1. 

   John Barrass
   March 2nd, 2006 - 13:14

   If you want to be strict about terminology, of course ‘fascist’ (and ‘falangist’, for that matter) are grossly misused. Ironically, given that the terms are generally shorthand slurs, both movements at their roots served to introduce some degree of efficiency and meritocracy into ossified and aristocratic, nay feudal, Mediterranean societies. They would not have garnered massive support from the working class and lower middle class otherwise.

   Evidently Trevor’s use of ‘fascist’ is in reference not to making trains run on time, but to the ethnic elements inherent in Catalanism. The covert (and illegal – this is tax cash used to further party ends) probes he refers to were explicitly aimed at eliminating neutrality and balance from the TV3 agenda, to be replaced by a blanket nationalist bias.

   You have a tough job arguing that catalanisme is not ethnic elitism when the Presidencia reports themselves sought to play down embarrassing likenesses with nascent fascism, in one instance criticising a newsreader’s recommendation of the documentary Legado de Hitler, the programme following, observing in the report that the documentary contained “a clear attack on nationalism and its possible consequences, owing to the way nationalist ideas were represented.” Quite.

   Trevor is right about Catalan-only AIDS/HIV information being genocidal in its effects. And his rationale regarding the democratic deficit of tax-paying Spanish speakers in Catalonia is spot-on, not just in education but in culture department grants and the media.

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2. 

   Tom
   March 2nd, 2006 - 14:56

   The problem as I see it is that this is an all or nothing situation for Catalan. Perhaps not exactly all or nothing, but a sort of 75% or 25%. What I mean is that if Catalan is not given state support, I fear that it will become the badge of elitism that many people currently (and unfairly, in my opinion) see it as. This would not be a natural event so much as it would be effected by mass immigration into Catalonia during a time public utterance of Catalan was proscribed.

   We're all aware of the history and it doesn't help much to drag it up in every argument but it is an important factor in this issue which ought not be forgotten. The social policy of a range of Spanish regimes has been to dilute, obstruct and interfere with Catalan culture and language. For me, it is imperative that the Catalan government now invests in establishing Catalan as the lingua franca of Catalonia. Failing to do so would mean the death of another European language, and the establishment of a Spanish hegemony at the expense of Catalonia's rich cultural history.

   That said, it is naturally reprehensible whenever a political party or politician attempts to use their power to smother criticism, unduly influence the media or otherwise stifle democracy. But I don't think this is really the same issue at all. The issue of Catalan language policy should not be confused with a more general and strenuous assault on the machinations of Catalonia's politicians, either past or present.

   If it is true that there is no investment from the Catalan government to provide HIV/AIDS education in alternative languages (which I suspect it is), this is also reprehensible. It must be the duty of any government to do its best to assist and educate its citizens on issues such as these. I don't accept that it is genocidal, because as far as I can see, the government of Catalonia is engaged in exactly the same policy as pretty much all other European governments: that is, not providing nearly enough information on HIV/AIDS for anyone, irrespective of language. For me, the issue is not ethnic, it is economic. Traditionally, governments fail the poorer members of society who have less to offer them. This is a disgusting example of the same.

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