Když jsem před lety procházel osobními peripetiemi s česko-britským rozvodem, netušil jsem, že takový rozvod zažiji znovu, tentokrát společně s ostatními Evropany.



Ano, výsledek britského referenda o vystoupení z Evropské Unie je počátek rozvodu. Jako mnoho skutečných rozvodů v manželství je i tento výsledkem vypjatých emocí, spíše než racionální úvahy. EU je teď v pozici opuštěného partnera, Britové jsou tím, kdo odchází. Emoce teď vládnou na obou stranách. Mnoho z nás napadne, kdo to spískal. Byl to David Cameron? Jako malý kluk, který se chtěl stát vedoucím party, se, od ostatních kluků, nechal přemluvit, k zápalkové hře ve stohu, když ale stoh chytil, lekl se a začal hasit. Kluci mu ale poťouchle do ohně foukali a nakonec shořel celý stoh. Cameron ale toto nechtěl, vzdal se vedení party, přišel o vše a kluci se teď dohodnou, zda bude šéfem Boris, který ho nejvíc podrazil. Stoh je ale fuč a je to průšvih, který bude mít už na vždy na triku malý Cameron.

Teď teprve uvidíme, jak se bude rozvod odvíjet. Zástupce odpůrce, Juncker vyhrožuje, že: „Když rozvod, tak rozvod, a hned!“ Cameron se sice stěhuje, ale ještě by občas rád zašel na večeři, řídil auto a hospodařil by se společným majetkem. Jako při rozvodu nás mohou napadnout vzdorovité myšlenky, tomu Ex na truc. Když nás opouštíte, tak čím hůře se budete mít, tím lépe. Vy ještě budete litovat! Skotsko a Gibraltar stejně utečou k nám… Severní Irsko se bude chtít spojit s Republikou a protestanti se budou bránit, bude válka…

Přesně takové chyby lidé při rozvodu dělají. Je třeba ale vzpomenout, co máme společného a co nás dříve spojovalo: demokracie, víra a sdílené hodnoty, to jsou naše děti. O nich se teď musíme domluvit, tak, aby je rozvod co nejméně poškodil.

Je třeba mít s našimi Ex pokud možno dobré vztahy a rozvíjet to co máme společné. Těch 16.141242 Britů, kteří s námi chtěli zůstat, jsou také naše společné děti, na které bychom po rozvodu neměli zapomenout.

To mne také napadlo dnes ráno, poté, co jsem polkl slzy zklamání. Napsal jsem dvanácti britským kolegům, abych jim vyjádřil účast a podporu. Dobře totiž vím, že všichni moji kolegové v Británii jsou akademici s kosmopolitním rozhledem a váží si hodnot spojené Evropy, jsou imunní vůči rasismu a xenofobii a s tímto vnuceným rozvodem nesouhlasí.

Ano, lze namítnout, že jsou to intelektuálové, kteří žijí v křišťálové věži a o skutečném životě nic neví. Něco jako „Pražská kavárna“. Oni jsou ale elitou společnosti, nejsou žádní plebejci a je třeba jim naslouchat.

Připojuji některé z jejich odpovědí, oni, jako já chtějí žít v Evropě a rozvíjet společné hodnoty!

JT napsal:
Dear John,
it must be very hard for you and most academics in UK. I thought you British are immune to such brainwash, but it is probably part of human nature. It happened here with elections of a 'popular' president Zeman, who didn't get almost any votes in big cities and from educated people, but due to his populism he got elected by the 'others'. Similar situation with current Polish government, but elections are not for ever, however, this is for good in Britain, or what ever will remain of it.
I'm so sorry!
Don't give up!
Best

Jan

Hi Jan and thanks for this. It is a day of sadness, depression and anger for me. (The good news is that I am leading a field trip to one of the few towns in England to vote to remain, so it mitigates some of the depression).
The result is what I feared, I must confess: the ‘leave’ campaign set the agenda from the beginning and it allowed people be basically racist. Putin was the only world leader to encourage departure: I can’t understand why anyone would think it a good idea but other things overrode sense!
Thanks again
All best
John

