Go metric�goodbye to sovereignty
February 26, 2002 ~ 11:43 p.m.
The brave new world of a United States of Europe is already threatening my adopted home country of Britain. Apparently, people here are too nationalistic (a joke considering levels of patriotism here pale in comparison to that displayed by Americans). They prefer their Imperial system of weights and measures to the metric system. How fascistic of the British indeed.
On New Year's Day, Europe made its biggest step yet toward full integration by discarding the money of most of the major nations in favor of the Euro. Never mind the tricky financial considerations involved in implementing a common currency on a continent densely populated by a people of disparate cultures and traditions (getting banks to agree on a common exchange rate, etc.). It is the declaration of a New Europe, with bureaucratic Brussels as its capital.
Britain, while trying to embrace the Euro under the tuttelage of British PM Tony Blair, remains steadfast in clinging to its pound (�). Pounds and pence are similar to American dollars and cents, at least in terms of the decimalization of both currencies. But if a referendum, planned for next year, reveals serious discontent among the British regarding the scrapping of the pound, then no doubt, Brussels will try forcing it down their throats.
Sound hard to believe? Well, take a lesson from the market vendors who were arrested for no greater crime than selling their goods in terms of pounds (weight) and ounces. Surely, this can't go on in a fellow European Community member nation! So, lock the offending stall-owners away until they come to their sense and start hawking their goods in kilograms instead. That'll learn 'em�and their British customers as well. Learn to go metric or do without your fruits and veggies.
On "The Wright Stuff," the popular morning talk show here, the host asked, "should we move closer to Europe in adopting the metric system, or remain close to our cousins, the Americans, who use the Imperial system just as we do?" The overriding opinion was that, as we are British, so we should keep our British system of Imperial weights and measures. "But what of Europe?" Wright dared to ask.
The overwhelming majority's answer: "Hell with Europe."
In this sense, British patriotism shines through the dark cloud of European bureaucracy. This nation can't avoid its fate. We are already part of the European Common Market�one day, our money, our measures and our laws will be superceded by the Euro, the metric system, and laws decreed upon us by Brussels.
Therefore, it is not just my status as a native son of America that I wish to retain the Imperial system in England. Yes, I understand it. But, the Imperial system is a thoroughly English system. The English have a right to it. It is very much part of their culture. Could we not agree to display weights in Imperial and metric, side by side? In this, I am reminded of the way in which English-speaking Canadians deal with French on their street signs and public notices underneath the same pronouncements in English, even though there is almost no demand for the French. It is decreed by Ottawa. If Brussels dictates that we go metric, the above scenario is an acceptable loophole.
I understand metric to a small degree. I know that 6 feet is 1.80 meters, and can therefore make conversions based on that. I know that one inch is roughly equal to 2.5 centimeters. I know several Celsius temperatures by heart (5C=41F, 14C=57F, 20C=68F, and many more). I know that a kilometer is more than a mile. But if I have the choice, I would stick with the system of weights and measures I grew up with: the Imperial.
I just never thought I'd live to see the day when the argument in favor of going metric would turn so geopolitical.
� M.E.M.
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Copyright � 2001-2007 by M.E. Manning. All material is written by me, unless explicitly stated otherwise by use of footnotes or bylines. Do not copy or redistribute without my permission.
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