Do you see what they've done here? They've added the swastika, symbol of fascism, tyrrany and oppression, to the logo of a German budget airline. What have the dastardly teutonic flyboys been up to? Did they invade Poland? Did they attempt to reduce speakers of Slavic languages to a position of slavery due to insane pseudoscience? Did they harness the technological brilliance of a modern industrial nation and use it to exterminate 6 million people to further their mad dreams?
No. They want to use Spanish in their adverising and flight annuncements when flying to Barcelona and Valencia. Yep, that's what the nazis did alright. Well here's my answer:
Let's not forget that the Nazis were nationalists too....
(Thanks to Kalebeul for the tip off)
43 comentarios:
Oh my! your answer is quite bold and people out there won't like it! you may be deserving of the next boycott ('no al blog feixista de boynamedsue) or something...so watch your back, I can nearly sense a psycho caganer very upset behind you and when he is finished with his defecation process, he might stab you...
Indeed, while being quite an exaggeration, there is a certain fascist flare in all nationalisms, and Catalan couldnt be different, despite their "progressive" insistence.
Probably the keystone of their "progressive fascism" (or one of them) is the 'normalització' concept.
You are caught speak Spanish in Catalonia? dont worry, if you stay long enough, we can help you in "normalizing" yourself, as we dont like eccentricities over here, oi?....so please behave and start using Catalan only: it's for your own good....they also called it "integració". Creepy, huh?.
Oh, as you may have noted already, I am posting now under my real name instead of my previous clearly made up x.b. nick.
From now on I desired to be called "De Jong, the Antwerp VB supporter and armchair right wing strategist who loved BNS against all odds". I will made up an Italian nick if you wish to hear from my Lega impersonation, I quite master it, too.
Speaking of Italian, BNS, have you heard of OFFLAGA DISCO PAX yet? ideologia (comunista) a bassa intensittà...YOU WILL LOVE IT. Take my advice, if only for a change.
You will thank me eternally.
Boynamesomething,
Your post is the biggest manipulation of a fact that I have ever seen. I invite your readers to check the facts. The Balearic government sends a letter to Air Berlin requesting them in a very, very polite way to use also Catalan in their flights to the Balearic islands.
Instead of replying with a letter explaining why they will or will not use Catalan in their flights to the Balearic islands (economic reasons, the number of non German customers is small or maybe that they will only use Catalan in pre-recorded announcements), Mr "fill the puta" Joachim Hunold, the airline CEO, writes an editorial in the inflight magazine, mocking at the Catalan people and language.
This is the truth and not the misinformation that you publish here.
People can check by themselves here if they speak German and Bavarian.
And if you tell me your PO Box, I will send you some vaseline so that you can stick the swastika that you placed on the Catalan flag where it belongs.
Ah mockery. Another nazi trait.
I'm sorry to say, Ian, my grandparents fought against the REAL fascists when the grandparents of the current Nationalist bourgeoisie were dancing a jig of joy at Franco's entry into Barcelona.
I also had the privilege of meeting the great Italian partisan leader Gianni Pesci. Pesci fought against the fascists for ten years and his family suffered greatly at the nazi's hands, in the most horrible way.
Every day of my life I give thanks to the sacrifices they made for me, for US.
This appalling use of the symbol of oppression and murder for a stupid little row about in flight magazines comes under the heading of "Cagar en mis muertos".
And I have a similar policy on that matter to the gypsies.
Oh, and welcome back to the false Mr Banyuls!
I would have golden lights displaying your real name (a la The Smiths and Kirsty MacColl) if only I could figure out the html, and what it really was.
It's a little more serious than a boycott I'm afraid. I suspect a crack squad of Generalitat hit men is on the way to Libya to kidnap me and put me on trial like Eichman. Let's hope I get a fairer trial than the 4F!
Thanks for the tip-off for ODP, am liking it so far. You a Belle and Sebastian man?
Hi mates,
I somehow felt in the moral obligation -being the sole German-speaking reader of this blog so far- to present 'I shot the Mosso' readers with the exclusive translation of Mr Hunold's editorial.
