2014-09-12 10:42:05 Overseas network
David White, 16, from Shawhand, Dunfressshire. He has yet to make a decision. Shawhand is a small village with thong junctions and some houses. It is mainly based on agriculture, but there is also a recycling plant. Growing up here never bored us. We can build something. Our boats made of cloth tape can really be launched, and we've made a washing tank so we can compete in the mountains for gold. Our holidays will be spent in a forest cave built, and I have a garden in the forest. As a small business, I made a lot of silver jewelry in the cottage and would sell them to people I knew or give them away as birthday gifts. England is like a local to us. I often go shopping in carlisle, England. If there were any border controls, it would be quite painful for me. I also have relatives there. I haven't made a decision so far, but for emotional reasons, I tend to say "no" to Scottish independence. I have read the Scottish Independence White Paper and have been involved in a lot of debate. Scottish independence will enjoy more autonomy and benefit the economy, but it's more about whether you want to be a Scot in an independent Scotland or part of the UK. Many 16-year-olds won't be bothered by this, but many of them will be happy to have the right to vote.
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Brandon Ross, 16, from Koben-Nord, was in favour of Scottish independence. I have been taking care of my mum since I was 12 years old, which means I am a young escort. This is a great opportunity because it will give you a lot of confidence. You'll take great pride in telling people that you're taking care of others and that you're one of the most important people in their lives. I write lyrics when I'm angry. After my dad left, I found that writing lyrics really helped me. You will understand them and know the singer's intentions when he wrote the lyrics. I have now left school and am going to university to study mechanics. My teachers didn't understand my need to take care of my mom, and they took it for granted that I was too lazy to go to school. This can be upsetting and depressing at first. I just want Scotland to be a rich country so there will be a lot of work. In the present, there are many people who have lost their jobs and cannot afford their own houses. Other countries did well after independence, so I think Scotland will be like them.
Amy Randall, 17, from Cherymuel. She said "no" to Scottish independence. I've been gliding since I was 15 years old and it's fun and incredible. There are some ropes on the outside of the paraglider, and they mainly tell you if you are in a state of balance. When you're in the air, you feel very calm. This will give you an overwhelming sense of freedom, as if you can go anywhere you want. When you look at the earth from heaven, you can see things correctly: everything seems so small, and arguments or disagreements with others seem insignificant. It will really help me calm down. If I had a bad week at school, the sport would remind me that everything was a small thing. You won't worry about anything bothering you anymore because it really isn't that important. I wanted to join the Navy and become a pilot in a fast jet. I wish I could drive the F35s. If tomorrow the Navy called me and said, "We want you now," I would leave school at once. I don't particularly like school. I just want to fly as much as I can. Regarding the independence vote, I have completely decided. I would say "no" to Scottish independence. I think it would be a shame to lose our shared British culture, a unique country. We (Scotland) are a small country that is not threatened. But there is also a need for armed forces. We didn't have the money to support the planes we needed. (So if independent,) the Air Force could be a bunch of gliders.
Hamilton, 16, from Hamilton, hesitant voterS I think it's crazy to have 16-year-olds as voters, especially for 16-year-olds who have never made such a big decision before. I want access to free education and a strong National Health Insurance System (NHS), I want to maintain existing monetary policy, and I want the authorities to tighten immigration bills as Australia has. My mother works in England three days a week and I fear her life will get even harder after Scottish independence. I am a member of Hamilton College Football Club and have soccer training sessions every Tuesday and Thursday night Except wednesdays, I have dance lessons on several other nights. I got a part-time job in sales to earn pocket money. I hope to be able to go to the university halls to study law and science. Dance is part of my plans for the future, but as for football, I'm not sure.
Larmor, 16, from Kilmarnock, hesitated voter. In order to get the advanced certificate, I lived on campus for 5 years. By living on campus, I avoided the hassle of traveling from home to and from school. Music is a big part of my life, so I'm happy to get into the music industry. I would be incredibly happy at the end of a show. I was always nervous before the performance, but after working hard, I found it a pleasure. Didn't want to stay in killie forever. People in the east of Ayrshire are sincere, but sometimes sincerity is even a bad thing because people can sometimes be too sincere. They can only comment on the incident, but have no decision. I hope that the Scottish independence referendum will not be manipulated by politicians. Only then can people better understand the significance of the referendum. The Scottish and British governments have their own truths, but how do you know who is true and who is false? I hope to be able to use something to help me make a decision. At this point, I can only rely on education, because I don't know if I can continue to go to college. I want to learn everything that happens through education.
