However, it would be wrong for me to completely ignore what is going on in the world right now. Almost two weeks ago, Donald Trump was sworn in as president of the USA after winning the US presidential election in November. A few years ago, no-one could have envisaged such a ridiculous outcome. He would just have been laughed off as a joke candidate.
Not any more. Trump's successful election campaign tapped into the populist politics which have grown out of disaffection with traditional mainstream politics in recent years. Although it is now 2017, it's beginning to feel more like 1933, as shown by this photograph of a sign in the US Holocaust Museum.
As for our own country, rewind just over 7 months to the UK EU referendum. Although the theme of the referendum was whether the UK should remain in the EU or not, the debate was swiftly redirected to the main theme of immigration, and who could forget the blatant lies embodied by the famous "Brexit Bus"...
The Leave campaign suggested that the money we spend on the EU could be spent on the National Health Service - this claim was quickly denied/brushed under the carpet after the referendum.
Those on the side of Brexit claim that the referendum result reflected the will of the people. The result was 52% to 48%: which suggests that it only reflected the will of the 52% of the 72% of the British electorate who actually bothered to vote, rather than a complete 52% of the British population.
Here in Scotland of course, the situation was complicated further.
As can be seen from the map, the majority of those who turned out to vote on 23rd June in Scotland chose to remain in the EU. So it is understandable that the First Minister of our country, Nicola Sturgeon, has fought hard and explored every possible avenue for Scotland's voice to be heard in the Brexit debate. In the aftermath of the EU referendum, Ms Sturgeon has proved her worth as an impressive stateswoman and spokesperson for the majority who voted to remain in the EU - regardless of whether or not you are not a supporter of her party.
Which brings me to the EU referendum and the possibility of another Scottish independence referendum. I know a lot of people who support Brexit, but from my own experience, I also know people who would have been reluctant to vote for Scottish independence back in 2014 as this would mean leaving the UK and therefore leaving the EU. With Brexit, however, there is another dimension. Scotland is being taken out of the EU against, to use that phrase to reflect a majority vote - "the will of the people". So where to now? Well, polls suggest that there is no appetite for another Scottish referendum at this time. But then again, who can trust opinion polls any more?
The events of the past year have clearly demonstrated the differences between Scotland and the UK's position on not just Brexit, but also the events which have transpired since that time.
Theresa May, (unelected) prime minister of the UK, went from Remain supporter during the referendum campaign to Brexit-Means-Brexit convert as soon as she landed the UK's top job. People are entitled to change their views, but her rush to a "hard Brexit" suggests desperation, to keep in with the 'take back control' brigade with the loudest voices and most forceful opinions.
As if that was not bad enough, this happened.
So, having ditched your Euro mates who weren't really your mates anyway, you headed over to the USA to meet up with your new BFF in the top job. All the "special relationship" garbage was spouted. But then your BFF suddenly signed some executive orders which completely turned the world upside down. Suddenly, citizens of the USA wouldn't be allowed in any more if they were born in a certain country on a list. There would be detentions at airports. Families would be separated. As the news unfolded, we couldn't believe what we were hearing. Yet Trump's order sparked a number of worldwide protests which have reminded us that there are still good people in the world, willing to protest and fight for decency, empathy and kindness - values of humanity which must endure. In the increasingly bizarre arena of social media, anyone advocating these views are shot down by the new fascists - or the "alt-right" which they call themselves - as a "snowflake": someone who is easily offended by their views.
Well, I'll tell you something - I'm offended by fascism. So I'd rather be a snowflake than a fascist. And a million snowflakes can make one hell of a snowstorm.
One of Trump's election promises was to build a wall along the border with Mexico. Almost 30 years ago, US president Ronald Reagan went to West Berlin and gave a famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate where he famously said "Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall". Yet all these years later, another Republican president is advocating walls to be built, rather than torn down.
And we all ask....how did the world come to this? Fascism is on the rise, although no-one wants to call it that. And the PM won't criticise her new BFF's policy, which also makes her complicit in the rise of fascism. #notinmyname
Back in the surreal world of Brexit, it fell to veteran Tory MP Kenneth Clarke to deliver a speech criticising his party's turnaround on the EU: "I am merely propounding the official policy of the Conservative party for 50 years until 23 June 2016. I admire my colleagues who can suddenly become enthusiastic Brexiteers, having seen the light on the road to Damascus on the day that the vote was cast. I’m afraid that light has been denied me.” It's a sign of how miserable UK politics has become when it falls to an old-school Tory to tell it like it is. Labour meanwhile has shown itself to be meekly complicit with the referendum result and Article 50, trying to hold on to the votes of those who want to leave the EU. As I said on here after the Scottish referendum in 2014, maybe it's time for new politics. The politics of protest and standing up for decency and humanity, to fight racism, fascism and hatred.
The response to Trump's "Muslim Ban" has been encouraging and reassured us that there is still hope in times of darkness. But it's still early days and there is a long fight ahead....
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