Neverendum...

I generally don't do politics or religion. Normally... I don't know enough about either, nor do I want to - as is MY choice - so I feel best to just not get involved in debate. However... this whole referendum thing is really starting to grate so I'm going to have a rant. Feel free to stop reading now. You have been warned and I won't be offended. It is not my intention to offend any of you.

However, please note: I do not require answers. All of my questions are rhetorical and I certainly don't need your views on which way to vote. I'm simply having a rant. Because all of these things piss me off and because I can. Thank you in advance for respecting my journal.

In this photo you see a religious nut I witnessed from the bus on the way to work this morning. Judging... me? Alas yes I am. Who of sane mind goes out dressed like this to force his views on other people? Well I guess he does.

The political campaigners in this referendum, in my view, regardless of which side of the fence they are on, are just as mental as this man. Both the YES and NO campaigners irritate me in equal measure.

Putting aside the unknown future that no-one can predict regardless of which side of the fence they're on, putting aside oil and currency and being a member of the EU, the whole thing has been a farce from start to finish. Televised debates that were embarrassing to watch, never before has my TV come so close to being hoofed out the window. Questions that are left unanswered. A society that's divided.

I have seen cars with loudspeakers, covered in flags and stickers. I have seen a taxi with bagpipes on the top suggesting we pipe down. Someone I know has had their car vandalised because there was a sticker in it. My personal view is along the lines of 'what did you expect' but to each their own. I would no more put a sticker on a window, either at home or in my car and quite frankly I'm embarrassed that we have them in the windows at work. I dare say expecting people to be civilised and respect that we all have our own views is a reasonable thing to hope for but it appears to be too much to ask when you make your views known. There is no respect. Almost every person on the opposing side, after asking how I'm voting, has sneered at me and proceeded to shovel a link or a reason or some view in my face that they hope will change my mind. In the nicest possible way... fuck the fuck off.

I understand that people are passionate about the whole thing, that's a good thing I guess but I'd like them to show as much passion for all the things that are wrong in the world we live in and actually do something about it rather than sitting in an armchair or behind a computer screen trying to sway other people to think the same way as them.

On reading social media, I discovered that a postal vote had been spoiled and landed back on a voters doormat. I've heard of kids going to a televised BBC debate and been told to sit on the YES side because there were too many NO voters regardless of the way they were choosing to vote. Which part of that is okay?

A colleague went to her polling station this morning and was given a pencil to mark her ballot paper. A pencil? I have never been given a pencil in all the years I have been voting. I have packed a big black marker pen for my trip to the polling station tonight and I'm not afraid to use it.

I object to the money wasted on fliers that have appeared through my door. People are visiting foodbanks... which part of this sort of wasted money is okay? In this day and age there is no need for signs stuck to lampposts or people knocking on my door telling me which way I should vote - fortunately I ignored the one person who has knocked when I've been at home because I heard them talking at the main door when they rang my buzzer. I did not allow them access to the stair. Unfortunately, someone else did. They should consider themselves fortunate that I didn't open the door. I object wholeheartedly to religious people who do this too. It's beyond wrong in my view to force your view on others. By all means debate, by all means rant and be passionate but fuck right off telling me how I should vote.

I'm an adult. I have a brain. I have access to the internet to do my own research. I do not need other people's opinion forced upon me on a daily basis.

I loathe the division that this whole referendum has caused in our country. I object to the emails I'm bombarded with at work, urging me to vote as they are voting. I do not think that it's okay for that to happen. I do not think it's okay for random people to ask which way I'm voting... would you do that in a general election? I do not want to have every conversation revert to the topic. I object to hearing 'I wish they'd just piss off' from an English person referring to the Scots as a whole. I don't like the anti-English or anti-Scots mentality that this is causing. I want to live in a country who accepts people because they're decent as people not because they're English or Scottish or pink with purple fucking spots.

I realise my hypocrisy in ranting here but I have PMT and it's my fucking journal so suck it up or stop reading. I'm half tempted to switch off my comments to so as not to encourage further debate.

I pity the poor sucker who dares to approach me this evening as I go to cast MY vote. The one that I have decided on all by myself, with no assistance from those who see fit to ram their opinions up my nose all day long. I fucking dare them to approach me.

I am outraged that the age limit to vote has been dropped to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote. I am wholeheartedly in favour of our younger generation engaging in the debate. They should engage but they are not old enough, legally, to vote. I think the age limit has been lowered for all the wrong reasons. The legal age to vote is 18. To bend the rules on this occasion is inexcusable. They won't bend rules when it comes to election time, why is it okay to do it now? Who decided that and why weren't we given a say?

I don't understand why the whole of the UK does not have a vote. The outcome will affect everyone and those of legal age, should be allowed to vote. Why should people living in England, Wales and Ireland not have the right to vote? Together we are the United Kingdom. This decision affects everyone.

If you're Scottish but don't currently live here, you are not entitled to vote. If you're working in London say, yet you own property here you are not entitled to vote. Which part of that is okay? Yet if you're from Poland or Australia or Timbuckfuckingtoo and you live here in Scotland, you're entitled to vote. How is that fair to those who own the houses that these (very welcome) tourists are living in when they can't vote because they're working away from home?

None of that is fair. None of that is right. None of it sits well with me.

This is my opinion, I have not forced it on you because you had a choice to stop reading at the start. Please refrain from sharing your choice of vote but please feel free to nit pick through any of my rant. I'm happy to rant back at you.

I have deleted subscriptions (I'll pick you up again after the vote is over - please don't be offended) because I don't want to listen to why I should vote yes or why I should vote no. I have hidden friends on Facebook because of their continual YES/NO postings. I have stopped discussing it (most of the time) with anyone because it really just gets on my wick. I have a vote and if someone is on the opposing side then immediately I'm wrong. I'm happy not to discuss it. I'm happy to have friends I differ in opinion with. I'm not happy when I am not allowed to think for myself. So you think I'm wrong? I don't fucking care. It's my vote, it's my choice and not once have I ever suggested that you change your mind. It's your vote, do with it what you please but for fucks sake, stop shoving your choices in my face like you're going to change my mind.

The likelihood of either side behaving with any grace or dignity tomorrow, after the outcome is slim judging on how they've behaved during their campaign. Quite frankly I wish I lived in Timbuckfuckingtoo!

Now you have just witnessed a nut with PMT!

You're welcome!

Sorry to my Mum for the many uses of the F word!

Lunch hour well spent.

Wine anyone? *grins*