dijous, 17 de gener del 2013

Thinking of you - Dexys #Catalan_independence

A continuació, una petita actualtització en anglès pels possibles lectors no-catalans del bloc, sobre com va el tema de l'independencia ... a nivell personal, cada dia estic més content que ERC va arribar a ser el segon partit en les eleccions i optimista que aixo arribarà a bon port :)
...
So, you may be wondering how the "Catalan question" is going on ... well, my last word on the subject gave the election results.  Since then, the winning party has decided to form a minority government, with only 50 of the 135 seats available. However, this is more than double the vote of the second place party, which only got 21 seats. Added to this is the fact that this second-placed party does not wish to form a coalition govt, but shares the same opinion on holding a referendum for independence as the first. Hence, they have come to an agreement where they will support, or not hinder, the government on certain issues so that it can get on with the job of governing the country, as long as said referendum will be held before the end of 2014 :)
Here we go!
The Spanish government has already said this referendum will be illegal and will not be allowed, but as about 80% of Catalans believe otherwise (and maybe 60-70% would vote for independence in this referendum), the question is who is mightier, the people or the law? What is democracy?
The Spanish government are approaching this situation from the opposite direction of Cameron and the Scotland referendum. Can you imagine David Cameron trying to stop Scottish people speaking their own language (a tricky comparison, but you get the idea) or refusing to pay money owed to Scotland until the "come to their senses"? Or threatening to imprison and court-martial the Scottish PM, or even send in the tanks? All this on top of daily rants by politicians and media about how nasty Scottish people are etc. Would that encourage Scottish people to stay within the UK? Well, that's the Spanish approach - beat them with a stick until they love you!!

Music-wise, I can't think of anything to connect to the above, so it's another track from Brian's LP Of 2012!

7 comentaris:

  1. Ah. The comparison with Scotland has suddenly made the Catalan situation much clearer to me.

    And I've just realised something else: I see you as a sort of modern-day Stephen Maturin, that famous albeit fictional advocate for Catalan independence.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Maturin

    ResponElimina
  2. From my ongoing conversations with friends and family back in the UK, I appreciate that it is hard to understand the Catalan "question", and evenmoreso the passion behind it. However, we try ...!!
    Basically, the Catalans and rest of Spain were brought together many years (centuries) back through the usual poiltical marriage alliances, but have never really seen eye to eye. Spain , being the bigger of the two, has sort of tried to absorb Catalunya, rather than go for the "let's live together respecting each other's own differences" approach. The Catalan movement for independence has had its ups and downs, but is currently on the UP! For me, it all boils down to; let them decide for themselves. Independently of what is better (indepdence or staying in Spain) in my opinion, why can't 7 million people be able to have their own say on what kind of future they want?

    Which is what the UK have agreed on Scotland, I think. You want a referendum? Ok, when? Couldn't be easier or more democratic!!

    ResponElimina
  3. Sorry, but I have to admit though - I'd never heard of Stephen Maturin until now (thanks!!). Never read the books or seen the films :(
    Soon to be remedied: Amazon, where are you .....?

    ResponElimina
  4. Un altre cop, totalment d'acord amb el teu comentari. I si ERC hagués tret millors resultats, tot seria mesclar.

    I respecte a la cançó. . . . . preciosa.

    Salutacions.

    ResponElimina
  5. Crec que els resultats , en perspectiva, van ser bons. Per a continuar el cami a l'independencia, o guanyava Mas per golejada (jo crec que si guanya de carrer, només per ego personal, ens hauria portat pel cami bo! ignorant a Duran i cia), o calia ERC com a segona força per donar l'espenta. Vist la segona opcio, i els problemes que UDC estan causant als CiU, pos, sort de Junqueras!!
    En anglès, intento comparar lo que fa Rajoy en lo que fa Cameron. No puc imaginar Cameron negant coses als escocesos, o retallant-los els seus drets, tocant la seva cultura o drets que tenen (com aqui temes fiscals), o posant obstacles al referendum. Fent de "poli bo", Cameron aconseguirà el que vol - l'unio. Fent de "poli dolent", Rajoy no aconseguirà res.

    ResponElimina
  6. Ja saps que Dexys toquen al "primavera sound"?
    Salutacions

    ResponElimina
  7. Thanks! No sabia, gracies per l'info. No crec que hi vagi, pero va bé saber-ho. Son uns craks!!

    ResponElimina