Being myself an Austrian of Jew descent, and considering Germany's appetite for predating smaller territories, I don't necessarily coincide with Mr Hunold's point of view on 'microstatalization' or 'state atomization' (Kleinstaaterei) as opposite to European integration -all the contrary!
However, given the malicious intoxication of the public opinion fanned by Catalan nationalists, and before the first German planes vulnerating the 'Llei de Normalització' (as Banyuls rightly points out) are hijacked, I am producing here an English translation for those that find it "all German".
Needless to say, Charles the Great was Austrian... ;-)
EDITORIAL
IT'S ALL CATALAN!
The German Emperor Charles V, who was also King of Spain, introduced Spanish as vehicular language in his court after his coronation in 1519. Intelligent coevals weren’t surprised, since Spain was by then already a global Empire –namely, Columbus had discovered America in 1492. To those subjects of Charles V who couldn’t understand the foreign language, it was all “Spanish”. Today, when we can’t understand something, we say [in German] it’s all “Spanish”. Updated, this idiom should be, however, “It’s all Catalan!”
Today, Spanish is not an official language anymore
Catalan is the language spoken in the NE of Spain and in Majorca, in the “Mallorquin” modality. I recently received a letter, written in an excellent German and drafted by a head of department of the Balearic regional government. An excerpt of the text: “I am writing to inform you that the Balearic Islands have a great interest in that the communications of your company with the citizens choosing Air Berlin flights make an adequate use of the official language of the Islands. In a basic and essential service, such as flights from and to Majorca, Menorca and Eivissa (meaning Ibiza) are, it is indispensable that Catalan-speaking citizens and consumers are correctly granted the use of their language”.
Come on to the Platscha de Palma!
Wow! I was proud enough when we managed to have on board of every Spanish domestic flight a stewardess, at least, who was fluent in Spanish. Should I book now Catalan courses for those employees? And those serving passengers to Galicia or the Basque country -should do it in Galician or Basque as well? Does nobody there speak Spanish anymore?
Should the regionalization rush in the Kingdom of Spain go forward like hitherto, as a Majorcan friend assured to me, that wouldn’t be a utopia anymore. Today, there are towns in the island where the children are unable to speak Spanish anymore. In many schools of Majorca, Spanish has become, in fact, a foreign language like English or German. The once famous “Playa de Palma” is called now “Platja de Palma”. What is to be pronounced “Platscha de Palma” [‘platschen’ meaning ‘splash’ in German] needs much practice and does not remind, even remotely, the language of a world Empire.
Back to medieval microstates
Until now I believed that we lived in a border-free Europe. In a Europe where everyone cherished their cultural particularities, where we stressed what unites us, not what divides us. The autonomy fostered by regional nationalists in many parts of Spain is certainly a step back to medieval microstates. Majorca has benefited from the EU like no other European region. In this rich island there are but very little streets that didn’t obtain funds by the EU. Even the profitable airport in Palma was generously funded by the EU. With a solely Catalan presence, all that would have never been achieved.
Wishing you a pleasant journey,
Joachim Hunold, CEO Air Berlin
Hi Alcinous,
Good to see your kinky Afro bobbing over the horizon. Thank you very much for the translation.
Well Ian, do you think that use of fascist imagery is an appropriate response to Mr Joachim's opinions as stated below?
It was bad business for him, but perhaps he didn't realise how crazy things have got in Spain.
I for one will be using Airberlin whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Solidaritat amb Air berlin!
Boynamedsue, I inferred from your writings that you appreciated good ol' Catalan manners: the visits, cordial, tea time and Schubert Lieder at the piano on Saturdays; choral mass, 'panellet' or 'coca' and La Vanguardia on Sundays, the "bon dia tingui jove" anytime, and so on.
Thus, even if "Kinky Afro bobbing" would definitely seem out of order and unlike you, in the light of the general malaise reigning in town under armpit-reeky Fòrum d'Abril, there's nothing for you to worry about -I forgive you.
Regards,
alcinous
By the way, my granfather, Joan Llorens, fought against Franco, became a prisoner of war, was sent to forced labor to Cuenca and Madrid and lost absolutely everything. My father and I have built everything from scratch.
I do not need lessons of heroism.
