I can't believe that I've not noticed this thread before now! After having returned from 3 years in the US 2 months ago, I can definately see a change towards a general consensus that independence would be good for Scotland. I've always thought that but now even some fairly cautious folk I know have come round to the same opinion. At the very least the people of Scotland should be allowed the chance to decide in a referendum (we are a democracy after all) - Labour seem determined to prevent even this and, to me, that's a sign of how scared they are. And their fear is in many ways very selfish. Gordon Brown, for instance, couldn't be Prime Minister if Scotland became independent. To people from other parts of the world who've got more perspective on the situation, there's absolutely no reason why Scotland shouldn't go on it's own. We are a discrete culture (even a genetically discrete for the most part!) and have FAR better economical potential than England. 300 years is far too long to have been ruled by a foreign country with their own selfish agenda. The continual rhetoric from the south over this period (and the atrocious attepmted ethnic/ cultural cleansing in the first third of this period!!!) has got into the subconcious of many Scots and hence the reluctance to go it alone. But I think the tide may be changing now and we need to grab this opportunity while we've got it. Even if the SNPs other policies are not all to my liking, I'll always vote for them so that we can have the opportunity to decide our own destiny...