Cardinal Sees Scots Secede Soon
From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Thu, 2006-10-26 13:47
I am happy that, if it is the wish of the people, Scotland becomes an independent country. […] The people and the Members of the Scottish Parliament have increased control but not all the power they would wish for. I have just been involved in a protest against nuclear weapons, many of which are based here, and the people ask ‘why are we not able to say what we want in Scotland?’
The independence of the RC Church in Scotland has been recognised since the restoration of the hierarchy in 1878, and there is that same rugged desire for independence in the Scottish Church. Many, many Catholics are annoyed when they are told, mistakenly, by the press that the Cardinal in Westminster is the head of the Catholic Church in Britain – or, even worse, of the United Kingdom.
I would also say, with respect, that the Catholic leadership in England is almost part of the establishment, whereas we are not, and don’t particularly want to be. We value our independence and can take a legitimate swipe at the establishment, for example, with regard to the Act of Settlement, or over Trident. The English Bishops have not yet spoken about this; and I was delighted to get a letter from Cardinal Martino, the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, praising the statement of the Scottish bishops’ conference saying that this reflected the teaching of the Church.
In Scotland we say, this is what we think, and with due respect to the Queen or the Prime Minister, we don’t care whether they like it or not.
SpanishDimplomat "guesses"
Submitted by Malcovic on Fri, 2006-10-27 21:43.
SpanishDimplomat "guesses" that the situation in Spain in similar to that in the UK regarding "separatists". He's obviously poorly informed.
Me queda claro que Ud. no tiene idea de lo que está hablando.
Maybe he and oiznop would be interested to know that, according to numerous opinion polls carried out since 1998, the majority of people in Scotland are in favour of independence.
No disrespect meant
Submitted by SpanishDiplomat on Mon, 2006-10-30 17:57.
Malcovic,
I regret having said anything wrong regarding Scottish nationalism. If what the Scottish people really want is independence, then my respect for it.
However, I simply ask, why is it they do not return separatist majorities to the Scottish Parliament.
In Spain, you will concede me -I hope-, we have legitimate exhaustion with our separatists.
I will not discuss here how legitimate (OR NOT, actually) are the grievances our Basque and Catalonian separatists have with Spain, since this would be too long to discuss.
What I demand them is clarity. For nearly thirty (30) years they have become the masters of our political system. And now, thanks to the cooperation of Zapatero´s Government, they are even devising bolder plans to consolidate legally even higher degrees of autonomy based NOT on the principle of self-reliance and self-government, but on the principle of parasitical "association" with Spain, whereby we pay their expenses and they not only stay in Parliament to vote laws that won´t affect them but also to shape, with their overvalued votes who rules Spain and how. On top of that, these agreements are illegal according to our Constitution, which has not been properly amended to accept this...
I hope you will understand this is not fair.
I rather have them independent than having to cope with them for more time, as they are clearly diverting Spain from minding its own rightful business and ensuring the durability of its current political and economic success and welfare.
But even if they were to be independent, I repeat, the sad thing for the separatists, is that no more than a maximum of 30% of the population in Catalonia or the Basque Country really want to secede from Spain, as they consider themselves simply Spaniards.
The separatist elites in power in those regions are disconnected from the people in this respect. And this kind of things shouldn´t be allowed to happen.
Spanish Diplomat
Scottish and other separatists around Europe
Submitted by SpanishDiplomat on Thu, 2006-10-26 23:04.
How tiresome are these Scottish separatists and others!
People may seek independence for their area, but they should start by being realists and check first the facts and, above all, what's the real feeling of their fellow-citizens.
In Spain we are growing very tired of our Basque and Catalonian separatists, who have controlled our entire political system for the last 30 years and now they even try to organize the entire country to suit their ideals and to finance their petty, interventionist, "dirigiste", and welfarist regional Governments while creating insitutional havoc for the other territories of Spain. Good!
On top of that, the separatist political and mediatic élite does not represent (on the issue of the independence) the majority of their constituencies, since much less of one third of the population of Catalonia or the Basque Country do support independence. Give us a brake! We have much more important things to discuss in Spain right now than securing these élites their perpetual prosperity and jobs...
And I guess, this mustn´t be very far away from what it is actually taking place in the UK and other countries.
I actually believe, the best option is to organize a referendum in all regions with separatists just to see the real support the idea has. And then, declare independence for the areas with a majority of separatists, and isolate them phisically from the others, where from then on any separatist activity should be declared unlawful and their supporters expelled to the independent zone.
Spanish Diplomat
It might just happen
Submitted by robspear on Thu, 2006-10-26 22:25.
The Merry English may yet kick out the Dour Scots, and good riddance to the kilt-wearing Braveheart fetishists.
It will never happen.....
Submitted by oiznop on Thu, 2006-10-26 17:05.
This is reminiscent of when the Quebecois tried to secede from Canada on several occasions over the last 30 years.....but the voters of Quebec overwhemingly voted that idea down...They like their goodies too much from the big brother English Canandian Government....I am sure the majority of Scots feel the same way, and are loyal to the throne.....This preacher man is in the minority here....Where's William Wallace when you need him????.......;-).....