RICHARD.JACKSON@NENE.AC.UK wrote:
snip
> Oh no!!! Not that again, Look, WE DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF EUROPE,
> we have our own Island, our own currency, our own government, and
> best of all, OUR OWN IDENTITY!!!!!
Rich,
my friend, You've always been, are - and will always be, a part of
EUROPE... Remember EUROPE goes all the way east to the Ural Mountain
ridge. And I can assure You, the British Isles are stuck in EUROPE,
for ever.
It's the EUROPEAN UNION You don't want to be part of, I take it.
And more so, obviously, the EUROPEAN MONETARY UNION. Nitty little
details in Your mind maybe, but a giganteous difference in facts
my friend.
Remember, I specifically stated it was my _personal_ opinion that a
federation would give Doug, You and other Brits the chance to take
part in our Classic Car insurance scheme. Nothing I tried to bully
You into. Please.
Just a small question. Why did You join the Union if You so obviously
don't want to be on the train when it leaves the station and heads
into the future?
And as for identity I think we should be aware of the inherent risks
with every small group of people upholding their identity whatever
the cost. Take a close look at the aims of "identity defenders" like
the ETA, the IRA, the Serbs, the Croats etc etc. They only try hard
to uphold their identity, while the rest of us are going off into the
future abord an integrated European Union with prosperity in mind. The
price for them upholding their identity is dear for their neighbours
and friends, believe me. I've got friends trying to uphold the peace
down there. I have a friend who went in with the first battallion who,
more or less, had to fight their way into their assigned area back in
'92. Using the Danish Leopard tanks as a persuasive means of breaking
the siege... I wont try to quote what he feels about groups "upholding
their ancient identity", it's no nice language...
If we want to avoid wars in EUROPE in the future, and in western
Europe in particular, we must press ahead with the integration. And
think of the vast market with 3-400 million citizens within one union.
Remember the US are only some 170-200 million people in the 50 member
states. We would be 300+ in a mere say 20-25 states.
> Hitler tried to unite Europe and look what happened then!
Yes, but not into a federation of equal citizens. Vast difference.
How do You feel as a humble subject, by the way? ;-)
> I for one would rather pay higher insurance with proper English
> pounds instead of bloody stupid ecu's!!!! :-)
It's Euro's not ECU's any more. And the fraction is cent if I'm not
mistaken. You still wanna count shillings also? Hate the decimal
system altogether, eh? ;-)
> Just my opinion!
Thank God, I was suspecting You tried to talk for the whole of the
population on the British Isles ...
> Cheerio
And the same to You my friend...
/Odd
PS
As You saw fit to copy our little discussion to the entire list,
I, for this only instance, follow suit and do the same. I truly
apologize to anyone offended by this and will not comment further
on this issue, this time. And since I'm off for my long awaited
summer holidays finally, I won't have the opportunity to read
anything for a week or so... Going diving, and I'm not bringing
neither laptop, nor modem with me...
--
Not speaking for the Club in this...
Odd Hedberg
Pomonagatan 4
S-74236 Östhammar International liaison secretary,
Sweden Triumph Club of Sweden
'70 Spitfire Mk3 FD82497LO Signal Red
E-mail: odd@triumphclub.se / odd.hedberg@bigfoot.com
Club URL: http://www2.passagen.se/triumph/
Home Telephone: Int+ 46-1731 7131
Geographical Position: N 60deg15min E 18deg23min
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