Break Up
The deed has been done, on both sides. Independence was declared yesterday by Catalunya, at around three thirty in the afternoon. About five hours later, the Senate voted in a measure based on a constitutional article to intervene the regional autonomy, and the Prime Minister declared the suspension of the entire Catalan government and the regional police, and regional elections on the 21st of December.
How are things going to go now? If cool heads prevail, nothing will happen until people go to the polls in December and usher in a new regional government. Otherwise, things are up in the air. Last night, a crowd of several thousand people remained in the Plaza Sant Jaume outside the building that houses the Govern in Barcelona, celebrating the independence. About half the Catalan population were in heaven yesterday.
But it was an independence no one recognized. There was not one government in power that recognized an independent Catalunya. Everyone recognized Madrid's sovereignty over Catalunya. And only half the population were joyful. The other half either couldn't care less, or felt displaced and grateful that Madrid was taking over and announcing elections in December. A protest of a few hundred people, in favor of union with the rest of Spain also travelled the streets last night in Barcelona. They were made up of strange bedfellows. Aside from simple citizens, there were some from the richer neighborhoods in the hills, older people who normally protest social issues, and a small group of radicals. This small group eventually took over the protest, and ended up causing damages to the offices of Catalunya Ràdio and attacking three young men, one for wearing a t-shirt with a Communist logo, the others for yelling "llibertat" (freedom).
The Catalan people are now divided. A breach has been opened, and it is very difficult to close. If half now feel joyful and the other half despondent, will it be better to change the halves around, and make the secessionists despondent and the unionists joyful? The central government talks about the rule of law, but the law, in ultimate instance, is supposed to be made by the people for the people. If the people want the laws to change, those who represent them should listen and change the laws. I'm not saying independence should be legalized, but, as I've mentioned before, a federal union of Spain would be the closest thing to it, and would probably bring closure to this display of macho strength on both sides.
What frightens me a little is that outside Catalunya, it seems that the most vocal are the unionists. The problem is not that they are for a unified Spain, but that they are so in a very vocal, I-am-right-don't-argue-with-me way. They will not listen to arguments other than theirs, and are ready to brand you as a secessionist, Red, traitor, and a fake Spaniard, and will easily tell you to go to Catalunya or just leave Spain if you don't like it here. Social discourse is threatening to disappear. With friends and acquaintances (well, most, anyway) there isn't much of a problem. If they are people who have always measured their words, you won't get screamed at. Some might look a little incredulous, but that's it. Just don't talk too loudly at a café about the matter by criticizing the current Spanish state or the measures taken against Catalunya. I don't know if it's because of a misplaced love of Spain or an unconscious envy of Catalunya.
Whatever is done now, closing that breach is going to take much longer than the two months till elections. If they are finally held. It has taken years of disillusion in Catalunya with the centralist conservative government in Madrid to create that division. It's going to take just as long, or more, to heal it.
How are things going to go now? If cool heads prevail, nothing will happen until people go to the polls in December and usher in a new regional government. Otherwise, things are up in the air. Last night, a crowd of several thousand people remained in the Plaza Sant Jaume outside the building that houses the Govern in Barcelona, celebrating the independence. About half the Catalan population were in heaven yesterday.
But it was an independence no one recognized. There was not one government in power that recognized an independent Catalunya. Everyone recognized Madrid's sovereignty over Catalunya. And only half the population were joyful. The other half either couldn't care less, or felt displaced and grateful that Madrid was taking over and announcing elections in December. A protest of a few hundred people, in favor of union with the rest of Spain also travelled the streets last night in Barcelona. They were made up of strange bedfellows. Aside from simple citizens, there were some from the richer neighborhoods in the hills, older people who normally protest social issues, and a small group of radicals. This small group eventually took over the protest, and ended up causing damages to the offices of Catalunya Ràdio and attacking three young men, one for wearing a t-shirt with a Communist logo, the others for yelling "llibertat" (freedom).
The Catalan people are now divided. A breach has been opened, and it is very difficult to close. If half now feel joyful and the other half despondent, will it be better to change the halves around, and make the secessionists despondent and the unionists joyful? The central government talks about the rule of law, but the law, in ultimate instance, is supposed to be made by the people for the people. If the people want the laws to change, those who represent them should listen and change the laws. I'm not saying independence should be legalized, but, as I've mentioned before, a federal union of Spain would be the closest thing to it, and would probably bring closure to this display of macho strength on both sides.
What frightens me a little is that outside Catalunya, it seems that the most vocal are the unionists. The problem is not that they are for a unified Spain, but that they are so in a very vocal, I-am-right-don't-argue-with-me way. They will not listen to arguments other than theirs, and are ready to brand you as a secessionist, Red, traitor, and a fake Spaniard, and will easily tell you to go to Catalunya or just leave Spain if you don't like it here. Social discourse is threatening to disappear. With friends and acquaintances (well, most, anyway) there isn't much of a problem. If they are people who have always measured their words, you won't get screamed at. Some might look a little incredulous, but that's it. Just don't talk too loudly at a café about the matter by criticizing the current Spanish state or the measures taken against Catalunya. I don't know if it's because of a misplaced love of Spain or an unconscious envy of Catalunya.
Whatever is done now, closing that breach is going to take much longer than the two months till elections. If they are finally held. It has taken years of disillusion in Catalunya with the centralist conservative government in Madrid to create that division. It's going to take just as long, or more, to heal it.
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