Tuesday, October 10, 2017

On the proclamation of independence

I feel like I should have been writing more here about what is happening, but I just haven't.  Too stressful maybe?

Anyway, I just wrote this to a friend, and it seemed apt for the moment.  A declaration of independence, as a republic has been made.  Pretty amazing stuff right there.

October 10th, 2017.
Sort of all holding our breath.  Puigdemont, the Catalan president declared independence, and then suspended it to give the chance for mediation and dialogue.  Mostly Catalans are concerned as he didn't put a timeline on it, some are disappointed, but it is the wisest course in my opinion, especially considering the people asking for mediation and discourse.  Let them find out how intransigent the Spanish government is.  About 20 National police riot vehicles roared at high speed through the downtown of Barcelona with their sirens on while Puigdemont spoke, like toddlers who want attention.  Unreal.  If talks fail, they will invoke independence.  There seems to be a good chance that they will arrest Puigdemont, and possibly soon.  They may also dissolve the government in Catalonia, but the Catalans and the Catalan parliament won't recognize that.

It still doesn't look good.  The Spanish government's vice-president was positively rabid about this being illegal, and there being no movement and no dialogue, and the Guardia Civil, one of the two groups of police that were beating people up have (again) shut down the website of one of the two big non-governmental groups that are organizing this.  We have a variety of chat groups, like whatsapp, but more secure, that are based out of the States and out of France, that they cannot touch, but it is not a good sign.  China 2.0



Held breath is the best description.

So far so good, I guess.
Especially as the ruling party threatened to arrest and kill Puigdemont yesterday.

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