Dear Ian,
Calling me incestuous was really wanton. But again, I know people in town are quite despondent off the current armpit-reeky rule, I'm/we're from Barcelona, ViscaBarcelona, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and so on (and then dread to miss their appointments every time they take TMB), so I forgive you as well.
BTW "Saupreussische Katalanen" means litterally "Sow Prussian Catalans", what given German litterary tradition (I must think of a quite famous and funny poem by Brecht here) would translate into English as "bloody fascist Catalans" or, plainly, "damn Catalan wankers", Trainspotting style, as you prefer.
Regards,
alcinoos
A nazi of the worst type, Ian?
Surely the worst type is the type who actually preach the inferiority of races other than their own, rather than wonder whether translating publicity from a language everyone understands into languages not everyone understands is a reasonable request for a government to make.
A's translation is more or less the same as what I've read in Catalan and Spanish, the only doubt I have is the "vinyeta"...
Regarding "saupreissiche", how good is your Bavarian?
Mine's shat so I can't offer an opinion. Nothing on-line has been helpful so far....
Well, well, well...
It seems that if you say Alcinous three times in front of the mirror, then smoke a spliff, he appears and posts on your blog.
I thought it was something to do with "Prussian"!
Does "preissische" carry the same connotation of officiousness and bureacracy that it does in English?
My Bavarian is not good, but enough to know that it means Prussian dirty (female) pig.
Clearly an adjective which should be in all CEO's vocabulary when referring to their customers.
I don't think you know enough about German to have an opinion on the meaning of "Sowprussian". In English "sow" is never used as a modifying adjective in insults, are you sure of the level of offence this should give you?
Like I said. It's not great PR. The question is, what are the connotations in the original language? Is it "Catalan Scum!" or "Flippin' officious Catalans!".
Still, I don't think that this cartoon was drawn by the man in question, and EVEN if it was, it does not make him a Nazi.
The nazis were racial supremicists who despised those they considered inferior. This man has given no indication that he is a racial supremicist.
Fine, you don't agree with him on the point that filling Europe with microstates is a bad thing. That doesn't make him a fascist. Catalonia is making an arse of itself again.
BTW, I think the real victims here are the Prussians.
Indeed 'Sau' -apart from a Catalan rock band and a belfry used by the Catalan government to gauge its water reserves- designates a female pig -or 'sow'- in German. I'm still surprised at how people having studied German tend to find most amusing (mostly wrong) translations for Sau- words.
In fact, in those compound words or 'Komposita' where 'Sau-' is contingent on a subsequent word -generally a derogatory term- the Southern German speaker reckons an emphasizer. Thus, in Bavaria and Austria you'll hear a lot 'Saukerl' = 'bloody guy', 'Sauidiot' = 'very idiot', and certainly 'Saupreussisch' (Saupreissisch written in Austrobavarian dialect) = utterly / odious Prussian. The female 'Sau-' may coexist with the male 'Schwein-' or 'Hund-' (dog) like in 'Hundskerl', or eventually make up a mongrel, as in 'Schweinehund'. It's all German as you see.
Now, on the meaning load of the term Preussen, preussisch, etc., this is used in Austria mostly to taunt (northern protestant) Germans, Bavarians excepted, while Bavarians use it to nickname anything between Ruhrpot scum and East German tards, more or less encompassing Berlin, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony and Pommerania. However, 'Prussian' here has nothing to do with red tape, as it is mostly used to mock something 'martial', 'authoritarian' or 'nationalistic' avoiding the taboo n-word.
Now, while I haven't been able yet to solve your last whodunnit question regarding the extinction of dinosaurii, I may sound a bit of an incestuous Austro-Prussian Afro Jew now, but I'd feel reassured if you told me the spliff lapsus was just poetic licence. Spliff whiff upon armpit reek are too horrible a stench, even for Barcelona streets.
Regards,
alcinoos
In German it is used modifying adjectives and nouns like saukalt "fucking cold" or Saukerl "bastard".
Those who think that Catalonia is making an arse of itself (an "Arschloch" this time) are those who think of it anyway, so I could not care less. And this time, Catalonia did not even start it.
For me, there is a supremacist spin in Herrn Hunold words, in addition to a total lack of tact, and therefore I can call him whatever I want, "fill de puta" or nazi.
