2011/09/17

We don't need understanding, we need respect

Citizens' Voice Series

Carmen Pérez
Sociologist
When I was young, I thought I had been born in a diverse country, with many traditions, languages, landscapes, smells, and tastes, all different, and that all that diversity made it richer and more interesting. That country was called Spain, and I liked it a lot, just as I liked many of the traditions, languages, landscapes, smells and tastes of other countries I came to know through my travels.

At 21, I went to study in Catalonia, a land about 1,000 kilometres away from my place of birth. I knew Catalonia had its own language that was different from Spanish, which is the only language that is official throughout Spain. I also expected that this other land would have its own culture, different from the one where I came from and where I had lived all my life. What I didn’t know was that I had gone to live in a different country. Catalonia is not Spain!

That's right. For me, as it is for a large segment of those who live here, Catalonia is a country that has been economically, legally, politically, linguistically and culturally subjugated by Spain for 300 years. Since the restoration of democracy, after 40 years of General Franco's dictatorship, the different Spanish governments have shown some degree of sensibility towards national diversity. However, all of them have tried to erode the so-called “distinguishing traits” of Catalonia by different strategies. In spite of this, there are more and more of us who are standing up and demand dignity for our people. We demand to be able to speak our own language, to manage our own resources, and not have to waste them in repelling the attacks on us by Spain and by the Spanish powers within our own territory.

To sum it up, for the sake of dignity, and just to be able to continue EXISTING, we want our own Catalan state.

It may be difficult to understand, just as it was difficult for me to understand when I didn't live in Catalonia. At the very least, it should be easy to respect and share.

Carmen Pérez
@maihaviaditque

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3 comentaris:

  • Anònim says:
    25 de setembre del 2011, a les 14:52

    Thanks a lot Carmen, people like you do the things more easy to understand to foreign people .
    We have to show the reality of Catalonia to the rest of the world.
    Freedom from Catalonia.
    Visca la Terra Lliure!!!!!
    @enigarrit

  • Lord Gamez says:
    28 de novembre del 2011, a les 18:15

    Carmen you are absolutely NUTS!

    Catalonia is a region that once belong to the the Kings of Aragon. The Kindgom of Aragon united with the Kingdom of Castilla around 1462. So, logically that means that is when Spain was born. It has been over 500+ years and that means catalonia by defacto has been Spanish for over 500+ years.

    The catalan language is a vulgar latin language like Spanish. It is borne too from the same ancestor the ROMANS. Your culture is the damn same as any Spaniard from any part of Spain, other than your Christmas logs you braggards claim every Christmas. God DAMN!!! And that is disgusting!!!!

    I remember visiting catalonia and some vendor selling boxes of chocolate made in forms of tiny to huges TURDS!!! You are right catalonians are FUCKING different! Jajajaja!

  • Independència Ja says:
    6 de novembre del 2012, a les 15:02

    Lord Gamez, you understand absolutely nothing.

    Everyone knows that Catalan language is so differentiated from Spanish as the rest of Roman languages are. Just like French, Italian, Portuguese. We do not claim our language is a gift from the Gods. But it is a real, distinct language.

    If you think our culture is the same as the rest of Spain, if you still think that our difference are simply our funny Christmas logs and chocolate "turds", it means you did not visit Catalonia more than a couple days...

    Please read out loud the title of the post... we only need respect... got it?

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