I could make sensible appeals based on fact to vote to remain in the EU: that it will likely destroy an economy already circling the drain. I could counter some of the lies being fed to the populace, like the comical assertion that Turkey are joining the EU soon, or that the EU is somehow responsible for destroying the NHS. I could even point to my friends and family, EU citizens in the UK, and UK citizens working in EU countries, and say that I don’t want life to get harder for them.
But honestly, all of this has been said before, over and over. And it’s not like the Remain campaign has done a job that is in any way competent in making either a case against the right wing rhetoric of shower of bastards in the Leave camp, or stirring up any interest in the EU.
And furthermore, I actually don’t care all that much: I veer between antipathy and apathy to the political process, and this is definitely my feeling towards the EU.
And that’s why I’m voting Remain.
The EU isn’t great. It kind of sits there, a mostly-neutral force which doesn’t do much (despite what the Leave lot would have you believe). It’s nice to be able to travel through Europe without having to faff about with passports, and I like that so many of my pals live in various European cities where they can work freely and I can go and visit them. At the end of the day, that’s about the long and short of my own personal feelings towards the EU: lukewarm.
This all-powerful bureaucracy of the EU is pretty much a myth, and one which was largely engineered by Boris Johnson, who, in his own words was given “a weird sense of power” for doing it. I know that the EU doesn’t really do much, and certainly isn’t responsible for the failings of capitalism, and a government driven by violent ideology.
Nonetheless, I like the things that the EU is blamed for. I like that it makes life harder for those who want to implement xenophobic immigration policy. I like that it makes life harder for those who want to turn every job into a Sports Direct-style sweatshop. I like that it makes life harder for those who want to force everyone in a city to breathe polluted air. I like that it makes life harder for those who want to abuse the marginalised.
Basically, the EU makes life a little harder for some horrible people who want to do horrible things. I don’t even know the extent to which it does or does not actually tie them up, but since they’re blaming the EU for all this I’ll give the EU a bit of credit for it.
A vote to leave is essentially a victory for some terrible people with terrible ideas. There is no left Brexit, and almost all of its prominent supporters aren’t singing any more. There is only empowerment for the right–and potential disaster.
We are balanced on a knife edge, and I am thoroughly unconvinced by the right’s repeated assurances that leaving the EU wouldn’t completely tank the economy, which would have devastating consequences for those like me who are precariously employed. What absolutely will happen–because they’ve promised this and banged on and on about it–would be a crackdown on movement of people, and I don’t want to see any victory for those who dehumanise refugees and immigrants alike.
I don’t want horrible people who treat fellow humans like animals to emerge triumphant.
The Remain campaign has failed miserably in its aims, mostly pandering to the right wing rhetoric of the Leave camp and agreeing with them that human beings are a problem to be solved. One of the few exceptions was Jo Cox, and she’s dead now, probably killed for that.
The Remain camp don’t really deserve to win this referendum, having exhibited a willful incompetence of opposing the far right.
And yet, the far right deserve to win less.
And ultimately, that’s why I’m voting Remain. Out of spite. Out of spite to those who would willingly tank the economy and turn their country into a petty, lonely island, simply because they don’t like the fact that sometimes people have brown skin or speak Polish. Out of spite to those who believe human rights to be a problem, rather than an absolutely necessary protection. Out of spite to exploitative bosses and bigots alike.
Fuck them. Vote Remain.
Another angry woman 
Wow what a principled Anarchist position, in defense of not only the State but voting to legitimise its democractic deficit. Well done, you are an inspiration to us all Zoe!
lmao okay, you enjoy the rise of the far right. personally, i like them to have doors slammed in their faces
p.s. the eu is undemocratic, the state is undemocratic, local government is undemocratic, why shld i give a fuck about “democratic deficit” when rather than a deficit it’s how the entire system works lolololololololol it’s ALL BAD so vote to drink fash tears, buddy
Nice going doging my actual comment, that you are in fact voting to legitimise any democratic deficit. And then you call yourself an anarachist, I don’t know why more people don’t do it.
PS I think you’re trying a little hard with with the “lol”s and “lmao”, who are you trying to convince me or yourself?
sorry, thought u were following.
how can there be a deficit if everything is set at zero?
incidentally as well as legitimising the “democratic deficit” a vote to remain is a vote to legitimise krakens, ice cream chewits and the two billion pounds in my bank account.
There you go again, keep deflecting the fact you would rather vote in support of the State and it’s undemocratic practices than stand up for any principled Anarchist position. You talk of fascists at home as if the EU isn’t responsible for the death of thousands at its borders. As I said, you are an inspiration to every one us. Keep it up white girl!
tbqh the “principled anarchist position”–i.e. the only thing which is completely non-hypocritical and ideologically pure–on most things generally involves voluntary human extinction. i’m happy to be a hypocrite all the time, and in this instance i’m going for harm reduction 🙂
I understand that you’re spiteful of the establishment. I am as well and enjoyed reading your post as a result. But I wouldn’t go as far as to say “I like that the EU “makes life harder for those who want to abuse the marginalised”
The EU uses its brutal economic policy to bully African countries into trade agreements, consequently under developing the internal markets of already poor countries. Here is one example in Kenya: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/jan/16/kenya-flower-trade-eu-pressure
It causes refugees to be mistreated, killed and detained through its deals with Turkey. Read more about the 8 Syrian refugees killed on the Turkish border here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/19/turkish-border-guards-kill-eight-syrian-refugees-reports
Further details of the systematic nature of this are covered excellently in Matthew Carr’s “Fortress Europe”. Detention and deportation, physical and bureaucratic barriers, naval patrols and satellite technologies: all these form part of the militarised response to immigration adopted by European governments, the human cost of which is often overlooked.
It also has bullied its own poorer members such as Greece into imposing austerity measures, forcing left wing governments to implement cuts to healthcare and housing.
I may vote remain but only if I see the left rally around reforming Europe to help marginalised people. There are movements that aim to do this like Another Europe is Possible and Diem25, but these aren’t talked about so much among the remain voters and in the media.
As I said, no great love for Europe. But great, great love for migrants in the UK. I think this sums up my feelings reasonably well http://www.blackunity.org.uk/make-it-plain/