It just seems appropriate. A squeal to poorly named (but nonetheless entertaining) popcorn movie comes out the same time as a country declares its own independence from an alien mothership. It's a shame because Brexit resembles District 9 more than Independence Day.
Parts of the Brexit seem to align with our own independence movement. While the American Colonists were protected by the Crown, the Parliament felt it prudent to tax the colonists higher after causing the French and Indian War. However, the colonists received absolutely no representation, and eventually fought for the right to represent themselves. Today, the EU takes the role of Britain and the UK plays the role of the rebellious colonists.
The European Commission hands down regulations to the European Parliament. However, the representatives don't really represent their countries. Unlike normal legislators, these democratically elected representatives are bound by oath to the "general interest" of the EU instead of their country. Therefore, any regulations passed down to the British aren't technically voted on by the people. This scenario eerily resembles the main reason for America's exit from the Isles.
Now, I personally don't care about Great Britain's decision to leave the EU: as long as the Great Britain pavilion stays open in EPCOT and the Queen decides not to reclaim the states, I shall remain neutral. The UK democratically voted to leave the EU, and it looks like it will stay that way for a while. However, I can't help but feel a bit disturbed by the reactions to this whole kerfuffle, on both sides of the pond.
For some reason, folks here in the states think of the British as the tea drinking, prim and proper secret agent types. The rest of Europe sees the Brits a little differently...
Imagine the left image with a Trump tattoo and the resemblance between the older, blue collar Americans becomes uncanny... after all, we are the children of England.
While the blue collar workers that built both nations deserve respect, their fear of the unknown threatens the very aspect of capitalism that made both nations a magnet for immigrants: opportunity. Closing borders closes opportunity, which hampers economic growth. The attempt to save their culture may very well doom their economic future, and therefore the future of their own culture.
Any good American can (and should) empathize with the phrase "no taxation without representation," and the Brits deal with regulation without representation. However, every good American should recoil in horror as the floodgates of dammed up racism burst last week.
While I am disgusted by the venom spat at immigrants in the UK, the youthful rage against the Brexit decision scares me even more. Instead of slumped shoulders, sad-faced emojis and lamentations about the potential fallout of leaving the EU, the average politically aware American youth responded as childishly as those who voted for leaving the EU! Insulting memes, vindictive posts and general whining ensued about an issue that doesn't even concern Americans!
Look, if you support Brexit, I get it. You want to cut down on regulations made in Brussels while fearing immigrants. And if you don't support Brexit, I get it: you don't own a business and think that open borders are the bomb. But if you live here, in the United States, and have little to no ties to the UK, then I have to ask: do you actually care about the issues surrounding Brexit (like security/sovereignty, or funding research) or do you just want easy likes for being a progressive world citizen?
Ultimately, the memes, finger-pointing and shaming of conservative Brits by young American liberals quickly became as nonsensical as the slew of conservative racism towards immigrants. This vitriol makes about as much sense as the climax of Independence Day, yet the young left seems to think that magical memes will somehow destroy the extra-terrestrial immigrants coming to our planet... wait, wasn’t that the point of Brexit?
