We’re all literate (Douglas Young)

Ian Selbie must be directing some of his ire towards me as I am one of the admin/content writers for Yes Shetland on Facebook.

I, and the rest of the team, are all literate and educated to a level where we have abilities in literacy, grammar, spelling and correct punctuation use which allows us to campaign for independence.

We, and none of our followers, are trolls and we do not tolerate them, or any form of online abuse nor bad language on our page. This applies equally to “yes”, “no” and undecided voters.

Open debate is welcomed and no-one has been banned for putting forwards viewpoints from either side. A few people have been removed for bad language and using false identities.

It should also reassure Mr Selbie that we posted a link to Shetland’s Better Together page on our own one in order to stimulate debate between both sides. This luxury was not reciprocated as I, and several other “yes” supporters have been banned from the page for debating. This is a national policy since the page is controlled from south and bans from the main page are also common.

In order to lighten what is a rather heavy subject, our page has a feline mascot, “Buster- Shetland’s Cat Rampant”, which encouraged a Better Together supporter to post a photo of “Odin – The Naw Cat”.

We are scrupulously fair and published pictures of both on the “yes” page.

Until Mr Selbie has the ability to remove the SNP and Salmond from the debate, I fear he is completely missing the point of the referendum.

In a word. Democracy.

Douglas Young

Yes Shetland

Sumburgh.

Naw Cat Yes Cat

COMMENTS(9)

Add Your Comment
  • ian mcewan

    • June 11th, 2014 22:02

    Nice letter. A direct contrast to Mr Selbies intemperate and nasty rant.

    Meeeow!

    REPLY
  • john irvine

    • June 11th, 2014 22:43

    Ah, the Yes supporters.

    It has always been easy to pull the wool over the eyes of the unintelligent!

    REPLY
    • Robert Duncan

      • June 13th, 2014 11:39

      Whether this is an attempted wind up or a genuine remark, “must do better” is the only valid response. Don’t turn an important debate into a playground squabble.

      REPLY
  • tracy arthur

    • June 11th, 2014 23:32

    Yes all the way!

    REPLY
  • Gordon Harmer

    • June 12th, 2014 6:16

    Douglas, after what Salmond said yesterday it is glaringly obvious the vote on the 18th of September is all about Salmond and the SNP.

    Alex Salmond has said he intends to stand again for First Minister “whatever the political circumstances” after the referendum.

    In one of his clearest indications that he will stand for re-election if Scotland votes No, Mr Salmond told the Daily Record: “I intend to stand again in 2016.

    “Whatever the political circumstances, there will be an election in 2016 and the people will choose the First Minister.

    “I hope to be a candidate in an independent Scotland and I believe I will be a candidate in an independent Scotland.

    REPLY
  • Ian tinkler

    • June 12th, 2014 6:57

    Douglas Young, I am somewhat at a loss as to what you and the Yes campaigns position is. You previously write, ““We are not nationalists and the SNP nor Mr Salmond are being voted for.” (June 10th, 2014)
    An online Thesaurus list the word nationalist as:
    Nationalist, ( supporter of independence. separatist. autonomist).
    A dictionary defines Nationalist as :
    1. person wanting independence for their group or state. someone who believes that their group, state, or nation should be independent
    2. person believing their nation is most important. someone who feels that their nation’s interests should be considered as more important than those of other nations.
    What exactly does the Yes group campaign for if not Nationalist with all that implies stand for?. I think you may find Salmond and the SNP are the driving force behind this referendum. To distance the Yes group from Salmond and the SNP is understandable, but a tad disingenuous..

    I would hate to be insulting, but for a representative of the Yes campaign you are making about as much sense as Salmond. If not a nationalists, just what are you? We’re all literate! or maybe not (sorry ironic title for your letter.) Lol;

    REPLY
  • Gordon Harmer

    • June 14th, 2014 6:57

    Douglas here is a quote from your letter; “I,and the rest of the team, are all literate and educated to a level where we have abilities in literacy, grammar, spelling and correct punctuation use which allows us to campaign for independence.”

    Tell me does this mean those of us who are not particularly literate are not allowed to campaign for or against independence?

    REPLY
  • Sandy McDonald

    • June 20th, 2014 8:43

    Perhaps we should be more concerned about context rather than where the full stops go in debates important as the Yes/No question? I find when folk resort to picking at grammar it is because they can’t think of something clever to say.

    REPLY
  • Margaret McLeod

    • October 4th, 2014 22:34

    Douglas, as a conscientious No voter myself I made the effort to keep abreast of both sides of the debate and have even gone so far as to see what the Yes groups have been saying about their “unionist” neighbours since the referendum. Yes Shetland appears to now be focussed on “outing” other fake/suspect Yes groups and a lot of your frequent facebook page contributors are now attacking/ “trolling” other groups. Are you all still as committed to open debate and friendly exchanges?

    REPLY

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