Sabina, 16, from Dalkeith, an undecided voter Whose father came to work here when I was ten years old, I was both scared and excited when I first arrived, because I could only speak four words of English: yes, no, don't know, toilet. Although I found myself very popular here at first, I soon encountered racism. I was so honored to be a part of the relay race at this summer's Commonwealth Games, and I was nervous the moment I got the baton, when I kept telling myself: Calm down, don't drop the bat, smile at the person I love. After the race, my mother said she was proud of me. When I was studying in Poland, there was always a lot of homework after school. Except on weekends, I still write my homework every night at 10 o'clock. I'm happy to be in Scotland to study because I have more time to do sports training. My dream is to win the Olympic award in the 800m track and field event. I don't know if I'm going to play for Scotland or Poland. I also want to be a software engineer, and I want to go to college and work for Google after graduation. I haven't figured out how to vote, and I'm worried about what the future holds and who will run the country. Because I'm an immigrant, I want to know what the independence referendum really means for immigrants.
Margot, 16, from Scottish Isle of Sket, is undecided. In my hometown, you can see an endless stream of tourists on the road, holding up cameras to shoot everywhere. They would spend 20 minutes photographing sheep or phone booths. I've seen all the scenery of Sket Island, so I won't stop to take pictures. I don't feel like this is my hometown. I love London and Edinburgh and I love everything that goes on in the city centre. My mom is from Paris and my dad is from Inverness. Because Dad got a job at the "Three Chimneys Restaurant," which was the best opportunity for the whole family, we came here. I want to go to the city, whether it's Glasgow or London, and I hope to study theatre next year. I love the fresh air of Sket Island, but I also love shopping. I used to be a strong opponent of Scottish independence, but now I also want to vote in favour of it, and I haven't decided yet. I'm happy that teenagers can vote too.
Anne, 16, from Aberdeen, supports independence Once, on a flight to Moscow, a flight attendant asked me, "Is your name Anne Lennyx?" The man sitting next to me said, "I bet yes, I'm Michael Jackson. "When I was 4 years old, my 6-year-old sister took me to perform in a local auditorium. She held the doll in her hand and sang a lullaby. Now I'm the lead singer of a band and we spend six weeks in the summer performing everywhere. I've always loved singing. If I had become a professional singer, my middle name would have been Rose, and I would probably have called Anne Rose. I am a strong supporter of Scottish independence. Scotland should be independent and have its own character. I wish Scottish culture had more attention, especially music. Everyone was deeply influenced by their parents, and I was completely influenced by the traditional Scottish thinking. When you learn about your country's culture and heritage, you certainly want to advance its development. I think independence is the best way.
Natalie, 16, from Glasgow, opposed to independence When I was 8 years old, I always had headaches at school and felt bad. For a year, I kept seeing the doctor and they always said I had good eyesight. A doctor said I was lying to get noticed. As a result, it turned out that I had a brain tumor that pressed my optic nerve and caused a headache. They operated on me and removed the brain tumor, leaving only a little of the optic nerve. I couldn't see in my left eye, and my right eye was blurry. The surgery also damaged my pituitary gland and affected my temperature control system. I feel like politics is far away. We live in small bubbles and we are all in the same bath, so we should be unified. Scotland is water, England is bath, Wales is soap and shampoo. I used to hesitate, but whenever I think of this, I will vote against it. People forget that in the beginning it was the King of Scotland who unified the dynasty, and it was King James VI of Scotland who became King James I of England.
Erin Faif Michaelwilliam, 16, from Aberdeen – voted "no". In my free time, I watch American TV shows, and then I go online, and browse youtube, Twitter and Tumblr. I like to go to the gym regularly and I love sports. On weekends, I have work to do, but I always find time to come out and meet friends and take time to finish school assignments. Maybe it's because I'm a girl, so everyone thinks we're good at accomplishing multiple things at the same time. In the September referendum, I will vote against it. I hope that opposing independence will allow me to go to college for free so that I don't have to pay off my loans in the future. I think the "better together" campaign is more convincing than the "pro-independence" campaign. The "Better Together" campaign brings up facts and figures to support their vision of the future. The other side failed to do so. The "pro-independence" movement will simply say, "You want this?" Vote for it and we'll let you get it. "You want that?" Vote for it and we'll let you get that. "I think that statement sounds unreliable. I hope that after the referendum, we will not invite many complaints. The referendum has already sparked huge divisions in Scotland (which is enough to say that a referendum is not a good idea), but we should all remember that we are one.
