You make valid points old man, from either side of the debate, and I won't argue.
I mentioned firearms as a contextual example - for those on here who seem to be saying that whatever the majority demand they should be given - that the popular vote doesn't always give the most desirable result, particularly when emotion influences people's views. This is what I fear has happened in the referendum.
I voted as I did for three reasons, and remain unchanged in my opinion :
1) I believe that EU membership has been used as a scapegoat for home-bred problems. These problems won't be cured by leaving, and may in fact be harder to tackle.
2) My interests are purely rural, and I believe that it is this sector of our economy that will be hardest hit by the change.
3) For young people. Although I'm an old stick-in-the-mud the younger generation of my family (ie, my children and their cousins) are widely dispersed, speaking between them more than 6 different European languages. They trave regularly between countries to visit friends and relatives, and although as individuals they're each deeply patriotic about whichever country they were born in, collectively they see themselves as citizens of Europe. This situation must be replicated through many households in Britain and beyond.
But we are where we are, and will have to make the best of it, although I do not know what that best may be. What I do know is these divisive Brexit discussions are spoiling the atmosphere of the SD, so I'll say no more and hope the thread winds up fairly soon.
