Leavers beginning to realise EU states see EU *fundamentally* differently from how Leavers see it. THREAD 1/9

Some Leavers believe UK’s economic/political interests/qualities are fundamentally different from France & Germany. But this is so daft & so close to obvious extreme nationalism it never explained the EU’s existence for them 2/
But if UK isn’t fundamentally different from Germany & France. How to make sense of German / French EU membership? 3/
One Leaver coping strategy was “EU is bad idea for all EU states”, just they haven’t realised yet (not as clever as Brits ssh) and their bad establishments are suppressing bold independence movements 4/
But hoped-for Brexit copycats haven’t arrived. Greece seems determined to stay even as its economy improves. Anti-EU forces don’t win, or win but don’t try and leave. Remember how Hungary & Poland were going to back UK? Anyone? 5/
Another theory is EU as a Germanic (+ Frankish) Empire, exploiting. But instead of throwing Ireland under a bus (remember Irexit?) Leavers are mostly struck dumb at the solidarity. 6/
Leavers are all out of non-daft arguments for why 30 states want to keep Single Market so much they’ll take the economic hit of not letting UK cherry pick. 7/
Leavers will keep at it: “Germany France tried to make UK a vassal state”. But UK won’t be a vassal. Just 98% outside the SM (N Ireland *waves*) 8/
But, if No Deal happens, millions of Leavers will be thinking about this. Why is there a GB-EU border - but no FR-DE border (or even an NI-IE border?)

Millions will find new answers... 9/9

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Two things can be true at once:
1. There is an issue with hostility some academics have faced on some issues
2. Another academic who himself uses threats of legal action to bully colleagues into silence is not a good faith champion of the free speech cause


I have kept quiet about Matthew's recent outpourings on here but as my estwhile co-author has now seen fit to portray me as an enabler of oppression I think I have a right to reply. So I will.

I consider Matthew to be a colleague and a friend, and we had a longstanding agreement not to engage in disputes on twitter. I disagree with much in the article @UOzkirimli wrote on his research in @openDemocracy but I strongly support his right to express such critical views

I therefore find it outrageous that Matthew saw fit to bully @openDemocracy with legal threats, seeking it seems to stifle criticism of his own work. Such behaviour is simply wrong, and completely inconsistent with an academic commitment to free speech.

I am not embroiling myself in the various other cases Matt lists because, unlike him, I think attention to the detail matters and I don't have time to research each of these cases in detail.

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॥ॐ॥
अस्य श्री गायत्री ध्यान श्लोक:
(gAyatri dhyAna shlOka)
• This shloka to meditate personified form of वेदमाता गायत्री was given by Bhagwaan Brahma to Sage yAgnavalkya (याज्ञवल्क्य).

• 14th shloka of गायत्री कवचम् which is taken from वशिष्ठ संहिता, goes as follows..


• मुक्ता-विद्रुम-हेम-नील धवलच्छायैर्मुखस्त्रीक्षणै:।
muktA vidruma hEma nIla dhavalachhAyaiH mukhaistrlkShaNaiH.

• युक्तामिन्दुकला-निबद्धमुकुटां तत्वार्थवर्णात्मिकाम्॥
yuktAmindukalA nibaddha makutAm tatvArtha varNAtmikam.

• गायत्रीं वरदाभयाङ्कुश कशां शुभ्रं कपालं गदाम्।
gAyatrIm vardAbhayANkusha kashAm shubhram kapAlam gadAm.

• शंखं चक्रमथारविन्दयुगलं हस्तैर्वहन्ती भजै॥
shankham chakramathArvinda yugalam hastairvahantIm bhajE.

This shloka describes the form of वेदमाता गायत्री.

• It says, "She has five faces which shine with the colours of a Pearl 'मुक्ता', Coral 'विद्रुम', Gold 'हेम्', Sapphire 'नील्', & a Diamond 'धवलम्'.

• These five faces are symbolic of the five primordial elements called पञ्चमहाभूत:' which makes up the entire existence.

• These are the elements of SPACE, FIRE, WIND, EARTH & WATER.

• All these five faces shine with three eyes 'त्रिक्षणै:'.