Itami Hansen, 16, from Aberdeen – Vote "Yes" This photo was taken at Comic Con Glasgow, England, and it took me a long time to get to Glasgow. I saw a Batman in the shape of Comic-Con, holding his weapon. Batman is my favorite anime hero. There's also Thor, the Hulk, and Captain America. I'm an autistic, which means I don't see the world differently than anyone else. I don't think it's hard for someone without autism to really get to know me. Autism means that you don't understand well what people really think when they express themselves. However, autism can increase a person's creativity. This can help you learn certain things and can improve your memory. The word "autism" is a bit like "homosexuality", and people sometimes use "autism" to insult others. In fact, "autism" can represent some good aspects. For me, reading and writing are difficult, but drawing, painting and sculpture are easy. I intend to vote "yes" in the referendum because I want to get rid of the current Government of Westminster. If supporting independence is a gamble, then a better country is the best reward.
Nathan, 16, from Hamilton, has yet to decide. My mum is from England and my dad is from Nigeria. We have lived in London for many years, which affects our voting choices. Faith is very important to me. Faith can be obtained from anywhere. Even the idea of believing in something stronger than yourself is important. Politics is not only about the future of individuals, but will affect everyone for a longer period of time to come. Believing that something is a better option, politicians need to have an open mind and know what the people of the country want. Sometimes, I really feel that when it's the people's turn to make decisions, their beliefs aren't adequately expressed. I haven't thought about what to vote for right now. I don't like to make decisions by tossing coins. I want to elect the people who can best manage the country. As much as I hate to say that, you do appreciate those politicians even more when you see how much pressure it is to run a country.
Ida McVarridge, 16, from Molar, undecided voter My father is American and my mother is Finn. I consider myself a mixed-race Finn and An American, but I don't think of myself as Scottish because I don't like it here. I proposed to my father that I wanted to become a U.S. citizen because when I left school, I wanted to go to the U.S. When my mother was pregnant with me, there was a flood here, so we had to borrow someone else's Land Rover to leave. It's so remote. It was a great feeling to grow up here when I was younger. You can always play hide-and-seek, and your imagination can be unlimited. But when I grew up, it suddenly became very boring. In order to get out of this house, I often go climbing the mountain, usually in spring and autumn. I live here with my mother and brothers, so sometimes we get angry with each other and quarrel with each other. Last year, almost every day I went swimming in the lake outside. I'm delighted to be able to vote in the Scottish independence referendum, but it's a big decision. At 16, you can have your own family, get married, drive a car, and now participate in the independence referendum. I would like to see a short summary written in plain language rather than lengthy other explanations. Ballots need to be easy to read. I haven't made a decision yet because both camps have merit. Things like money and eu-membership sound complicated. My mother was a strong supporter of independence, saying that independence works well in Finland.
Andrew Huntern, 16, from Forres, pro-independent voters I love reading, I love watching TV shows, and generally do some of the things that lazy teenagers do — and of course, I'm still learning. When I left school, I wanted to go into medical science, perhaps medicine. In the September referendum, I will personally vote in favor of independence. Having a government hundreds of miles away is a huge flaw. Forres, where I live, feels like there's little connection to London. Regardless of the final vote, we must remember that we are all Scottish citizens. I once heard a politician say this. When the debate is over, we are not enemies. People are talking about the Space Hub in Murray, which is going to be a great place to visit and would be as cool as Star Wars. I hope to be able to go to space one day.
Jenna Gillespie, 16, from Aberdeen, opposes independence Christianity is an important part of the Scottish system and I think Christianity should take a larger part of society. I'm about to go to school, I don't know what I'm going to do yet, I just take exams and study hard in school. I thought I might have an artistic career like cartoon drawing. I will vote against the independence referendum. At present, the country is not very stable. When you think about independence, you think, we need a more stable situation. I like to be honest, but everything now seems like a propaganda speech to me. I want real facts, cold facts, not lots of numbers. Obviously, I hope the country can do better. I hope things can be resolved quickly and we can move forward together.
