The man’s the gowd

Before I knew what he represented it was plain to me that JFK’s assassination profoundly affected my parents and their peers. His election, bringing opportunities, courage and optimism had been considered world changing. His death shattered those dreams. The myth remained ‘ Don’t let it be forgot; for one brief shining moment there was Camelot.’

 I was 11 months old then so first heard it spoken about years later, along with his brother Bobby’s death and of course MLK. Bobby Kennedy’s flatbed truck speech is one of my favourites and if I could time travel just once perhaps I’d choose to be in that audience in Indianapolis 1968. His courage, understanding and hope remain, half a century later, as beacons pointing the way towards better days.

So much is familiar and rings true

Even in our sleep pain which cannot beget falls drop by drop upon  the heart.

We don’t need hatred or division, violence or lawlessness.

We need justice and compassion

We can do well in this country

We want to improve the quality of our lives

We should dedicate ourselves to tame the savageness of Man and make 

gentle the lives of this world

It’s time to ask what kind of nation we are and the direction we want to move in

Every single line, every phrase, each notion resonates with Scotland’s history, ambitions and destiny.

Our parents recall where they stood when JFK died; our generation remembers the death of Elvis; Scotland will recall forever and a day the loss of our greatest politician and champion of modern times. 

Alex, the Gaffer, the Boss, Oor Eck – he was and will always be one of us, oor ain, a football mad laddie from a council house, a Black Bitch, alwaysalert to his Dad’s advice, made his mark in a Uni populated by the rich and entitled, but he bested them all.

Alex’s efforts enabled Scotland to stand tall, with self-belief, an opinion that we were not better but certainly no worse than, not inferior to any other nation. We gathered with his power the understanding that our saltire can justifiably claim a place between Saudi Arabia and Senegal. That’s what being a normal independent country brings. 

And we learned, with Alex’ leadership, that we can build the country we seek; we can build bridges and roads, schools and hospitals, and we can also build and rebuild lives – with free Uni tuition, prescriptions, care, school meals, nursery places and an eye to the good with a common fund.

Ask not what your country can do for you; instead think like Charlie Abel, #ThankAlex, #Justice4Alex and together deliver the Independence our country desires and needs.