Boy,
I had not seen alcinous's posting when I wrote mine, but you've been pwned! Heh heh
Slightly bureaucratic Catalans. Nazis, he meant Nazis, it seems.
You're absolutely right, Ian. 'Saukerl' equals bastard ;-)
Regards,
alcinoos
So the German chap was compaining about the nationalistic nature of the Catalans?
I like him more every day...
Ian. You're wrong, and you know you are- Air Berlin isn't the luftwaffe, and if you weren't such a damn national chauvinist you would realise that the use of the swastika was offensive.
When you're in a hole, stop digging
Whatever!
I have been mulching my front and back yard the whole day.
Digging does not scare me.
The use of the swastika was well deserved. And thanks for supporting the campaign. I would have never put such a picture in my blog. It is a serious one.
Well, to be honest: I'd say that Mr Hunold's aim wasn't at all to hurt anybody's sensitivity. The pun with 'platscha' was pretty funny after all, since 'Playa Bavaro' has made some success among the well-off Müncheners, and 'Playa' and 'Ibiza' being the sole Spanish words known by the average Fritz, how would you feel if one day you go to Majorca and find out that a red-orange-lila-green tripartite gov is imposing nasty eco-taxes and anachronic names after some parchment Chronicles?
If ever, mocking publicly a senior member of the Balearic government in your in-flight magazin appears a pretty expensive pastime, even for a Bavarian CEO. However, given the scarce interest of the average German on the issue, more prone to think of Majorca as his well-deserved 'cerveza' and 'playa/platja' haven, it's highly unlikely that the issue will go beyond the customary nationalistic tub-thumping that becomes a dire bluff when it comes to dipping into their pockets.
BTW BNS What do you think of the latest propaganda campaign by the City Council? Leaving aside the controversy on its cost, I know it may sound ridiculous, but could this lay the foundations of BCNationalism? (Don't miss the reference to Sonar by cool Jessi from Esplugas).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5pv3hReN-k
Regards,
alcinoos
Besides resulting as irksome as a TV3 soap opera, Poble Nou, El cor de la ciutat and tutti quanti, the ad appears to have a much more serious legal flaw.
I've been snooping around and indeed SÓNAR® is a registered trademark property of a private company.
Or was Jessi from Esplugas referring maybe to a Sound Navigation and Ranging device after all?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcjKFf1DVOU
Regards,
alcinoos
BTW, the startling cameo by En Massagran between 00:02 and 00:04 is such a gob, don't you think?
Regards,
al
It is "the stupidest thing ever"... but it is also "yet another stupidity" coming from the same people who want to force people to use one or another language. People have nothing against catalan. We have a problem with being forced to use it. More info: http://www.megaspora.net/en/2008/06/08/language-communication-and-freedom/
Same here Pedro.
I'm quite happy to speak Catalan.
Indeed, I lost count of the number of times I've shouted "Visca Espanya" at nationalist demonstrations.
It really confuses them actually.
BTW the verification word for this post was "spikyc". I'll take that as a good omen.
Alcinous, nothing personal, I just associated the name to a Greek God who married his niece.
I still remember when I was at school and they would spank me if I spoke Catalan during recess.
And now, those who imposed their language through force, legislation and assault talk about stalking. If it were true (that is not), you would deserve it.
Dios los crea y ellos se juntan.
Ian, I'm happy children now have the right to be educated entirely in Catalan in Catalonia, and no longer suffer the discrimination you suffered.
I just wish they also had the right to be educated entirely in Spanish.
What a wonderful video Alcinoos. Yet one wonders what it's for. I suspect that anyone capable of understanding it already has quite a good idea of what Barcelona is (unless there really still are people who never leave Lerida).
