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I’m Ashamed To Be British


On his visit to the UK, US President Obama has stated his opinion that Britain is stronger within the EU than outside it.

Opponents of EU membership, notably Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith, call him a hypocrite:

… Vote Leave’s Boris Johnson said President Obama’s view was “a breathtaking example of the principle do-as-I-say-but-not-as-I-do”…[and] described Mr Obama’s argument as “inconsistent” and “downright hypocritical”.
“The Americans would never contemplate anything like the EU for themselves or for their neighbours in their own hemisphere. Why should they think it right for us?”…

Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, who is also part of the Vote Leave campaign, also accused Mr Obama of double standards.
“I can imagine no circumstances under which he would lobby for the US Supreme Court to be bound by the judgements of a foreign court,” he said.
“Nor can I imagine any circumstances in which he would accept that laws should be made for­- or taxes imposed on­ – the people of the United States without the approval of Congress.”[1]

These people will say anything – and twist any situation – for their own gains. They totally ignore the fact that the United States has its own version of the EU. It’s called the UNITED States – a central (federal) government overseeing separate state governments under a single Constitution.

That is exactly how Europe should be run.

It’s time Britain, and the British, realised they are no longer a nation with an empire. It’s time they stopped regarding themselves as better than the Germans and French because they beat the former, and liberated the latter, in WW2 (with a little help from the Americans!). If the French can forgive the Nazi atrocities imposed on their countrymen eighty years ago and work together with the Germans to build a better and more united Europe, then it’s time the British gave up their arrogant swagger towards Europe and adopted a more cooperative attitude.

UK politicians talk blithely about Britain’s strength, and how it should be in the forefront (read: leading) Europe, but conveniently forget that both the French(5th) and German(4th) economies are ranked above Britain’s(6th).

One has only to note the supercilious smugness towards their hosts of many Brits living in France, to wonder how the French put up with it. They do because, in general, they’re more tolerant, more accepting, and frankly better mannered than the British.

Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith have their own political agendas and would, no doubt, benefit in the short term from a UK exit from the EU. Johnson is favourite to become prime minister and leader of the Tory party should David Cameron be forced to resign after a UK pullout.

It’s easy to feel ashamed of one’s fellow countrymen.

[1] “Barack Obama visit: UK more effective at fighting terror inside EU” BBC, April 22nd 2016


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