Mark sent this to me and asked if I would publish it on my blog and would I encourage others to do similar. I was delighted to agree and more than happy to encourage others to follow Mark’s example. So please write to Craig and I will post any letters here on my site if you want. I am delighted to do both. It is important we keep Craig’s wrongful imprisonment in the public eye. It is also important that Craig knows we have not forgotten him either!
Mark Harper
13th August 2021
Craig Murray
157095 C Murray
G3/38 HM Prison, Edinburgh
33 Stenhouse Road
Edinburgh
EH11 3LN
Dear Craig,
Hello! I have a confession to make. When I first heard you speak, I immediately heard you as the enemy. Your soft cultured accent set my teeth on edge. I’m a Methil mongrel who left school at 15 in 1979, straight into Thatchers UK. Everyone that I ever met with your kind of accent was either the boss or someone who looked down on me. I have my own kind of bias, it’s what my life experience taught me, and I’m trying to unlearn it.
I’ve since read your blog, donated when I could afford to, and have come to appreciate that you have bigger baws than any wanker in any of the factories or Mills I worked in that are now all closed. You pal are an inspiration to do better, try harder.
I have never been British, British is English in my experience. The two are Interchangeable. I’m Scottish. Soon, there will be no more of us, we are being displaced and bred out of existence by muppets who vote for the likes of Bawjaws Depiffle. They think because they have some little means that they are better than me and my kin. They believe that because I don’t want my country run by theirs that I am a racist who hates English people! But they aren’t the worst, the worst are those Scots who want to be ruled by England and their elitist Imperialistic dregs.
My wife is Belarusian, I quite literally picked her up while she was hitch-hiking! Twa babes at the side of the road, I stopped so quickly, it’s lucky there was no one behind me. I have since visited Minsk many times. At first I felt sorry for these poor people ruled by a dictator, with news media delivering 24/7 propaganda. That was 20yrs ago. These days, I’ve come to appreciate the British are just way better at punting pish. Britain doesn’t have elections, it has selections. Red or blue, you get the same support of the British establishment with false promises of reform. I really don’t know how the likes of you and Salmond can keep taking the blows and abuse and still keep on going. I’ve also seen what imperialists can do in “freeing” a country to bring them democracy. Libya was a real eye-opener.
My wife Olga, named after the famous gymnast, goes by Ola, blessed me with twa bonny lassies. Both my girls speak fluent Russian, thanks to their mother. It’s humbling for me as a coorse Fifer to listen to them and swell my heart wi pride. Hopefully they seem to be doing well at school and will manage to gain a fuller education than I managed. I’d been brought up to believe that my vocabulary was “slang”, school showed me how worthless I was. I now, of course, realise that I speak something that’s closer tae whit Burns wrote. My language is Scots.
Please forgive my rambling, I’m no much o’ a letter writer boss.
I hope someday to shake yer haund. Stay strong pal, we are all thinking of you and your bravery.
Warmest regards,
Mark Harper
I absolutely concur with everything in this letter, what a marvellous way to put thoughts and truths down for others to read..
I wrote to Keith Brown twice regarding the inhuman way that Craig Murray has been treated by the Vichy Scottish government only to be given a complaint number and then ignored. Singh, Murray and Salmond are all examples of the punitive way that the Scottish Government is silencing true Patriots who are pushing independence. Westminster rule is coming to an end along with those who court Vouge magazine and seek an Environmental ambassadors job at the UN. The truth always unfolds. Bought and sold for English gold . The Union has no shortage of little helpers.
The letter from Mark to Craig is, in defiance against all the odds, symbolic for the fact that England never could and never will, despite 300 years of trying, turn Scotland in to a region of England.
Colonialised by “Quislings and house jocks”, but nowhere near as dead as they would like..!
Well said Mark.
Braw letter/scrieve Mark, weel duin.
On the maiter o socio-linguistic prejudice an oor ain braw Scots langage an mither tung:
“The most urgent claim of a group about to revive is certainly the liberation and restoration of its language. Only that language would allow the colonized to resume contact with his interrupted flow of time and to find again his lost continuity and that of his history. To this self-rediscovery movement of an entire people must be returned the most appropriate tool; that which finds the shortest path to its soul, because it comes directly from it.” (Albert Memmi)
https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2021/07/04/paper-two-the-determinants-of-independence/
Brilliant letter Mark – I’m trying to send fairly regular cards to Craig to let him know there are people who he has never met who are thinking of him and his family every single day that he spends in Ms. Sturgeon’s jail house. (As Craig always says – The Truth Shall Set Us Free).
“Please forgive my rambling, I’m no much o’ a letter writer boss”
I beg to differ. That was a great letter and one I’m sure Craig will be delighted to receive. His wife is from a former USSR territory too!
“I’d been brought up to believe that my vocabulary was “slang”, school showed me how worthless I was.”
They call it cultural genocide and colonialism. Claim Scot culture is inferior and supplant with English culture and language.
Wow. So heartfelt, so real, Mark Harper. I, too hope that Craig Murray is well and will be released soon to join his family before Christmas. The establishment has made its point and there is nothing to be gained in torturing this man, because that is what it is. I agree about Alec Salmond, as well: a lesser person would have crumbled under that kind of pressure. We should remember their families and loved ones, also. They have suffered every step of the way with them. Maybe the New Year will see hope and forgiveness return to all concerned in this whole mess which has engulfed our country.
For someone who claimed to be “no much o a letter writer” that was remarkable. You painted a picture of Scots and Scotland that we all share. Our stories may differ but the belief and mindset are aligned.