Nicole Fraser, 16, from Aberdeen, has not yet decided how to choose I like to play computer games in my free time. Mom said, "That's what you do." "Playing instant games is like watching a movie and getting involved in it yourself. Basically, I play games from the time I wake up until I go to bed, and I play games during the holidays. My waking hours are from 12:00 noon to 3:00 am. If (independence) is completely wrong, can we come back? I think England will get us back, but who knows. Politicians should stop talking like puzzles and clearly distinguish things from black and white. On the referendum, I am still waiting. I don't know how I'm going to vote yet. That's a big deal. No matter how you vote, it will have a big impact.
Rory Doherty, 16, from Edinburgh, undecided voters I love watching movies and writing screenplays because they are full of endless possibilities. There are a lot of movies in the world, and there are a lot of different types of movies. I wrote plays for the Youth Theatre in Edinburgh, and one of them was about the Scottish independence vote. I expressed my opinion in that script. I don't believe in either side that wants to win the vote because I don't believe their rhetoric. More change can be stressful, but we need to know what is changing. I wonder exactly what the facts will turn out, regardless of the outcome. I'm facing the problem of deciding what to study in college, there's a lot I want to do in filmmaking, and I'm likely to pursue graduate courses in film. That way, I can do more realistic filmmaking.
Kieran Sutherland, 16, Wick from Highland, pro-independence voterS I live in northern Scotland with my mum, dad, and three brothers. Like all people in the world with cerebral palsy, I have weak vision, poor coordination, and confinement to a wheelchair. The other person in the picture is David Will (Second Class Lord of the British Empire), whom I have regarded as my idol and hero since I was 7 years old. The first time I met him at the London Marathon, I was surprised to see that people in wheelchairs could live such a wonderful life, and I understood that I was not alone. Until then, because my hometown was relatively remote, I had always thought I was the only person in the world in a wheelchair. Three years ago, my health deteriorated severely, and I experienced a lot of pain during my 10 weeks in the hospital. Whenever I feel like I can't hold on, it's David Will who gives me the strength. I remember very clearly, when I saw him at the London Marathon, I thought: He turned all the negative forces in his life into motivation, and I need to do the same. Later, one day, I had the opportunity to meet David Will at a BBC event. It was a great surprise for me, and I was so excited that when he walked into the room, I couldn't speak. Some people say that one should not meet his hero, because seeing him will only disappoint. I disagree with that because David Will is the kindest person I've ever met, I'll cherish that memory forever. I've been voting for the year, and it wasn't until recently that I decided to support Scottish independence. Those who do not support Scottish independence do not make it clear what other privileges the Scottish government will receive if Scotland is not independent. I think Scotland already has a better health service and education system, but we will be better off if we get more funding and policy care from the Edinburgh Government.
Matthew Hall, 16, from Tenurt (native of Durham), anti-independence voters from Argyleshire I feared that a Scottish independence referendum would stir up anti-England sentiment, but that didn't happen. I think I'm both English and British. I know that most of the English in Scotland were opposed to Scottish independence, while the English were in favour of Scottish independence. Our family moved here with Dad's work needs (Tenurt). It's more remote than where we used to live, where everyone knows each other and doesn't need to lock the door at all. For me, the independence vote was like a match between Scotland and England. However, almost no one mentions Northern Ireland and Wales. Together we (Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Wales) defeated fascism and built a tea-drinking empire. Together, we have made a significant contribution to the establishment of the Group of Eight and the United Nations Security Council, and together we have gained so much. Rumor has it that the UK government has decided to give Scotland more privileges than Northern Ireland and Wales. We should not mistake patriotism for nationalism, because there is a fundamental difference between pride and supremacy. Political parties in any country face racial issues, but it doesn't matter whether they are left or right.
Halima Colo, 16, middle voter I was the 4th of five children in the family and the only girl. It's the worst thing in the world. Having 3 brothers is really bad and I'm already expecting them to move out. My father came to Scotland to study phD and my mother has lived here with him ever since. After my father got a job, everything changed. It wasn't until I was 7 years old that I returned to my hometown in Nigeria for the first time. When I met the family members, I felt very incredible, their lives were completely different from mine. The clothes I wore were traditional Nigerian clothing, and when I wore it to school, my classmates said they liked it. That's when I started to realize I was Nigerian and I started to take pride in it. The more confident you are, the more respect people have for you. Although I often wear a headscarf now, I am not entirely Muslim now. At first, I chose "yes" in the independence referendum, but when I attended the rally of supporters, I found that many friends around me chose to oppose independence. So, I'm starting to hesitate again. I'm really happy that I've reached the legal voting age. I'm 16 years old and I'm proud because it's already the age when you can make big decisions.