Sunday 2 September 2007

Winning the Battle for Wales

Let us now look at the pitfalls as well as the exciting possibilities, as we progress along this rocky road towards independence and full national sovereignty. As I see it the main stumbling block is winning over the people of Wales to the quest for separation from the union and the realisation that Wales would fare better by going it alone. People - some people at least - have dreamed of this since the year 1409, when it seemed that all hopes of freedom had been dashed forever. But the one great thing about the dragon is that it is indefatigable and resurgent. It is now, in the 21st century, rearing its head once more and twirling its tail in anticipation of what is to come.
The pitfalls and the snares which line the path of the dragon are as follows, as I see it :
1) the stultifying apathy of the people at large, including professed supporters, who have given up the struggle, adopted a fatalistic attitude, and have been cowered into submission by the dead weight of British bureaucracy and ineffectual policy of all Westminster parties towards Wales;
2) the mind conditioning brought about by habit and the assumption that the union is established and cannot be undone, that Britain is a nation of which Wales is a part and that there is an implied duty to support Britain in everything, come what may;
3) an ignorance of true facts and the history of the Welsh nation, and a failure to understand the details of the many struggles which arose from impositions from across the border and the denial of human rights. This includes the attempted eradication of the Welsh language;
4) the myth-making tactics of the opponents of any total devolution of power and those who believe in the superiority of Britain and the British way of life over that of other nations . These
myth-makers include Peter Hain - "separatists and isolationists", and Kim Howells - "separatists and incompetents" - with the backing of Lord Kinnock. These so-called representatives of the Welsh people, from Welsh constituencies, wish to hold back the tide of progress and do their best to impede political and social development.
Despite these pitfalls and snares there is a movement which gains momentum, inspired in part by developments in Scotland, and with Ireland already in place as a model of independent and successful democracy. The path is rockier than the "Rocky Road to Dublin" but the spirit of a resurgent dragon is not something to be ignored. The message goes out to all the opponents of "the new dynamic" in politics and the detractors and denigrators of self-determination ignore it at their peril. Cymru fydd will not be denied this time around.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just can't wait.

Unknown said...

OK - back to work!

Anonymous said...

To sleep, a chance to dream!

Unknown said...

We have been sleeping for too long.
Now we have the chance to seize the time.

Anonymous said...

Are you for real? What sort of alternative reality do you inhabit? Is the weather nice there?

Anonymous said...

alan says....

"But the one great thing about the dragon is that it is indefatigable and resurgent. It is now, in the 21st century, rearing its head once more and twirling its tail in anticipation of what is to come."

johnny says....

Please put your other glasses on, Alan.

Your Dragon is rearing its head and twirling its tail as a result of St. George impaling it with his lance.

This is clearly depicted on the sovereign coin so beloved of the Welsh in days of yore.

Your pointed pal.

johnny.

Unknown said...

You people : never say you are patriotic pals for fear of hypocrisy.
The alternative reality is often the best one.
Read : Carlos Castaneda "A Separate Reality".

Anonymous said...

You can get better, you know. Go and lie down for a bit, take deep breaths and wait for it to pass. I'm sure it will be OK.

Unknown said...

No time to lie down.
There's work to be done!

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry if I may have upset you with my light-hearted quip, but you really do leave yourself wide open, sometimes, with your rather fanciful verbiage.

All this stuff about tail twirling dragons just 'cracks me up'.

I have no doubts at all regarding the sincerity of your beliefs and hope that you reciprocate, but, unfortunately, some of your postings do go a little 'over the top' and result in the less than favourable responses that you frequently receive, not just from me.

Please be assured that I remain your patriotic pal despite our diametrically opposed views. You are well aware of the focus of my patriotism and I am aware of yours. We are both patriotic pals.

I look forward to further verbal joustings given your esteemed indulgence and hospitality.

At least you have maintained an impression of courage and fortitude in the making of your somewhat overblown postings and by permitting unrestricted responses.

This is so unlike your rather craven colleague Odourousvindictivus who has banned my responses from his blog and labelled and libelled me as a racist. He has much to learn in the coming days.

Your pertinently patriotic pal.

johnny.

Liebknecht said...

Oh dear...

A historian once remarked that nationaliam is based upon events that are patently untrue.

1409? What, 'the Welsh' were a homogeneous lot with no class differences? The feudalistic dynasties of Wales(and England and Scotland)and Glydwr had the best interest of their local communities at heart?! Such dynasties fought for land without giving a diddly-squat for its' local inhabitants. More land = more power. People = cannon fodder.

And references to the Welsh dragon? Clearly, Gerald of Monmouth's somewhat fanciful history of the British Isles in the 12th century has made a lasting impression on your political philosophy... Myth and legend predominate.

Anonymous said...

Yes, that's right. You would rather inhabit a Celtic twilight of symbolism and sorcery than the real, hard workaday world.

You are probably a nice guy, but, frankly, are from another age and another planet.

A dwi'n siarad fel Cymro.

Unknown said...

Liebknecht -

Oh I see. Were you there then?

Unknown said...

Life is not all materialism and junk food.

Liebknecht said...

alanindyfed said...
Liebknecht -

Oh I see. Were you there then?


Urghh..?

Didn't really need to have been...
Who owned the land? Nobility and Church. Who had political rights? Nobility and Church. Given that most of the unfree peasants in the middle ages couldn't read or write, it doesn't take a genius to work out who were the privileged and pulled the purse strings in Welsh (and English/ Scottish)feudal society.

And Gerald of Monmouth? What, you believe that, for example, the British Isles was founded and populated after Brutus stepped onto these Isles not too soon before the Roman conquest?! Next thing you'll be tellng me you believe in Merlin's prophecies?

Sod archeology and anthropology as sciences - who needs history when you have such legend to base an argument upon!

Unknown said...

There's many a truth hidden in legend.
And who's to say Merlin's prophecies will not come to pass?

Anonymous said...

alanindyfed said...

There's many a truth hidden in legend.
And who's to say Merlin's prophecies will not come to pass?

johnny, using the words of others, says.....

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

Please check underneath those white woolly creatures that inhabit your area.

"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

Fear not: asbestos trousers are available on request.

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

Do you teach 'false' English Alan?

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet."

Now come on Alan, where do you keep your frogs?

Your protonotary pal.

johnny

Anonymous said...

sadly Arthur and merlin were Myths and probably not even Welsh Myths
I like to think we can let loose the Dragons of War now and again, nothing wrong with that

Anonymous said...

Alan.

I have succumbed to temptation and have started a blog.

You can find it at:

yourpaljohnny.blogspot.com

Call in, any time, and you will be made most welcome.

Your pyrophoric pal.

johnny.

Unknown said...

My first thought :

God help us !!!

Anonymous said...

alanindyfed said...

My first thought :

God help us !!!

johnny says....

My first thought:

"Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in vain."

My second:

"To err is human, to forgive, Divine."

My third:

Pop into johnny's anytime for a reality check.

I guarantee that the area is Dragon free, tail twirling, head rearing or otherwise.

Myths and legends are securely locked away in the Myths and Legends Department and are only dusted off on St David's day for the amusement of the children, (we all loved fairy tales as children but most of us have moved on to more realistic concepts).

Reality is the 'dish of the day' and our portions are generous.

I look forward to some realistic discussions with a particular emphasis on practical solutions for the parlous position that Wales currently finds itself in.

Let's have a 'Big Conversation'.

Your postulative pal.

johnny.

Unknown said...

This sounds serious!

Anonymous said...

alanindyfed said...

This sounds serious!

johnny says....

You betcha!

Your pal.

johnny.