Well done Mark. If only such openness and honesty was displayed by those who occupy Bute House we would be in a much better place.
Most excellent ! Brilliantly written and sure to make Craig smile.
Thank you.
The address (G3/34) is incorrect. Please write to Craig at:
157095 C Murray
G3/38
H M Prison Edinburgh
33 Stenhouse Road
Edinburgh
EH11 3LN
Twitter page says different.
G3/34
I don’t know which Twitter page you mean. Craig was moved to G3/38 a few weeks ago. The original post has been edited to show the correct address.
Alan, I’ve been posting a card to Craig every Thursday – since WOS posted his address during the summer – but unfortunately using G3/34. Does that mean they’ve all been dumped? I hope not! They’re nothing like Mark’s lovely letter, only simple chat about what’s happening in nature but in the main cards I thought his wee boy would like. The aim was just to help a little with the boredom of prison and let him know that we’re thinking of him I’m really disappointed. However, this week’s one will go to G3/38. Thank you, Alan, for that info.
The prison authorities are very strict on some rules but I don’t believe they would be so heartless as to refuse to deliver mail sent to his ‘old address’. From memory they only changed it about 6 weeks ago.
Bloody well said Mark, I hope Craig scrolls this far doon n reads the comments , both of you gee even simple folk like me inspiration.. not much of a letter writer myself … but credit where its due … al the best
Mark, your letter decribes my experience exactly and far better than I could. I think your letter will give Craig a real boost and help him through this politically motivated punishment.
Excellent analysis of modern Scotland !!!
Yip the National Endowment for Democracy, an off-shoot of the CIA recently sponsored a colour revolution in Belarus against President Lukashenko, it failed, however with Belarus being an ally of Russia the game continues to replace Lukashenko with a Western friendly puppet.
Anyway Scots have had their own Scots dialect beaten out of them in some cases, and replaced with English, so much so that own our ain folk, well some of them cringe when hearing our ain tongue. I’ve read that the likes of Inverness folk with regards to the English language are some of the most grammatically correct, such was the thoroughness of removing our Scots language in Schools.
We don’t teach enough of our own rich and varied history, and our uni’s are hotbeds for unionist teachers, I think Professor Alf Baird said that only one or two in ten lecturers at our uni’s in Scotland are Scottish.
Well said, Mark Harper.
We must keep fighting for our independence. Never give up on never being British. Scotland forever.
A powerful presentation Mark particularly your reference to the Scots (?) conditioned to the thrall of Westminster.
When ye grip Craig’s haund grip it fur us aw nee’bur, yer dochter’s maun be real prood o’ ye!
Since I first became aware of Craig Murray and what he stood for, I read his blogs, followed his commentaries of the Salmond trial and all the twists and turns which ended in his being incarcerated for 8 months. I am deeply ashamed of our legal system which allowed this to happen. I know many others, including respected lawyers, also see this as a gross miscarriage of justice. Will he be serving the whole 8 months? How many prisoners who have committed far worse “crimes” serve their time in full? The Scottish Govt. have scored an own goal here. I used to respect Nicola Sturgeon but her contribution to the iniquitous treatment of Alec Salmond and Craig Murray has destroyed all trust and respect in the present regime. I believe Truth will prevail and those who betrayed us get their just desserts. Keep up the fight Craig and Alex. You do not stand alone.
Well said Mark. I am sure Craig will have been delighted to receive your lovely letter. I myself have been writing to Craig every two weeks, since his incarceration, am sure I ramble a bit, but it’s not that easy when you have never actually met.
Can anyone tell me of Craig’s expected release date?
The Scots language has been obliterated. Professor Alfie Baird’s book Doun-Hayden goes into this. The word doun-hauden apparently is a Scottish word for oppression. The fact most of us don’t know this shows that England’s desire to subsume Scotland is obviously well and truly up and running.
My spelling of the word doun-hauden. was over-written by the Auto correct facility. As I said we are well on the way to being subsumed by England. I just hope the words of Rule Britannia now don’t suddenly appear at the end of my post.
Well done Mark Harper. Great that you took the time to compose your letter and send it to Craig. He has been done a great injustice by some nasty people.
Awra best to you and your family.
Here’s a short letter I’ve wrote to Craig it’s the second of 2 I wrote one a few weeks ago it’s difficult to know what to say or how to say it but here it is
“I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits under the circumstances,
I’m writing to you because as a fellow Scot (not one of the wishy washy British type) I want you to know you are not forgotten
I don’t share your beliefs in everything Craig but deep down I believe we share the same sense of honesty & justice and the injustice of your imprisonment has sickened me to the core, for the first time in my life I am ashamed of my country, I am ashamed to call myself a Scot, I don’t want to feel this way but I do and I know many others who feel the same.
I hope you will continue the fight after your release and I hope they never silence you, I know that sounds selfish of me after all you’ve been through and that’s probably because it is but Scotland needs good honest men like you more than ever. Not just to help us win back our nation but restore the pride we once had.
All of that said I wouldn’t blame you if you put away the pen and never wrote another article or uttered another word and if that’s what you decide to do then I wish you all the best and thank you for all you’ve done for Scotland and the sacrifices you’ve made for us, we can never repay you
So please stay strong Craig every day that dawns is another day closer to your release and I will rejoice when that day comes although I’m sure there are many that wont sadly many of them so called Scots you know the wishy washy British type
Yours Sincerely”
An excellent letter, Mark. I’m sure that it will warm the cockles of Craigs heart. I so hope he comes out sooner rather than later, he needs a good long rest after his judicial ordeal.
Thank you Roddy, and thank you all for the kind words folks.