Way In, Aye! What the Scottish Secession Referendum Means for Vermont Independence (COMMENTARY)

It’s official. After 307 years together, Scotland has voted by a fairly narrow majority to remain in the British Empire.

For now.

What is most remarkable about the historic Scottish secession referendum? Three observations come to mind.

First, the Scots have proved to the world that “secession” is a legitimate and viable political option for smaller states enmeshed in larger imperial realities to consider, as they plan for a more resilient 21st century future.

Second, Scottish secessionists showed the world how to move secession from the political fringe to the mainstream – and they did so in a mere decade.

Third, Scotland has demonstrated that a country can conduct a national conversation about secession in a sustained, civil and peaceful manner. The astonishingly high 85% turnout rate at the Scottish polls is clear evidence of the secession debate’s ability to galvanize sustained national conversation about Scotland’s future. And, despite Westminster’s long list of concessions, the world can rest assured that the secession conversation in Scotland will not disappear.

Here in Vermont, our fledging independence movement has learned much from ongoing Scottish secession efforts.

We’ve long observed that the United States was built on the principle of secession – consider Thomas Jefferson and the first Continental Congress’ 1776 Declaration of Independence from the British Empire, calling for the colonies to “dissolve” their relationship with the U.K. Our shared history reminds us that secession is as American as apple pie.

We’ve also reminded our neighbors here in New England that we were the first region of the new U.S. republic to actively organize around the principle of secession during the War of 1812, long before our southern neighbors blackened secession’s reputation by tying this vital Constitutional principle to their interest in perpetuating race-based slavery in the name of preserving “states rights.”

And, most importantly? Before Vermont joined the new U.S. republic as the 14th state, Vermont operated as an independent and sovereign republic for fourteen years (1777-1791), and, as historian Peter Onuf and others have reminded us, Vermont is the only state of fifty in the U.S. of Empire to have “self-constituted”itself as an independent state.

As such, Vermont is uniquely qualified to lead this new and revived 21st century conversation about peaceable secession here in the United States of Empire.

So, this fall, we raise a glass (or two) of scotch to our Scottish friends across the Pond in celebration of their ongoing peaceful and civil national secession conversation.

And, looking ahead, we’re rolling up our sleeves here in the Green Mountains – the secession conversation is alive and well here in the once-and-future Vermont republic, as it appears to be throughout the U.S. of Empire.

Free Scotland, Free Vermont, and long live the UNtied States!