"[...] it is obvious that the case of Scotland and that of Catalonia are as similar as two drops of water [..]." (source)
Scotland on my mind is a kind of leitmotiv of the Catalan separatists. And so is Kosovo, or any other place where there are or have been separatist movements. But especially Scotland, because, as the above quoted text says, there is only one crucial difference: Great Britain is a real democracy, Spain is not. It is of special significance that the referendum on the independence of Scotland is scheduled for 2014. Every 9/11 Catalans celebrate their national holiday. That's the day when in 1714 they "lost their independence", as the local legend goes. A round 300 years later it will the Scots making the move! The Catalans would like to, too. Alas, it's not on the horizon. That hurts.
There are other elements that make Scotland so totally comparable to Catalonia. Just like there is no separatism in Catalonia that is not pancatalan and wants to unite all Catalan Lands (Països Catalans, or PPCC) in one state, Scotland, as the world knows, aspires for a kind of Celtic Lands (Països Celtes, another PPCC), comprising Scotland, Wales, Spanish Galicia, French Brittany, parts of Ireland and of Northern England. The Països Catalans are made up of Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Andorra, parts of Aragon and Murcia, French Roussillon and Alghero in Italy. Two drops of water.
And the similarities do not stop here. Catalonia, like Scotland, was colonised from the South. Lluís Montserrat explains that better than anybody else. Catalonia is a country "occupied by hundreds of thousands of colonists who never have lost nor ever will lose their roots, nor the conscience of the role they are playing here".
In Catalonia, it is the national movement called Catalanism that stands against colonisation, offering a brighter future, and it has to be especially welcomed because it is entirely and utterly positive and humane. Quico Sallés says that it is "the only movement that has swallowed the monsters it has created."
Which brings us back to Loch Ness and the fact that Catalans are ultimately not like the Scots. They're much much better people.
It is obvious.
I find Montserrat's piece particularly revolting.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that even the most extreme right in any other country dares to call its immigrants "colonists".
Yup, here I am again, surprised by the utter stupidity and outright meanness of a nationalist. But I do think they're going too far.
I don't know how far they'll get with it. Right now this is our daily bread, as the Spanish/Catalan saying goes.
ReplyDeleteI guess we won't see Sallés swallowing Montserrat any time soon....
ReplyDeleteSallès should start by swallowing himself. (Is it me, or does this sound vaguely dirty?)
ReplyDeleteMost adequately so. But wouldn't that lead to a Black Hole?
ReplyDeleteSo it's a good idea, especially if many others are caught inside the Event Horizon. There's not much light/information coming from then already anyway.
I don't know if Catalonia an Scotland are twins. No matter. What is important is that both nations want to be free, no one can fight against. Democracy before all.
ReplyDelete"Democracy before all"? Even when there is absolutely no hard evidence that the majority of Catalan citizens want independence? That's a good one!
ReplyDeleteIs there not evidence?. Sure. There are not official referendum. For the moment both are opinions, mine and yours.
ReplyDeleteTrue. An unofficial referendum that had some 90% approval with some 20% participation is evidence that there is no majority for independence. Except for that 20%.
Delete(Before me again go through the motion: referendum widely publicised, known to all, yet far from attaining the interest any comparable unofficial referendum was able to muster, such as the one in Kosovo in '91.)
Taking into consideration that most people did not know what the Catalan referendum was about, that's quite a meagre result.
Your opinion is that the Catalan nation wants to be "free" (i.e. independent) I say that we don't know for sure. Is that an opinion or just plain fact?
DeleteTell me who don't want to be free... If we take in consideration the last polls, there are an increasing majority that wants "cross the line" or, at least, express their opinion. Then they would have to apply the basis of democracy, which is the referendum, despite the bad will of Spanish Government frightened, as always, of the expression "self-determination of nations", although these nations are two thousand kilometers from Madrid.
DeleteI invite you to study the last polls from CEO year 2011 (45,4%)YES, (24,7%) NO. Or from OUC (Open University of Catalonia), Or El Periodico, La Vanguardia, CIS... The results are not despicable for the option affirmative to the independence.
There is no increase in votes for separatist parties. And the opinion polls offer a more complex picture than what you believe.
DeleteIn any case, while the campaign is one-sided and only the separatists have their say there is no way of knowing what would happen in an official referendum.
Which is why I stick with the one that, although I call it faux, does indicate the degree of commitment of the population. A 20% turnout does not convince me that the issue is of great importance.
Don't worry. Maybe there is not an increase of votes for separatist parties. But there is an increase in the separatist feeling of population. People go ahead of the politicians. It's a pity I cannot express myself in English very well. Your English is very good. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteBy now you might have become aware that English is not the only language one can use on this blog. So, be my guest.
DeleteThank you so much for your kind offering but, if you agree, in order to improve my English I prefer going on with this language. I will defend my point of view as well as I can. I want to congratulate you for your interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Arnau. You are very welcome here, especially if you have a different point of view.
ReplyDelete