Let the Flemish People Go

From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Tue, 2007-09-04 13:06
belgiancrisis.jpg

A quote from Jean Quatremer, the correspondent of the French daily Libération in Brussels, on the Libération blog, 3 September 2007
 
Contrary to what is often said, the possible Flemish independence would not contradict the European principle. […] There is no precedent of a [European] Union member state breaking up into two or more independent states: the separation of Czechoslovakia, the Baltic states or Yugoslavia happened before they joined the Union. The fact that there would be two new states instead of a united Belgium will simply increase the number of member states from 27 to 28… Better still, the Union cannot but support the Flemish claim […] If a member state should decide to leave the Union, not only can no-one can prevent it from doing so, but it is its most absolute right to do so, since Europe is not built on coercion, like an Empire, but on voluntary adhesion. What is true for the Union is also true for the member states.

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leaving the Union

Submitted by Armor on Thu, 2007-09-06 23:43.

Frank Lee said: "it is unconstitutional for member states of the U.S.A. to leave the union"

What about exchanging a US state for an EU state? Maybe the US Supreme court will say it is OK, as long as the overall number of states does not go down?
For example, you could give us Alaska, and we would give you England. The English are always complaining about everything, but maybe you will get along with them.

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Southern Succession re: Mary Jo

Submitted by Amsterdamsky on Wed, 2007-09-05 13:41.

I think we Northerners suffered the most for that.  Look at Detroit and our other cities.  The North would look just like europe if not for the waves of desperate blacks fleeing the South after "re-construction" and intimidation and lynching by disenfranchised southerners via the KKK.  The South had a right to leave even if for the wrong reasons. Lincoln was a war criminal.

"since Europe is not built on coercion, like an Empire, but on voluntary adhesion. "

Allegedly so was the US. There is no off switch on empire other than collapse.

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Flemish Secession

Submitted by mary jo anderson on Tue, 2007-09-04 18:38.

 Un-reconstructed Southern Americans wish the Flemish people success.

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Belgium is different

Submitted by R. Hartman on Tue, 2007-09-04 16:50.

Nowhere have I read or heard that Flemish independence would contradict the European principle, so I don't support the opening statement. But while in itself that might be true, that's not the issue here.Contrary to the states mentioned in the quote, Belgium was supposed to be the working model for the EU. The only thing it has proven is that the EU will not work, except for selected countries parasiting on the others (analoguous to Wallonia on Flanders) and only until it blows up.

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Roach motel

Submitted by Frank Lee on Tue, 2007-09-04 16:43.

Readers may not be aware, but it is unconstitutional for member states of the U.S.A. to leave the union. Indeed, we had a civil war over this very principle (or lack of one, depending on how you look at it). America is a bit like Islam that way, or a roach motel: states can join, but they cannot leave. Perhaps this helps to explain the coercive nature of the ruling elites in Europe: they have to compensate for the lack of coercion in the union itself.

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