It's the Racism, dur

In a historic move, the United Kingdom has voted in a referendum to leave the European Union.

I voted "Remain".

I am now upset, confused, bitter, angry, and despairing.

There are lots of people now saying that we have to get on with it and make the most of it.

There are people saying that we need to heal the rift that hate has caused.

I disagree. I do agree that there are some things that need to be done. An Article 50 notification; we need to get on with that. But why do I have to make the most of it?

I do, in fact, intend to make the most of it, but why should that be here, in England, out of the EU? In ordinary times I would stay and make the most of it. I would help, I would make this country stronger.

But fuck it, it's full of racists. It's not that the downtrodden out-of-work working classes have been revealed to be racists.

It's that it's now okay to be racist. And after persecution on the basis of race, comes persecuation of the basis of religion, gender, sexuality, disability, and trade union membership. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a two-edged sword. It is both a rallying banner for liberal freedoms, but also a playbook for the fascist right.

And it's not just that it's now okay to be racist, it's that we opened the lid on it. We let the rotting stench of hatred and racism rise. The press played their part, and so did the leaders.

So why would I want to stay in a country where the intellectual elite let racism rise unchecked? I don't have to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work that has to be done. I can walk away and go and build my socialist fantasy in another country.