A pro-independence blog by James Kelly - voted one of Scotland's top 10 political websites.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Europe is being slow to realise that it needs Spain to lose
Just a quick note to let you know that I have a new article at the TalkRadio website, about what Nicola Sturgeon is likely to say and do in response to the Spanish crackdown on democracy. You can read it HERE.
It is not a Spanish crackdown on democracy. It is a Spanish state supporting the right of at least 3.9m Spaniards who live in Catalonia but who do not identify themselves as Catalan. They have a modern constitution which supports massive amounts of autonomy (Catalonia has substantially more than Scotland btw). It needs to be defended.
A "modern constitution" does not make voting illegal. I'm afraid you're going to have to explain why the rights of the minority depends on the majority being whacked on their way to the polling station.
They do not have 'massive amounts of autonomy'. They SHOULD have and would have had the Madrid government had not overturned key portions of the Statute of Autonomy (which was passed by a Madrid-approved referendum never forget). THAT was what brought about the beginning of the current drive for independence.
As far as law being'required', what is required is laws that are just. St. Augustine pointed out that "Law that is unjust is no law." Laws that forbid voting and self-determination are by their very nature unjust. Building on St. Augustine, Dr. Martin Luther King put it quite succinctly: “One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”
At the Nuremberg trials "but it was the law" was not a defence. Neither is it in Spain.
While I don’t have an opinion on how Catalans should vote, I unwaveringly support their right to decide the issue for themselves. When it comes to the issue of voting and referendums, we’ve entered a topic far bigger than Catalonia, Spain, or even Europe itself. When it comes to the issue of political self-determination, we’re talking about an essential human right which should be seen as inherent to all of us, everywhere.
Sometimes there's just no cure for plain old stupid. Once the majority of people become 'stupid' the result is 1985, Orwell.
Let me vote.
Håkan Juholt, a former leader of the centre-left Swedish Social Democrat party and ambassador to Iceland since September.
"How old is your son? Four?" he asks the reporter.
"When he is old he won't be living in a democracy but in a technocracy, or a dictatorship. It's sad as hell. I am sorry to say it, but I am 100 percent sure. We are in the process of dismantling democracy."
Rajoy and his fellow travellers would not have sent the para militaries into Catalunya if they were confident of a No vote. They knew that any referendum on independence was not going to produce a result they could live with. However,the use of violence in an attempt to prevent people from voting has now been seen around the world and has damaged not only the reputation of Spain but now the EU. It seems that those who run the affairs of the EU regard this as a price worth paying in order to maintain "order" within it's borders. I now have severe reservations about how the EU deals with human rights abuses within it's jurisdiction and their apparent impotence in the face of a belligerent Spanish administration does not give me confidence for the future. The cornerstone e.g. of the Good Friday agreement in Ireland was that all parties were guaranteed rights under European law which allowed the different factions to accept the settlement. Now that we see that the EU cannot guarantee human rights in the face of belligerent intransigence from a member state,the question has to be what is it for other than a trading organisation. That is what the UK/English Tories wanted and now there is a good chance that is what will emerge from this situation.
The Belfast Agreement and referendum had nothing to do with the corrupt EU. The EU is not mentioned in the public document. The EU Mafia is a dead duck. Shamefull that any Scottish Party would have any truck with that EU corruption.
Silly Nat si. The people voted not the courts. You idiot nat sis do not like democracy... Losers...And windbags.. Out of the EU and in the Union will be the call! Up yer kilts English Hater Party. EHP.
It is not a Spanish crackdown on democracy. It is a Spanish state supporting the right of at least 3.9m Spaniards who live in Catalonia but who do not identify themselves as Catalan. They have a modern constitution which supports massive amounts of autonomy (Catalonia has substantially more than Scotland btw). It needs to be defended.
ReplyDeleteA "modern constitution" does not make voting illegal. I'm afraid you're going to have to explain why the rights of the minority depends on the majority being whacked on their way to the polling station.
DeleteNo constitution which includes a monarchy can be described as modern.
DeleteConstitutions are not required. Law is. And what is modern?
DeleteThey do not have 'massive amounts of autonomy'. They SHOULD have and would have had the Madrid government had not overturned key portions of the Statute of Autonomy (which was passed by a Madrid-approved referendum never forget). THAT was what brought about the beginning of the current drive for independence.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAs far as law being'required', what is required is laws that are just. St. Augustine pointed out that "Law that is unjust is no law." Laws that forbid voting and self-determination are by their very nature unjust. Building on St. Augustine, Dr. Martin Luther King put it quite succinctly: “One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”
DeleteAt the Nuremberg trials "but it was the law" was not a defence. Neither is it in Spain.
While I don’t have an opinion on how Catalans should vote, I unwaveringly support their right to decide the issue for themselves. When it comes to the issue of voting and referendums, we’ve entered a topic far bigger than Catalonia, Spain, or even Europe itself. When it comes to the issue of political self-determination, we’re talking about an essential human right which should be seen as inherent to all of us, everywhere.
ReplyDeleteSometimes there's just no cure for plain old stupid. Once the majority of people become 'stupid' the result is 1985, Orwell.
Let me vote.
Håkan Juholt, a former leader of the centre-left Swedish Social Democrat party and ambassador to Iceland since September.
"How old is your son? Four?" he asks the reporter.
"When he is old he won't be living in a democracy but in a technocracy, or a dictatorship. It's sad as hell. I am sorry to say it, but I am 100 percent sure. We are in the process of dismantling democracy."
Rajoy and his fellow travellers would not have sent the para militaries into Catalunya if they were confident of a No vote.
ReplyDeleteThey knew that any referendum on independence was not going to produce a result they could live with.
However,the use of violence in an attempt to prevent people from voting has now been seen around the world and has damaged not only the reputation of Spain but now the EU.
It seems that those who run the affairs of the EU regard this as a price worth paying in order to maintain "order" within it's borders.
I now have severe reservations about how the EU deals with human rights abuses within it's jurisdiction and their apparent impotence in the face of a belligerent Spanish administration does not give me confidence for the future.
The cornerstone e.g. of the Good Friday agreement in Ireland was that all parties were guaranteed rights under European law which allowed the different factions to accept the settlement.
Now that we see that the EU cannot guarantee human rights in the face of belligerent intransigence from a member state,the question has to be what is it for other than a trading organisation.
That is what the UK/English Tories wanted and now there is a good chance that is what will emerge from this situation.
The Belfast Agreement and referendum had nothing to do with the corrupt EU. The EU is not mentioned in the public document. The EU Mafia is a dead duck. Shamefull that any Scottish Party would have any truck with that EU corruption.
DeleteWell do tell,which court was going to enforce the agreement?
DeleteCertainly not a British court.
Silly Nat si. The people voted not the courts. You idiot nat sis do not like democracy... Losers...And windbags.. Out of the EU and in the Union will be the call! Up yer kilts English Hater Party. EHP.
Deletekhbfehjkflk'zl987 3r9 t89t5ur \ v
DeleteSecret Nat si Codes will not help you EHP fascists.
Delete88
DeleteOne people one country one leader, better together, brexit means brexit
DeleteWhich country in particular are you talking about? Please dont say Britain or UK as they are not countries
DeleteIf Spain thinks it will win any referendum then why prevent it. That answer tells you all you need to know about fascist Madrid.
ReplyDeleteA Survation poll shows support for staying the EU in Scotland at 67%.
ReplyDelete33% of Scots are real patriots that do not want to be dominated by the unelected EU beaurocracy.
DeleteNaw, plantit settlers. Thae mingin patriots' love, iz fur yoan Albion fatherland.
Delete