{"id":24682,"date":"2017-10-04T21:00:11","date_gmt":"2017-10-04T20:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jacothenorth.net\/blog\/?p=24682"},"modified":"2017-10-06T17:26:59","modified_gmt":"2017-10-06T16:26:59","slug":"silence-lambs-greater-silence-establishment-controlled-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jacothenorth.net\/blog\/silence-lambs-greater-silence-establishment-controlled-media\/","title":{"rendered":"The Silence Of The Lambs & The Greater Silence Of The Establishment Controlled Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guest post by: Gwilym ab Ioan<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

In the early Monday morning hours, the Catalan Government issued statements saying that about 2.3 million Catalans, (42.3% out of 5.3 million eligible voters), of those, 90% cast a \u2018yes\u2019 ballot for Independence. Without the violent interference of the ‘national’ Spanish police and civil guard, the Catalan Government estimated that at least 80% of all eligible voters would have cast their ballot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly, the Spanish Government\u2019s demonstration of ruthless and brute force<\/strong> was, and is, a reminder that in Europa fascism is alive and well, that the spirit of Generalissimo Franco of Spain is not dead. Brussels, miserable, spineless puppets to the transatlantic empire and the European oligarchy, remained shamefully silent \u2013 arguing it was a Spanish internal affair, as if Spain, a full member of the EU isn’t a European Union\u2019s \u2018internal affair\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of the day of the Referendum on the first of October, President Rajoy had the audacity to declare literally that there was no referendum taking place in Catalu\u00f1a. He congratulated and thanked the Spanish police for protecting law and order in Barcelona and elsewhere in Catalu\u00f1a and their upholding of the Spanish Constitution. Yet snippets (mostly from the ‘alternative’ media) showed and reported all-day long violent police battles against peaceful voters. The forceful, riot-clad Spanish police smashed windows and broke into schools where voting booths were located, attempting to prevent voters from voting; they also removed and destroyed ballot boxes.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of the\u00a0<\/span>day nearly 1,000 people \u2013 844 officially \u2013 were injured by the ‘national’ police force, deploying extreme\u00a0<\/span>violence, by utterly harmful and potentially deadly rubber bullets and batons smashing indiscriminately into non-violent unarmed voters (the “lambs”), including elderly people, women and children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"There were hundreds of thousands of people, whole families who came with their children to this historic event, some camping since Friday in the schools to make sure that their right to vote was protected.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since the Catala<\/span>n police decided a hands-off policy, not to interfere with the referendum, but rather to protect the voters from possible violence, the fascist Rajoy Government sent in police and the civil guard from other parts of Spain to prev<\/span>ent the vote from taking place. Their brutal and excessive violence against unarmed voters was shocking<\/strong>. They clearly had firm instructions to employ their brutality from their masters in Madrid \u2013 the very masters that later congratulated them for carrying out their duties. It was a horrible sight to see, especially from those of us who can sympathise with our fellow Celts (<\/span>The Celtic response to the referendum in Catalonia on independence from Spain<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/span>) who like us are struggling for their freedom from colonial rule.<\/span><\/p>\n

President Rajoy lauding the violent police that left hundreds of inured, many seriously wounded, is yet another testimony that fascism and Fascist mentality of some states in Europe is alive and well, and seemingly increasing. Franco\u2019s blood must be running in Rajoy\u2019s veins. Brussels, the headquarters of the European Police state \u2013 of the growing European military regime \u2013 already today engulfing the bulk of the 28 EU member states, concurred with this violence by remaining disgracefully silent. How much of the true news about this deplorable event did you hear from the B<\/strong>ritish B<\/strong>ullshit C<\/strong>orporation and other conforming ‘official’ puppet news outlets controlled by the governments?<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look a bit closer at some of the reasons behind this horrendous crackdown on people who were merely intent on expressing their opinion \u2013 a full human right, according to the UN Charter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Catalu\u00f1a with a population of about 7.5 million (out of Spain\u2019s 46 million) and a surface area of about 7% of Spain\u2019s 506,000 km2 contributes about 20% to Spain\u2019s economic output, produces 25% of Spain\u2019s exports, receives 23.5% of Spain\u2019s foreign tourist revenue, and 57% of Spain\u2019s foreign investments. There is a lot to lose by Catalu\u00f1a\u2019s secession. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Re. North Sea oil, Welsh coal, water & steel, etc.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Catalu\u00f1a today receives about 1,800 euros per capita in tax devolution from Madrid, but contributes at least double that amount to the Spanish Treasury. This imbalance has long been a sore thumb in the relations between Barcelona and Madrid. But Rajoy\u2019s PP (Partido Popular) Government has always staunchly refused any dialogue for more autonomy and more financial justice. We in Cymru get Objective 1 handouts from Brussels, they go to Westminster, the money is raided and manipulated and what gets handed over to us does not reflect the amounts we are supposed to get. Add to that what’s then stolen by Charismatic Carwyn & Co. for pet projects and handouts to the third sector cronies and finally what’s jackaled by ‘consultants’ and it doesn’t take a lot of neuron power to realise why our impoverished areas continue in the same boat of abstract hopelessness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spain\u2019s northern Basque Region fought for decades (1959-2011) for independence. The Spain-ETA armed political conflict, also known as the Basque National Liberation Movement, caused hundreds of violent deaths. When they finally reached disarmament and a peace agreement in 2011 with the central government in Madrid, they settled for a considerably fairer fiscal agreement with Madrid.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking at history, Catalu\u00f1a became part of Spain in the 15th Century under King Felipe VI and Queen Isabella. In the 20th Century, under the Spanish Republic, Catalu\u00f1a with, like us, her own culture and language, received full autonomy in 1932. It was abolished by Franco, when he came to power in 1938. After Franco\u2019s death in 1975, Catalu\u00f1a regained temporary autonomy which lapsed in 2006, when a Spanish High Court challenged the Statute of Autonomy and ruled some articles of the Statute \u2018unconstitutional\u2019. That was the time when the most recent Catalan Independence Movement began. Since then several mock referenda took place, including the latest in 2014, when 80% of those who voted (about 30% of eligible voters) opted for independence.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 1st of October 2017 Referendum was the first serious attempt at secession since 2006. Though not conforming with the Spanish Constitution, the forceful and violent suppression of the people\u2019s freedom of expression \u2013 was a grave human rights abuse. It will most likely backfire \u2013 badly. I hope it does.<\/span><\/p>\n

This fierce oppression by Madrid, the unwillingness for dialogue, has definitely turned most Catalans against Madrid and for independence. A few weeks ago the polls in Catalu\u00f1a indicated a close call with a slight edge for those who wanted to remain with Spain. After threats from Madrid for weeks and the violent police crackdown of this latest election, at least 80% of eligible Catalan voters now seek independence. A similar trend could be found within Spain. A couple of months ago, 10% to 20% of Spaniards were neutral or favoured independence for Catalu\u00f1a. After this police fiasco, close to half of Spaniards are in solidarity with their Catalan neighbours and support Catalu\u00f1a\u2019s independence. Perhaps there’s a lesson there for those of us struggling to gain our own independence.<\/span><\/p>\n

The fight is by no means over after Madrid\u2019s violent attempted oppression of the vote. History’s course is often changed by just one event. What will be ours one wonders?<\/span><\/p>\n