I think we are talking about something really delicate, I even think that Boynamedsue was using the same provocation that Catalan used to make clear how strong and exaggerated it is. It’s like when you are talking and someone start shouting, sometimes you have to answer in the same way. Here you have the demonstration that nationalism never is freedom. If Air Berlin is not free to choose its own marketing politic, It’s obvious that freedom in Catalonia is in danger. I think this Catalan provocation was really heavy and it wasn’t an isolate case. Nationalist in Barcelona use to stick a sticker on every advert in Spanish saying “ Aqui es discrimina la nostra llengua”, when really they are discriminating Spanish language (don’t forget that a big part of Catalans has its roots in Andalucia and they speak Spanish at home!!!). The real problem is that a huge part of people in Catalonia is becoming thinking like that. They think that everyone who criticise Catalonia, has to be a nazi or a fascist.., Strong words. Too strong! You can not believe how many times I heard these words in the most wrong and exaggerated contests. They use them against everyone thinks something they don’t agree, they are loosing all their capacity to reason and to be honest with themselves. When I say they, I obviously don’t speak of all of them, I’ve got lots of Catalan friends that think different, they only think that as in every country there are good things and bad things (the nationalists call them JUDAS). That’s all! But, don’t you think that it would be normal? Catalans are no called to defend their nation, that, in fact, it’s stronger than even in the last centuries, but they act as they were. I think they are making a real linguistic and cultural war.. Catalonia against the rest of the world!!! It sound strong, but it’s true. So it’s why I can understand Boynamedsue provocation. He sound as the well-known children singsong.. When Catalans accuse: “Nazi!!!”, we can easily answer “I know you are, you said you are, but what am I?”
I’ve lived in Barcelona for 7 years, I speak a quite good Catalan (much better than my English!!) and when I come to Catalonia I thought it was right to learn Catalan because I LOVE DIFFERENCES, I don’t like the homologation at all, and I wouldn’t be one of these people who said “Estamos en España, y vamos a hablar español, coño!”. So I studied Catalan, I went in this culture and I was so sad to discover that year after year this people was closing its door to every difference. Instead to be happy to have bilingual children they prefer their children lose their Spanish (Even in university most Catalans write a horrible Spanish, full of mistakes). The education is really partial, the historic theories are dreadful. Everything because of the same reason, defend Catalonia, defend Catalonia, defend Catalonia.. So, in this way they are killing Catalonia. So, I tell you Catalans, I’m a (not believed) Cassandra, if you want to be a great nation and a great people, stop NOW the nationalism and try to become internationalist (not only in the fair precinct).
Kamar... I agree 100%.
You are right, my reponse was a provocation, but the initial boycot add represented a genuine opinion. The idea that to refuse to use Catalan, or to criticise any activity or attitude defined as "Catalan", is equivalent to fascism has become so widespread in Catalunya that precious few question this assumption.
On another blog I was writing on, a poster said that if Airberlin had a right to criticise Catalunya, he had a right to call German a "dog-language" and asked what the Germans would say about that. The answer is, of course, that most Germans would probably laugh and the say "no, it's not".
The feeling that Catalan must be defended, has given birth to the idea that only Catalan things have value.
For example, I'm a teacher, and every time i told a class that I was going to the Feria de Abril in Besós, someone would say disapprovingly "but that isn't Catalan", as if this would have some bearing on whether one wanted to go.
Catalonia is isolating itself, and destroying its own culture (both hispanophone and Catalanophone) with this ridiculous chauvinism, this impulse to defend rabidly even the most mundane and valueless expression of its culture.
You are also right about the education...
Many children I taught believe that the Spanish civil war was a war fought between Spain and Catalonia!
Catalan Francoists seem to have disappeared from the historical record.
Hell yeah. Catalan Francoism/Francoists suddenly disappeared, vanished, like nothing happened. Like if the situation in Catalonia had been similar to that of, say, Poland under either Russian/German rule.
Well, that is another Inconvenient Truth. That of Catalan Francoists, from the times when it was La Vanguardia ESPAÑOLA and all the bourgeois (that class Catalans pride themselves so much, especially when they compare it to rural Spain back then). Those, they exhaled a relieved sigh when Francoist troops (with just so many Catalans among them) appeared in the horizon. Many of them had good reasons (no one likes getting expropriated or seein their nun sister before the execution squad just for being so, a nun). But, all in all, the thing is that they (Catalan nationalists) have decided that is a shameful part of their invented history (they call it euphemistically 'construcció nacional') and so they have just torn those pages from the book.
Now, you will only hear about the 'struggle of Catalonia against Fascism' bla, bla...
It's yet one more fine exercise of hypocresy and, after all, national decadence as promoted by Catalan nationalism.
