Independence & Nationalism

I recently took a straw poll of friends and colleagues with the question - What is your instinctive feelings to these two separate words 'independence' and  'nationalist' . I have to admit I was both surprised by the answer and it's consistently. 'Independence' was seen as a positive word in any context  while 'nationalist' was seen as negative in most contexts. Why?

It would seem that the word 'nationalist' brings images of National Front, skinheads, racists, violence, fanatical and right wing extremists. While 'independence' brings images of freedom, release, self determination and guess what ..pride!

The word 'nationalist' has been hijacked in the language of political discourse, but the line has been deliberately blurred between civic & ethnic nationalism.  I even wrote at one point to Laura Kuenssberg of the BBC asking her to stop referring to the 'whole country' when making reference to the United Kingdom (without reply I must add). It is said that racism was born from nationalism and these kind of separatist thoughts are a throwback to the early thirties, and we all know how the end of the thirties went. That was 'ethnic' nationalism and can be clearly heard in the xenophobic rhetoric from the incumbent Westminster administration. Scotland is a nation of civic nationalism  
By relentlessly conditioning, whether unintentional, subliminal or politically strategic it is robbing 
us of an instinctive emotion that is being used to control, manipulate any rising of a collective cause, divide and conquer as the old adage tells us.

After all pride of nation is merely a genetic and geographical accident. It's like me saying I am proud to be 5ft 7" and ginger.  I am proud of my nationalism and of my nation but the difference is the love of nation is not and should not be to the detriment of another nation or creed. Theresa May during the Tory conference mentioned that there would be more intervention by 'the state', a civic nationalist believe, it is not the state that creates the nation but the nation that creates the state.

 No matter what happens, Scotland will always be land locked to our neighbours. Our histories will always be intrinsically linked and they should always be considered friends. Westminster is seen as the enemy but to quote the first president of the SNP Robert Bontine Cunningham Graham "The enemies of Scottish nationalism are not the English, for they were ever a great and generous folk, quick to respond when justice calls. Our real enemies are among us, born without imagination".

The independence movement is now bigger than any party but must mobilise itself with a consistent and clear message while the SNP party answering the more in depth questions on economy, Europe, currency. etc. If not the 'YES' movement looks (to para phrase another)  like people barking at strangers in the dark. Restoring Scotland's sense of pride and sense of nation will not only keep the 45% with us but will hopefully convince the rest of the country to follow their hearts. It has to be seen that independence is inevitable if we are united as a nation #WeAreScotland.