[lit-ideas] Re: Europe's September 11 ?
- From: "Didier Agid" <dagid@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 20:00:06 +0100
My dear friends,
It's been a long time since I last posted (lack of time etc), but I still
enjoy lurking and reading you.
My daughter lives in barcelona, I have my 2 grandsons there. She takes
suburban trains nearly every day. I often took them with her and the kids.
You imagine how I feel watching images from Madrid. Those doing these
slaughters, like those of 9/11, deserve the Spanish favorite insult : "Hijos
de puta" (SOBs).
At this time there's still no evidence on who they are. Latest news tend to
give more credibility to an Al Quaida assault. We'll see. But just think how
victims feel not even knowing why they suffer. Paiin over pain. Disgusting.
I just wanted to post about what I might know a bit more about.
Omar writes :
> attacks are directed against democracy ? Which
> conception of democracy is under assault here -
> Aznar's, who took Spain into Iraq war against 90% of
> the public opinion,
I tend to agree with Omar
> and who said that on the issue of
> Basque self-determination there is nothing to talk
> about ?
Well, for once, I'd agree with Aznar. I know more about Catalunya than the
Basque coutry, but their political status is about the same. They enjoy the
highest degree of autonomy among European regions. Nearly everything is
under regional government : health system, police, transports, civil
regulations, school sytem in the regional language (Spanish being taught as
a "foreign language")... These regions have even official delegates in the
main countries. Spain is a democracy, with it's inperfections (as the one
above, though in total respect of the constitutional rules). This autonomy
was gained through free elections. ETA gained some sympathy in the Franco
era, when free expression was denied. But, today, every one is free to
advocate independance of these regions. All is forbidden is to advocate
terrorism, no difference with all other democracies. Should legal votes
bring local governments asking for independance, the normal dialog would
take place. In this sense, Aznar has a right to say that, for the moment
(voting for independance is not really significant), there's nothing to talk
about. As for self-determination, they fully have it.
IMHO, if the attack comes from inside the country, it's an attack against
the young Spanish democracy. A try in making terror more efficient than
votes. As anti-democratic as Franco's invasion was in 1936. Fascist.
Whatever, the size of today's protest shows it was an attack against all the
people of Spain and their wish for peace. Among those demonstrating today,
many demonstrated last year against the war in Iraq.
Ya basta ! (Now, that's enough !)
Didier
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