[OPINION] "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity" or how we ended up blindly hurtling towards Brexit

DISCLAIMER - the following is only my opinion, I do not state it as being accurate or perfect or ask that anyone agree with it. I only wish to express my thoughts, the aim is not to offend or disregard others' opinions but simply give my honest perspective. If anyone IS offended then you have every right to be, just as I have the right to post about how absolutely disappointed I am in the UK government.

We can blame the Tory party for pressuring Cameron into putting forth the referendum, or Cameron himself for yielding to said pressure, or to the opportunist politicians and parties for the misinformation and propaganda leading up to the referendum vote BUT in the end no one is more to blame than the British public for the outcome.

Even now, when it's clear that a clean departure from the Union with all of the UK's demands being met is 100% impossible, the leader of the country, and it seems a large majority of parliament as well, is still dead set on delivering Brexit because that is "the will of the people".

Evidently, from the result of the vote, leaving the EU is the will of approximately 50% of the people and so I ask myself - why has the government of a democratic, developed and powerful country decided to almost completely ignore the will of the other 50%? Why is it, that the only option considered by government following the referendum, for the UK to leave the EU? Why is it that now, even though all the dire consequences of this "divorce" are clear and negative in almost every way, the only options being taken seriously are No deal Brexit and some other half-baked deal Brexit? Why is staying not REALLY an option?

MY conclusion - the government is more afraid of the leave voters than the remain voters. May is more afraid of the protests/riots/chaos that the people who voted for Brexit would form if the result of the referendum is not honoured. She stated that a second referendum "could damage social cohesion", but those words seem hollow in view of the fact the UK population is already very strongly divided. What those words mean is that those with the loudest voices, strongest opinions, full of passionate intensity and hatred will be enraged that their "will" hasn't been enacted and it would lead to violence and chaos.

The government isn't afraid of the other 50%, the ones that lack conviction, the ones with the peaceful protests holding up placards with funny quotes and phrases, the ones that sign online petitions. If their "will" is ignored the damage won't be so great, the chaos will be minimal, they will be easily subdued and eventually they'll accept the outcome.

OF COURSE I'm not naive or blind or stupid or whatever else I may seem. I KNOW there are hundreds of different factors involved in all this to have lead us here and I KNOW that my opinion may be entirely false or an insignificant variable with little effect on the outcome of things. BUT that is my belief and I'm disappointed that the UK government is pandering to the short-sighted bullies who voted to leave.

submitted by /u/simlam12
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