Speak Catalan Or Die

Over the past weekend we have been allowed insight into the substitution of human values by new technology, or rather by valueless ideology best spewn with the assistance of new technology. A parallel universe was kicked into full gear.

On Friday (which was the 13th) Catalan policemen, called Mossos d'esquadra, protested against budget cuts by the Catalan government. Among one of the points of criticism seems to be the lack of sufficient pieces of body armour. Acutely aware that the Catalan government is more occupied with nation-building than with providing services to the people, let alone security to the security forces, some of the Mossos had the idea to switch to speaking Spanish instead of Catalan.

A day later at one of their demonstrations they swung the Spanish flag and sung "Viva España".

The Catalan blogosphere went immediately abuzz with mischievous comments, accusing the Mossos of behaviour similar to that of Franco-times Guardia Civil. Of treachery and whatnot.

This opposition of two patriotic symbols, own language vs own police force, is treacherous terrain for Catalan opinion makers. Op-eds at the main newspapers stayed largely out of the fray, with the exception of El Periódico. "With what energy will they from now on fight the agressions and the affronts against the language and the flag" of Catalonia, Joan Barril asked. He has little cachet to lose. A few months ago this journalist was forced to resign as adviser to a political candidate because he thought it to be compatible with his work as a journalist for several media houses, among them public Catalunya Ràdio.

The outcry over the campaign of the Mossos was still loud and vicious enough to make labour unions succumb. One of them, called USPAC (Workers Union of the Autonomous Police Force of Catalonia), issued a statement in which it called the song singing and the Spanish flag swinging "an insult and a lack of respect for our condition as Catalan policemen, for our flag, which is the senyera, and for our anthem, which is Els Segadors!"

Catalan policemen are what they are based on Spanish law. Indeed, one of the requirements to opt for a post with the service is to have Spanish nationality. The Catalan anthem and flag are official because of Spanish law. The Autonomous Community of Catalonia is, obviously, part of Spain. Spanish language is official all over Spain, co-official with Catalan in Catalonia, and the mother tongue of many of the Mossos and most of their clients.

Policemen criticising their colleagues for displaying the country's flag that hangs from every town hall. This looks like a twisted parallel universe.

But hey, it's Catalonia. Things can get even worse. They already are. On Sunday El País revealed that medical personnel in Catalonia has been ordered to "always speak Catalan, regardless of the language used by their interlocutor". If the interlocutor does not understand Catalan, it should be spoken nonetheless aided by the use of "non-verbal means or graphic material". Should even that not do the trick, the requirement is to switch to Spanish, if the interlocutor understands that language, but always dropping in the odd word in Catalan "so as to introduce this language into the universe (sic) of the newcomer".

Moreover, the use of foreign languages has to be "restrictive" and "exceptional", and limited to English and French.

This is quoted from a 12 page document of the Generalitat handed out in Tarragona.

Constitutional rights? Hippocratic Oath? Only ten minutes for each patient? This is Catalonia! We're used to it.

More on Catalonia's Health Minister Boi Ruiz here.

The El País story was taken up in Catalonia only by La Voz de Barcelona. Nobody else ran it. There was no démenti either.

And no protests what. so. ever.

Here's a link back out of this parallel universe and into the real life some have the fortune to call home.