists extend this "argument from distance" to Carlisle or even Newcastle?
It's because it's a self-delusion. Scotland, the geographical area, is nothing if not the Land of the Scots. And Scottish nationalists are interested in the emancipation (as they see it) of a people, not in improving administrative management of the area of Great Britain north of such-and-such by having it elsewhere than London.
It's perfectly obvious. Just admit it.
Emancipation? Women got the vote some time ago it's not really an issue for me.
I can't really be bothered with debating what makes Scotland a country, mainly it's because the people who live in it regard it as one.
If we have to have governments then it makes sense to have the government as close to the people who are being governed as possible.
There isn't really a need for the union in the 21st C.
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