Democracy, is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as being 'A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives'. As a concept for national organisation, it has existed for thousands of years. It is beautiful in its idealised egalitarianism. To give each citizen of a state, over a stated age, the right to have their say in the affairs of the state is wonderful in its simplicity. Democracy allows the vote of the poor to sit alongside the vote of the rich and for them to have equal power. It attempts to disseminate power to all, to deliver power and autonomy to the masses.
This is all undoubtedly all well and good in an idealised framework. Unfortunately however, you may begin to question the wisdom of disseminating power to all when you realise that the nebulous expanse of idiocy that identifies by the name of 'Steve' - who has suggested, as a solution to the Brexit border, that the UK should invade Ireland so as to subsume Ireland back into the United Kingdom - is allowed to democratically voice his opinion.
The mononymous 'Steve' expressed his belief that it would be a mutually beneficial scenario for the UK to invade Ireland, to create one unified power block outside of EU jurisdiction, in that most fetid font of poor opinions, a phone-in show on English radio station LBC. His rambling incoherencies on the subject were so bewildering that, were his theory to be found scribbled in human excrement on the walls of a deranged psychopath's solitary confinement cell, the attendant flummoxed doctor would declare that some people are truly beyond hope.
What is perhaps most surprising about this however - and there is a lot to be surprised by here - is the fact that dear, sweet 'Steve' says that he had voted to Remain. However, despite this, he seemed to be of the pragmatic opinion - which certainly has its place - that, although he may not agree with the results of the vote, government must endeavour to fulfill the will of the people. This is the approach that has famously worked so well for, the once anti-Brexit, Theresa May.
'Steve' surprised the host of the show, Tom Swarbrick, with this view, by agreeing with 'Pete', another caller who had voted for Britain to leave the EU, that Ireland should rejoin the United Kingdom to help expedite Brexit negotiations. Rather than letting this impossible situation play out of its own accord however, he suggested that Britain do this by invading Ireland. He cited the UK's invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, for no real discernible reason, perhaps it was simply to illustrate that the idea of an invasion is not some hitherto unknown concept. "We could invade Northern Ireland, we've invaded Iraq, we've invaded Afghanistan, why not Ireland?"
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When both the host and the Pete, the Leave-voting caller, attempted to challenge him over the lunacy of this suggestion, Steve doubled down. "It's not stupid, war is the ultimate answer to a problem and we're trying to avoid that. I'm not being stupid, I'm being practical. I voted remain because I knew this [the Northern Irish border] would be a problem."
He went on to use the phrase 'non-neurotypical' while attempting to describe those who are thinking of outside of the box solutions to the border question with Northern Ireland. Frankly, 'non-neurotypical' is putting it mildly Steve.
