TIME TO SPEAK OUT

28.01.2012

Crisis are times of difficulty and confusion in ideas and in public life.There are also times when leadership, the ability of governments and political projects are tested.

As an example, in the United States, President Obama and his administration are projecting some doubts, since its first term in office have not been as bright as expected. Even though they have do better than their predecessors, but not as good as the expectations they have raised when they accessed at the forefront of the world´s most powerful country.

Although in a very different scenario, MM. José Montilla and J.L. Rodriguez Zapatero have already passed into history as dismal gray political leaders and rulers, not only for the mismanagement of the situation they have found, but also for being unable to provide hope. In Mr. Montilla case, his government´s incompetence and lack of national (catalan) project, led to a disastrous election results both to its own formation and to its partners. However, he has recently been nominated Spanish Senator. In the case of Mr. Zapatero and their followers, they are a crystal-clear example that systematic frivolity, demagoguery and deceit deserve a strong electoral punishment.

Obviously, recent political changes should imply changes in main political forces behavior. However, in Catalonia, with the exception of more severe spending cuts, the current government has not substantially changed the worst of Mr. Montilla´s policies, specially regarding the relationship between Catalonia and Spain. The Catalan government sails in mediocrity and takes refuge in an ambiguous and incomprehensible discourse. The same goes for CiU federation, under Mr. Duran i Lleida leadership and dictate from Madrid.

President Artur Mas declared that "perhaps the seams of the Constitution and the Statute have to be broken a bit". Also, Mr. Oriol Pujol, recommended lime tea to die-hard independentists. As we can see, our rulers poverty of language and metaphors is alarming. In Catalonia, we simply replace one metaphor (fish basket) for another (broken seams) without achieving real progress. Instead we need to have our own fishing nets in order to capture according to our needs, and wear our own made clothes and not those made by someone´s else.

However, at the EU there are leaders who are not afraid to speak out, even if they don´t get the desired outcomes. As an example, Scotland government is fullfilling its promise to consult its people on the country's independence. In Scotland, where those in favour of Independence are less than in Catalonia, citizens won´t be asked about a new fiscal pact or about UK law broken seams.

They will be simply asked if they want their own state, if they want Independence.

Do not think the time has come in Catalonia to speak out?

Author: RCAT web team

Translation: JS