THE number of South Africans who tell me how irritating it is hearing from expats patting themselves on the back and saying how clever they are for immigrating, is pretty big.
I agree – those people are way off the Richter scale of annoyance.
But I have been surprised at the flipside of the coin; the number of Saffers smirking that Britain has shot itself in the foot by voting to leave Europe.
If you go on Facebook, you would think that the tip of Africa is suddenly inhabited by a bunch of bang-on Europhiles who know what’s best for whinging Poms.
I belong to a couple of Facebook groups and I was astonished at the depth of ignorance and pomposity on display.
Indeed, the one post that really got a lot of people excited was a sneering newspaper story claiming the most common internet search phrase was ‘What is Brexit?’ from thick Brits frantically googling to find out what they had voted for.
I’m not sure how Google search engine algorithms work, but even if the story was true, to state that 17.4-million people are monumentally stupid and present that as a snapshot of the in-out EU referendum is seriously sloppy journalism.
Anyway, against my better judgement I commented on that particular post, saying ignorance was not a widespread issue as Brits could hardly turn on a TV, read a newspaper, or listen to a radio without the referendum being rammed down our throats.
Also, to get the average lethargic Brit to vote in any election – let alone a referendum – is a major feat. So it is highly unlikely that a whopping 72% of people would saunter off to the polling stations just for a lark.
My comment instantly attracted flak from South African Euro-experts, who said they had evidence that Brits were thicker than three planks as they had watched BBC quiz shows.
Well, there you go.
Another SA Euro-expert said she had family in Cornwall who told her gazillions of people who had voted ‘out’ were now having buyers’ remorse and so there should be a re-vote.
Also, she said ‘Cornish folk who voted Leave have never even been to London. They remember the glory of post-war UK.’
Huh? Post-war UK was actually a miserable place as the country was bankrupt and surviving on food rations, so I’m not too sure about ‘glorious’ memories on that score.
But what Cornish folk DO remember are the days when their trawlers caught fish before EU fleets annihilated the shoals off their shores.
Stupid yokels
Also, to imply that someone who has never been to London is a stupid yokel is patronizing in the extreme.
It’s like saying anyone from Empangeni who hasn’t been to Jo’burg is a birdbrain.
Then came the next chestnut from the Instant-Europhiles; that it was only selfish old fogeys like me who had voted ‘out’ and thus ruined the younger generations’ future.
Hmmm … the over-60s are the generation that actually voted the UK into Europe in 1973, but at the time were told it was just a ‘common market’.
The fact that it would morph into the Superstate it is today was not part of the deal.
This is also the first time that Brits who have lived the longest under EU diktat have had a say on how it has worked out for them.
It has taken 43 years – far longer than any youngsters saying that their futures have been ruined have even been alive.
The final comment was from a journalist whom I used to work with, who exclaimed, ‘I never knew you were so arrogant Graham!’
Well, that’s the ultimate luvvie riposte.
Call someone with an alternative opinion a name. I was lucky I wasn’t also called a racist or homophobe.
I expected to have sore losers in the UK calling for more referendums until they get the right result (there’s also a petition out for England to have a rematch with Iceland after losing in the football Euros), but I’m really amazed at how strongly so many South Africans feel about it.
But even so, it’s still not nearly as irritating as listening to ‘clever’ South African expats.