Dr John Carman
Senior Lecturer in Heritage Valuation
IIICH Academic Director for PG Research
CAL Ethics Review Officer
Ironbridge International Institute for Cultural Heritage, School of History & Cultures
College of Arts & Law
University of Birmingham

Very sad news
Cameron is an idiot for promising a referendum. 75% of our elected MPs are in favour of staying in Europe. Most educated people are in favour of staying in. 75% of under 30 year olds voted IN. Unfortunately there are a lot of stupid old and middle aged people out there.
Alex

____________________________________________________________________
Dr A. M. Gibson BA PhD FSA MCIfA FSA (Scot)
Reader in British Prehistory
Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford

Thanks Jan, we won't be giving up! And the actual act of leaving is a long way off, indeed its interesting to see the politicians already starting to kick the can down the road. You're right that the split is, I'm afraid, between the more educated people and those with less of an international perspective.

Take care,

Tim

Professor Timothy Darvill OBE
Department of Archaeology, Anthropology & Forensic Science, Faculty of Science & Technology, Bournemouth University, Dorset
Dear Jan

You are right, it is terrible. The country was hijacked by demagogues, and the stupid people believed the lies they told. Unfortunately this is not something that can be reversed; it is for the foreseeable future. Not only academics, but all sensible people are depressed and distressed. We just don't know what will happen now.

Cameron has said he will resign, but the possibilities for a replacement are all dreadful - a further move to the right.

Thanks for your sympathy and support - we need it!

Yours

Anthony
Prof. Anthony Harding, University of Exeter

Dear Jan,

Thanks so much for your email. I am distraught. I'm not joking when I say I cried when I heard. I can't believe what kind of country we have become. And, I fear that the breakup of the U.K. is inevitable. We all feel in shock here.

Thanks so much for your support. I think we will need it in the months and years to come.

Jo

Professor Joanna Sofaer
Department of Archaeology
University of Southampton

Dear Jan

Thanks for your sympathy and understanding

Good to hear from you!

All the best

Mike

Prof. Mike Parker Pearson
Institute of Archaeology
University College London


This is a very black day for us, Jan. The idea of being a 'Little Englander' is truly horrifying: the lemmings will now rush off the cliff and find there is no safety net awaiting them on the rocks. Ghastly .. Best wishes. John
Prof. John Chapman
University of Durham


Dear Jan, Good to hear from you. A miserable day! Lies and deceit have won the day along with stupidity. So we will see what happens next. All good wishes John

Prof. John Barrat
University of Sheffield


Dear Jan

Thanks very much for your commiserations. It is indeed a dismal day. As you say, a victory for the ignorant over the educated.

All best
Stephen
Prof. Stephen Shennan
University College London


Thanks Jan
Actually I live in Scotland and now it is likely we will go independent and stay in
Best wishes
John

Emeritus Professor

John Bintliff


I cannot believe the stupidity of my own countrymen and women. Its not about a current refugee crisis you fools. And worse than all is the thought that Boris Johnson and Donald Trump may soon rule our lives àaaaaaaaagh

Dr Julie Gardiner
Oxbow Books, Oxford


Dear Jan,

Thank you for your sympathies. They are very much appreciated at the moment. And of course you are right about the brainwashing. I'm afraid we seem to confuse our potential to remember facts and pass exams with the real needs of critically understanding and cautiously interpreting them.

This attitude begins at primary school and is made confident by an overloaded, industrially-driven tertiary education system. Not industrial in the sense of technical and productive, but simply its scale...

Am unsure if you'll see me in Vilnius. I should have booked everything by now, but family illness and various obligations enabled my foolish procrastination until today the pound fell disastrously.

With best wishes

Stephen


Dr C.Stephen Briggs, FSA,FGS,MIfA, Independent Researcher and Lecturer, Llwyn Deiniol, Llanddeiniol,