Brexit-Healing (a new phrase)
The dilemma for a faithful European national.
Given my pro-European stance, I have been astonished over the last three years by the responses of people, both friends and acquaintances, who have unfriended me on Facebook over the issue of the UK’s exit from the European Union. I am sure that there are other parallels across the world, not least in the US, which seems every bit as polarised over President Donald Trump.
There are issues here of justice, equity and peace. I want to address these as someone who is still utterly committed to the UK remaining in the European Union — even if that is now unlikely. But above all for me, it’s about the future — whatever that future looks like — and how we heal the damaging divisions we are witnessing. It is also incredibly important to value what our European partnership has brought to our lives and how that can inspire a real and enriching way forward for us all.
One day, a friend of over two decades said to me online, “you just have to agree with this now — it’s the will of the people”. My own response was that I believe that I live in a democracy and as a consequence, have every right, even an obligation as part of a slim minority…