No voters still have every right to sing Flower Of Scotland

IF A week is a long time in 
politics, then a month must be an age for the Yes voters who were writing on the online 
forum in Scotland on Sunday (19 October) to tell the majority of No voters in Scotland they had no right to sing their national anthem any more.

I campaigned up and down the country for a No vote, putting in a lot of time and effort and working hard to keep our place in our Union. I met many people from different places and backgrounds. 
However, some of my most 
enjoyable conversations were with people who were out campaigning just like me… 
except that they were putting in the same incredible effort for the Yes side.

Why did I enjoy meeting political campaigners from “the opposition” so much? Because they were not the opposition. They were fellow Scots who I would stand side to side with at a football match.

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We all agreed that what we were doing was what we believed to be in the best interests of Scotland, and I felt 
that the referendum in many ways united our country because of this shared sentiment.

However, I could not hide my anger at being told by some Yes voters in the online forum section last week that 
I should feel “ashamed” for singing Flower Of Scotland, and that I had “betrayed” my ancestors.

Scotland is, and always will be, a nation. We didn’t vote against that, we voted for 
Scotland to remain a nation within a family of others. I 
see no reason why that contradicts the lyrics to Flower Of Scotland.

I feel immense pride in singing one of my favourite songs before supporting my country. I will certainly not be made to feel small and any less of a Scot by a handful of Yes voters who feel it necessary to use emotional reasons to win over support for their cause.

Jonny Adamson, Melrose

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