Glasgow North East

Lots of talk been on Celtic nationalist blogs about the Labour hold at the Glasgow North East even on the Welsh blogger site, Grangetown Jack.

It's a terrible indictment that after 75 years of holding the seat, 12 years of power in Westminster (and several other stints) and 8 years in power in Holyrood - Labour blame the SNP (who've been in power at Edinburgh for 18 months) for Glasgow North East's ills! Yes, you couldn't make it up.

That the SNP failed to take the seat is also an indictment.

The best analysis I've read is in The Times. It'd be worth Plaid supporters, policy makers and politicians taking time to read it too.

Remembrance Day

You've got to admire the gall of British nationalism. The Remembrance Day and wearing the poppy especially.

There are two things going on. On one hand the Remembrance Day is a sort of pseudo pacifist event to remember the waste of World War One especially... conveniently forgetting that it was British nationalism that got us into the war. The other is basically an armed forces flag day.

I'm not a pacifist and don't begrudge either paying respects to men and women who've died in combat. As a Welsh nationalist I believe that they, and their families, deserve that from the state to which they gave their lives.

But the hypocrisy of British nationalism tries to have it both ways. The pacifistic side is basically 'all nationalism are bad and lead to war (like the Great War) ergo, Welsh nationalism will lead to war'. Failing to mention that it war British nationalism and the British national narrative which lead us into war and so, rather than fighting Welsh nationalism, Welsh people should be fighting British nationalism and British nationalism dressed as 'normal' and 'acceptable' and 'civic pride'.

The second armed forces day side of Remembrance Day says some soldiers are good, some are not. So, a commemoration to remember Glyn Rowlands the former FWA member in Machynlleth is followed by the Special Branch. Services to remember an army which as well as fighting a good war against Nazis also fought more 'bad wars' in South Africa, Kenya (well, all Africa), Malaysia, America, Ireland (do I need to go on?), WWI is 'good'.

I remember those brave soldiers, and those like Hedd Wyn, every day of my life. That's why I wish to see the end of the British state. I'm fed up of seeing Welsh men die fighting for Britain. What right or business does a Welshman have killing Indians, Zulus, Irish, Kenyans or others?

The British nation state is a state built on military conquest. It is a state where the military is totally central to its narrative and collective cohesion. And now we see Labour, the ultimate Brit Nat party, sending men to war to feed the insatiable appetite of this state for military endeavours, because as they know, Britain with out an active military, is just Belgium on stilts. There will then be nothing that the British state can do, which its constituent nations as free countries, couldn't do better.

Without war and the memory of war (dressed up as pacifism and militarism), the British state is an empty vassal.

No more Welsh men fighting British wars!

Eorpa's Back!

The best current affairs programme on UK network? It's got to be Eorpa on BBC Alba (the new Gaelic language channel).

Items from across Europe and also Scotland makes this an interesting and insightful series. Much more interesting than anything on S4C or any English language serive and without the 'Europe is cuddly, little nations with their silly languages' feel of Euronews.

For all non-Gaelic speakers - it's no problem. There's on-screen English subtitling. Go over to BBCi and check it out.

Wales in Catalan

Being an internationalist movement, the Welsh national movement has close links and affinity with other state-less nations. One of the most successful in terms of political power and language regeneration (not to talk of economy - and yes, there is a link) is Catalonia. And it seems the affinity is reciprocated.

For all those Catalan-speakers, there's a new site about Wales and the other Celtic nations. La Llengua de drac - the dragon's language, surely - is a great addition to the Welsh and Catalan blogesphere. (If, like me, you don't speak Catalan, you can use googletranslate).

There's also an article in the Catalan daily, El Punt about Rhodri Morgan. In it Rhodri tries to outline Wales's insulting and confusing constitional mess to the Catalans - the mess his party got us into to keep happy it's Brit Nat section!

Catalan Town Votes for Independence from Spain

Surprised (am I really?!) that none of the 'Welsh' media ran this story. Arenys de Munt, a small town mid-way between Barcelona and Girona in Catalonia, voted for independence from Spain.

The town's mayor held the election.... even though (or because of rather) the fact that Spain won't allow Catalonia to hold such a vote. The Spanish state declares that a vote on independence in 'unconstitutional' - the word 'unconstitutional' is used of course to give their colonial prejudice some semblance of intelligence and legality.

Much the same way as divorce was once 'unconstitutional' or gay rights was 'unconstitutional' or breaking apartheid laws were 'unconstitutional'. Put it in UK terms, under Spain's 'constitution' the Irish (and the Good Friday Agreement) would not be allowed nor would the Scots or us be allowed to hold a referendum on independence! It's all nonsense really.

The Catalans, like the Basques and Galicians, predate the Spanish state and so have a right to leave that state. In fact, had luck (and France) been on their side in the 18th century Catalonia would now be independent like Portugal are.

In any case, a campaign is gathering apace in Catalonia for the right of the Catalan nation to decide its own destiny within or without the Spanish state. Some time the Spanish conquistadors will have to give into democracy in Catalonia like the Basque Country and Galicia.

Cornwall Census - sign up!

Saw this piece on the newish www.golwg360.com site about the campaign for a Cornish tick box at the next census in 2011.

Why not go over and join the Facebook group?

Seems to me here in Wales that things are starting to move down in Kernow. That's good news. Together we're stronger. Lot's of respect for Dick Cole and the Mebyon Kernow party... their paper, Cornish Nation, is also better than Plaid Cymru's Welsh Nation!

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