Re: Made in the EU

On Sat, 24 Nov 2007 15:44:30 +0100, "John of Aix"
<j.murphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

MM wrote:
On Fri, 23 Nov 2007 20:10:51 +0000, Joe <joe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

John of Aix wrote:

OK, you can exclude yourself from the above remark, as can others,
but it is quite clear that very many of the posters here are
ridiculous little xenophobes.

Perhaps you can explain.

I obviously have a different understanding of the meaning of the word
'xenophobe' to you and many others, although from the context it
sounds to me as though it's not so different after all.

I don't want the country I live in to be part of a merged country
called Europe.

It isn't. Do you see a different Germany, a different France because
of the EU? Of course not! In fact all countries have retained their
national character in total, but in addition have become more
open-minded due to the free movement of people and national customs.

I would say (certainly here in France at least) that if anything,
national and local cultures have been strengthened. People are aware of
globalisation, even the local uneducated peasants and of the dangers of
losing one's sul through that. This has tended to strengthen their
desire to preserve their roots, to rememer where they came from, why we
do this here and use this material to build etc. At the same time the EU
has given a lot more regional power. Our local regional government
(Provence, Alpes, Côtes d'Azur) can deal with things exlusive to this
region in their own way and according to the local culture. So I have
found that while the EU has become a larger and larger bloc over the
years at the same time more and more power has been devolved to a local
level to the good of us all.

(Except insular Britain, of course, which can blame geography and lack
of education.)

Well geography has an awful lot to do with it I think. I first left the
shores of the island set in a silver sea in 1969. In my milieu that was
reasonably exceptional. A few had been on school trips but most people
had never set foot abroad in those days before cheap flights. The
Channel was an enormous psychological barrier whereas here where I live
now, Spain and Italy are little more than 200 km away, Switzerland 300,
Germany not far. Down the road. And from some places in the north of
Europe, around where several countries meet, an afternoon's bicycle ride
can take you through four of them. That sort of proximity (and all the
movement of peoples that that entails) brings about a different attitude
to what one naturally finds on an island. Funnily enough I've found that
the Corsicans, also insular, have certain attitudes that are very
similar to those one finds in the UK.

Lack of education? Yes, that is probably true. But it isn't only in
schools that it matters, I think, honestly, that most do their best. But
I'm a bit of a Reithian when it comes to TV and I think that has a great
influence these days (TV that is, not me or Reith). I don't have a TV
personally but have set up a satellite system to get UK programmes for
my sister who lives nearby so I see it occasionally. There are brilliant
spots of course but most of it makes me want to weep, it is mind
destroying. The printed press is no better. The slogan used to be 'top
people take the Times'. Now the only thing to do is wipe your arse with
it. Everything seems to be aimed at the lowest common denominator and
"if we have to lower it still further for sales purposes, then so be
it". It is pretty tragic. What they call 'dumbing down' I suppose, but
come on, Britain can be better than that, call these people to account,
stop consuming their crap, don't accept what glisters as gold. It's up
to each individual to resist in life generally and for each to do their
best to turn the tide according to their opinions. No use saying "it's
their fault", that is looking backwards. IMO one should perceive the
current situation whatver it be, and it is generally totally beyond our
control, and deal with it in the best way possible rather than
despairing as many people seem to do.

But I maintain that change can only come in two ways: From within, or
from without. The latter through violent overthrow by a foreign foe,
as might have happened under Hitler and did happen in a part of
France, all of Holland etc. So, given that that is not going to happen
any time soon, any significant change can only be brought about by
*the people*, not governments. It's the people who must recognise that
change is overdue, and sad to say, there is not a groundswell of
public opinion that sees the kinds of problems that I think are now
endemic in Britain. Living abroad for a while gives one a marvellous
long-distance view of one's own country, and although I have been back
in Britain now for twenty-five years, I still pay regular visits to
Germany, so I can still obtain that telescopic view (looking through
the "wrong end").

As long as Britons continue to show little interest in the wider world
and especially in the world just across the Channel, then Britons will
continue to believe all the hype and believe, too, that everywhere
else must be just as bad, or maybe worse. Touch an Englishman on the
shoulder and ask what he feels about France and I doubt whether any
reasoned POV will be forthcoming. Instead, it will be onions,
Gauloises, and brothels. Mind you, by the same token, I expect a
Frenchman or a German has a pretty fixed idea about the average
Englishman.

I am more hopeful since last week. I think the loss of 25 million
child benefit records, whether or not they are eventually found, has
rocked many, many ordinary citizens in Britain. I have heard several
people say that whereas before they were wholeheartedly behind ID
cards, now they are beginning to have second thoughts "if this kind of
thing can happen". In fact, given that the number is as high as 25
million, even though it's "only" families which are affected, there
can hardly be a person in Britain (except foreign visitors) who
doesn't have or know of a family connected to this issue. Once doubt
has been sown in people's minds about government competence (or lack
of any in the case of New Labour), the doubts may well start to spread
as they start joining the dots and thinking of other ***-ups. After
all, turning round the tide of public opinion is like turning round an
oil tanker.

MM
.

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