My Two Cents on Scotland's No Vote

As an American, I can never fully understand why someone wouldn't choose freedom. But when freedom is all you've ever known, it is difficult to wrap your head around another way of life.

Fear triumphed over hope yesterday.

Fear can be a great motivator. It can motivate us to do good things, to change our circumstances, to make a difference. It can also be a paralyzing thing that holds us back, keeps us from doing what we know in our hearts is the right thing to do, and it can keep us frozen in place.

I'm an American, not a Scot. I don't have the same life experience as the Scots do. My opinions are all from what I see, hear, or read about Scotland. I don't know how I would have voted had I been born there, so my perspective is somewhat skewed.

Before we shake our heads in disbelief, I think its important to remember where our perspective or our point of view is coming from.

My heart is with all of Scotland today. Looking at it from a fiercely independent mindset (I have NO political party as I don't trust political parties), I had hoped and prayed that the people would have voted for independence for a number of reasons.

I can only imagine how difficult the choice was for some. Think about it. On one hand, you have an excited, motivated, hopeful group of people saying "Now is the time for our independence, to be free, to be the masters of our own destinies. We don't want food banks, we want jobs. We don't want government handouts, we want opportunities." On the other hand, you have a group of people saying, "If you vote yes, you're going to lose your homes, your food, your healthcare, your whole way of life. The government can keep you from going hungry and without healthcare."

You see, we have the same problem here in the US as they have in the UK. The government has convinced the people that they can't survive, can't make it, can't do anything without the government's help. Politicians rarely, if ever, have our best interests at heart. That is true around the world. I think many go into politics with a sincere belief they can make a difference. But something happens along the way. Its like some big, dark, vortex exists in the state and federal capital that once a good hearted person steps foot inside the walls of the capitals, their soul is sucked right out of their bodies. I say that tongue-in-cheek, but there is a truth of hint to it. Something does happen to change these well-intentioned individuals.

Perhaps they get a taste of power. Power can be as addicting as crack or heroine. Once you get a taste of it, you can only focus on getting more.

But I digress, as I'm oft want to do, and I apologize.

I stand with Scotland today and hope that someday they do realize the freedom their forefathers fought so hard for hundreds of years ago. Many Americans don't realize it, but many of our founding fathers were from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. They could not find freedom in their beloved homeland, but were able to come to this country and help us find ours. For that, I am forever grateful.

May God bless Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. May they someday find freedom.