Amen.
De Jong.
Boynamedsue, Kamar
Dios los cria y ellos se juntan.
Putting a swastika on the Catalan flag is healthy provocation, putting a swastika on the Air Berlin logo is fascism. The CEO of a company that I have flown several times calling me Catalan fascist is funny, if I call him "fill de puta", I am intolerant.
I wonder if you all had reacted the same way if the attacked people would have been the Tibetan.
Y es que Dios los cria, y ellos se juntan.
The sad thing with the whole thing is that, in the end, whoever dares to criticize publicly Catalan nationalism, will have to beg for mercy, rather sooner than later.
In other words, freedom of speech is all there for Catalan nationalists to criticize (including healthy and well-founded criticism, like calling 'nazi' or the more Iberian 'fill de puta') but thou shalt not cast shadows on Catalan nationalism, unless, of course, you desired to be automatically called 'fascist'.
Apparently this situation has been finally understood and digested in Spain, but not so everywhere, and that is why confusions like that of Herr Hunold (or BNS) arise. In other words, some foreign have just not understood yet the starting point, i.e. Catalan nationalism foundings are untouchable. You may not agree with them, ok, but if you don't, then at least keep it private and dont disturb the 'construcció nacional' process.
I only flied once with Air Berlin and was well above the expectations: low-cost with standard service (bagagge transfer at the connecting airport and ok free food on board). Herr Hunold, by staying sane, is revolutionary indeed.
De Jong.
I would like to ask a question to all of you? Should Tibetan language be eradicated and substituted by the Imperial Mandarin? Should people of Tibet be allowed to received services in Tibetan, or we should eliminate this language which is a nuisance to Chinese and foreign visitors and investors?
You all assume that being a Catalan nationalists is bad and fascist. I am a Catalan nationalist and I am a good person, a firm believer on democracy and market economy.
It is so easy to talk when you are part of a country where you feel comfortable.
Assuming that De Jong is Dutch or Flemish, I wonder whether the tone of his lecture would have changed if now the Netherlands and Belgium were part of Germany, Dutch would have been replaced by German in the official and education world, and Dutch were considered a dialect closely related to Plattdeutsch.
Ian, i can only speak for myself here, but these are my answers:
"Should Tibetan language be eradicated and substituted by the Imperial Mandarin?"
There should be no laws against the use of Tibetan or Mandarin or any other language in Tibet. Schooling should be available in monolingual schools in both languages, or in bilingual schools. Parents could choose from the 3 types of school.
"Should people of Tibet be allowed to received services in Tibetan"
Tibetans communication with the government should be available in both languages. This does not mean that all employees must be bilingual. Private individuals and institutions should have absolute freedom to use any language they see fit. If this means that a seller does not speak his customers language, then so be it. The only exception to this is for safety reasons; if there is a substantial monolingual population IN BOTH LANGUAGES, then the law should dictate product ingredients and safety information be given in Tibetan and Mandarin.
"should we eliminate this language which is a nuisance to Chinese and foreign visitors and investors?"
The only way to eliminate a language is to kill all its speakers. I would be against this. People have a right to speak whatever language they choose, but languages which make communication convenient often gain ground over those with a more restricted currency. If the speakers of Tibetan chose to adopt Mandarin for convenience, it would be sad, but not the end of the world.
I heartily disapprove of any governmental campaign to remove minority languages, and even support some state subsidy for them in cases where a minority language media is unprofitable.
But I strongly disapprove of campaigns designed to change speakers of the language of wider communication into speakers of less used languages. I just don't like social engineering.
I am against school segregation. I do not think it is good for the cohesion of a society. You know well that my approach to education is a trilingual education, I have been defending this approach for years and been criticized by the extremists on both sides.
All those languages which are considered major today have become what they are, through conquest and imposition. Why any attempt to reverse that is seen as fascism, instead of an act of self defense?
I was reading yesterday in the newspaper when I flew back from The Netherlands that Germany has implemented Language courses for Muslim women only (men not allowed), since they have found that language knowledge is the key to integration.
Double standards. The big and the powerful always have double standards and you side with them.
