Generation Yes

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Sixteen year old Saffron Dickson from Glasgow announces a new group launching later this month. Their slogan: Make History. Be Generation Yes. Follow them here @myYesScotland and find them on Facebook here.

There is something quite extraordinary happening in Scotland just now. Something that other nations in the UK are still debating, but we’ve decided to be the nation that blazes the trail. No-one could fail to have noticed that the vote has been extended to include 16 and 17 year olds, and this has been both exciting as the recipient of the vote, but confusing for some of the “more established” political groups. The very idea that young people are now being engaged with as a legitimate part of the electorate makes a wonderful change from the usual way some of our senior politicians tend to view youth. “Youth”- a word often used in conjunction with anti-social behaviour, disorder, problematic etc. But now a new force in the campaign for Scottish Independence.

Will it be this new generation that wins this referendum? I say Yes. The youth have grasped on to something excellent that many other demographics have failed to do in this debate- the power to speak to everyone and not just one select group. You may not have heard of groups such as ‘GenYes’ (a non party, all party group who have their launch in Govan on the 29th of March) yet, but they’re here, they’re starting, and they’re going to make a difference. They’ve managed to click onto this with the best and most inspiring ideas – the youth of today are not all ASBO holding hooligans but rather dedicated and passionate people who want to see Scotland in the hands of the Scottish people. The mass under-representation and lack of expectations for us younger people is something that needs to be challenged- and it will be. The grass-root nature of this campaign is what makes it so different, so appealing to the youth- and trust me, we want in on it!

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What’s so different about the youth compared to the older population? We’re young, fresh and usually not politically tied up yet. Sometimes people can get so caught up in their party political agendas that they forget about the real issues – the majority of us don’t have that problem yet. Sit us down, talk to us, and we WILL listen. This is a movement of mass importance; we are ensuring a youth of not only thinkers, but of doers. We are ensuring a generation of politically active people with real life experience – even though we haven’t won the referendum yet, we’re already ensuring ourselves a better future.

We have something unique that the No camp don’t have; we have personality. Young vibrant people absolutely bursting at the seams to tell you why we must become a better, fairer, independent Scotland- so let us tell you! We have fire in our bellies, one that’s burning brighter than even and cannot be dampened by the scaremongering of Better Together. We are the generation that are asking for help to save our future, we are the generation that is strong enough to stand up to the corrupt systems in Westminster, we’re the generation who will not take no for an answer. We trust that you will work with us to create a better, fairer Scotland; now you must trust that we will stand side by side with the older, more established groups and fight for the same equality. Trust that we are just as capable to canvass, to discuss. Trust that we are worthy of being Generation Yes.”

Comments (14)

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  1. Papadox says:

    Generation yes
    Go for it, this is your chance to spread your wings and your imagination, take control of your lives, politicians, your country. Do not be constrained by the past, only by the limits of your imagination and pass that message on, pass it forward. Let’s make a country we can be proud of. Don’t let the politicians steal it. I am an old man with many regrets, I hope to expire in a free Scotland that’s free for us all. Go to it enjoy yourselves it’s your future and your kids future, be proud don’t cringe.

  2. yesvote2014 says:

    This is beautiful. Thanks for this. The best thing we’ve seen yet. it really helps us older folk to know that you young ones are there, sorting things out for yourselves. Great photo too. Wishing you all the very best of everything.

  3. Dan Huil says:

    Very uplifting article. Glad to hear the young of today are more politically clued-up than I was at that age.

  4. Fraser Grant says:

    Saw Saffron on TV and an inspiration to those who think Scottish youngsters are apathetic.

    Yes Scotland should make much more use of her and use her on TV broadcasts in the run up to 18th September.

  5. xsticks says:

    Yes! Yes! Yes!

    How uplifting to see the young of Scotland joining the fray. We need you. We need to get the message out to all young Scots. I’ve been worried that they are being denied the right of debate by some of the educational establishment, but with Generation Yes I know that message will get out there now. Brilliant!

  6. lumatrix says:

    Oh and possibly ‘brighter then even’ should be ‘brighter than ever’.

  7. rabthecab says:

    This is a brilliant, passionate piece – I was (just) too young to vote in the last Referendum (the one where Thatcher changed the rules to deny us the result; rather like IDS & Jeremy Hunt have done recently!) but how I burned to stand up and be counted.

    Can’t wait until some rocket from Better Together tries to wave this off as being “just a bunch of disaffected kids” – methinks I’ll hear the reaction all the way down here!

  8. finbar says:

    It has got to be YES.Who does Cameron,his banking and landed gentry cronies think,Us we wee Jimmy!s up the road are thick ungrateful ingrates.

    I like the way the investors and the selfish greedy corporates are full of threat for Scotland!s, financial demise, and penury for its people,if they vote YES..

    Let them continue stirring that cauldron of ruin and misery,all it is doing is firing up our National pride and determined resolve, that our Scot!s heritage, struggling or comfortable we share together.

  9. Well written, Saffron.

  10. Robert Peffers says:

    Can I join? I first became interested in political matters while still at primary school. First when I joined the school debating society. We had several very inspiring people around the capital city back then. Oh! did I mention that was way back in the mid to late 1940s? Those inspiring people I mentioned included Wendy Wood, Dr. McIntyre, Canon Kenyon Wright, Willie Wolf and so on? I have every respect for the younger adults of Scotland and have always kept in mind that the fight for independence is not mainly for the likes of old men like me but for those with a hopefully long and productive life in a proud and independent Scottish nation. Go for it young folks, for the future is yours to make of it what you will. You have lifted my spirits by your actions more than anything else has, in what for me, has been a long fought campaign.

  11. John Hay says:

    Well done Kids . Inspirational. Look up Business for Scotland and listen to some very interesting people of all political persuasions . In particular Michelle Thomson and Ivan McKee. Two very interesting and practical speakers

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