PS: I removed one of my earlier comments because I agree, my insult was far overboard. Personally I think that the swastika on the Catalan flag is even worst. If it were the Spanish, you would have joined Franki (he is out now, I think)
Hi Ian. I think you did well removing that comment, it takes a big man to admitb he's gone too far.
Re trilingual education...
I like the idea, but I feel that, when not done well, it could leave students partially competent in 3 languages and fully competent in none. It's something I'd like to see up and running for 5 years before I sent my own (as yet unborn) kids there.
The swastiquelada stays, for two reasons.
One, the imagery causes nationalists to think about what the language they use represents. It is very shocking for a Catalan to see what they consider to be a universal symbol of freedom defiled in this way, and shock can open your mind to new ways of thinking. If all anti-airberlin imagery is withdrawn from nationalist blogs, I will almost certainly take it down.
Secondly, when making it I bottled out- you will notice the direction of the swastika is reversed.
The language to be used for education of non-language course is certainly a problem: Any multilingual system will discrimate one language against another in particular courses (for instance, Math).
However, at the very least, that which is stated in the constitution must be implemented: i.e., if both Catalan and Spanish are official languages, then schools must be available in both languages.
Therefore, if public schools are not offered in either language, this is wrong.
Likewise, if one language is forced upon people (either by not offering the other one, or by fining for the use of the other one), this is very wrong too.
These are the complains of many people with the policies that the regional governmend of cataluña has implemented. Doing to others what someone did to you (imposing one language over the other) in the past (during the dictatorship) is not right, for it is but a new dictatorship, in the opposite way.
Ian, your comment on Mandarin and Tibetan is ok, but you may want to know that it is not helping your case the way you thought.
Nowadays (old Franco chap is dead and gone some 33 years already, and counting) the language with no representation at all in Catalan schools is Spanish (well, it is taught, but at the same level as a foreing language, that is: 2-3 hours a week). At the administration level, all public communications are issued in Catalan (along Urdu, Arab and even Spanish, when it is necessary).
The problem with Catalan nationalists is that they think that Spain is the same in 2008 and in 1968, but, there is a huge ocean in between now. Hell yeah!
Or maybe it's similar after all, but in reverse: official regional nationalisms are imposing their views on the populace (who is too busy trying to get some cocaine and/or sex/porn to possibly care anyway).
That's ok (I don't really care that much, actually) but it is urgent that at least you guys stop the endless victimism, if you want to be taken seriously.
De Jong.
You drew the swastika the other way around, you retard. By the way, if you don't understand Catalunya (and you don't), you don't have to go there. And if you're there and you can't stand it, just pack your bags and go back to the shithole you came from. You're free to do so.
Truthdetector: Thank you for your rational and moderate language. You wouldn't be right-wing at all? I thought so.
Swastika was posted back-to-front as I couldn't bring myself to use that symbol in its full awfulness... I mention this two posts prior to yours.
Please continue posting with the same mixture of charm, joie-de-vivre, eloquence and convincing argument. You can only help my cause by doing so.
I am sorry to inform all of you that I made it back to Hong Kong in one piece.
Despite BNS dirty tricks, he has not succeeded in sending me to a forced labor camp together with Tibetan activists, so that I can get the level C of Tibetan to become a Supply Chain professor in the Lhasa university, once I am rehabilitated (I was planning to retire young in Catalonia and start a teaching life in the University, but I learned today I need the Catalan level C and I will never make it).
BNS, I already told you that I have very good contacts in China. Hu Jintao and I are ..., how do you say it in English, dunno, we Catalans always so scatologic, we are like "cul i merda". Sorry for the verbage.
Welcome back Ian. I don't know why you feel the need to apologise for verbiage, if I weren't an anarchist I'd make it compulsory.
Unfortunate to be hoist by one's own petard, perhaps you could set fire to a Fari LP in the Plaça San Jaume. If they put you in the same cell as (Llibertat) Franki (de Terrassa!) I'm sure you'll be up to level C in no time.
I would say "Com cul i merda" translates as "thick as thieves" (which is also a great track by the Jam). It's good to see you keeping your doors open with the reds, I imagine you as a sort of Catalan version of Viktor Komarovsky from Dr Zhivago.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Doctor_Zhivago#Viktor_Komarovsky
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