Madoc plaque removed by the Alabama Parks Department!!!
Believers in the voyage of Madoc (click) have erected monuments to him in the United States. In 1953 a chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a plaque near Fort Morgan on Mobile Bay commemorating "Prince Madoc, a Welsh explorer, who landed on the shores of style="font-weight:bold;">Mobile Bay in 1170 and left behind, with the Indians, the Welsh language." This plaque was later removed by the Alabama Parks Department. A plaque at Fort Mountain State Park in Georgia recounts a nineteenth-century interpretation of the ancient stone wall that gives the site its name. The plaque repeats Tennessee governor John Sevier's claim that the Cherokees believed " "a people called Welsh" had built a fort on the mountain long ago to repel Indian attacks.
We need all Welsh organizations to contact Sam Jones, Mayor of Mobile about the missing Prince Madoc plaque that denoted the spot where Madoc landed at Mobile Bay in 1170.
Now CLICK on this link - HERE
mayor@cityofmobile.org
Thank you.
Billy E. Price
cscitizen@alltel.net
VP Alabama Welsh Association
http://www.alabamawelsh.com/
"The Nineteenth century saw a great Springtime of Nations as the revolutions of 1848 saw new countries created the length and breadth of Europe. In our world today we are now seeing our own Spring Awakening with people and cultures that have long been dormant and subdued asserting their right to exist, their right to dream." Adam Price MP
Saturday, 8 March 2008
Looks familiar? - Britain in 2008
Emigration shock for Wales
Mar 8 2008 by Sarah Miloudi, Western Mail
THE number of people leaving Wales for a new life abroad has almost doubled within nine years, latest figures reveal.
The government statistics found 4,000 more emigrated in 2006 than in 1997. It matches evidence from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and The Emigration Group which shows Britain is experiencing unprecedented emigration levels. More than 200,000 UK residents have left for a life abroad in the past two years.
Figures from the ONS show that in the year to July 2006 – the latest year for which figures are available – an estimated 10,000 people left Wales to move abroad, with Australia and New Zealand the most popular destinations. Nine years earlier, just 6,000 citizens were recorded leaving the country.
Paul Arthur, director of The Emigration Group, said highly- skilled workers and professionals such as doctors and architects were not the only ones leaving Wales for a life abroad. Increasing numbers of tradesmen and women were also choosing to emigrate.
“Australia and New Zealand – two of the most popular places to emigrate to – are booming economies, and people see they need all sorts of skills to help build these countries for the future,” he added. “We help many skilled trades people emigrate as well as professionals like doctors and teachers, and one thing they all mention are the opportunities that exist for themselves and their children.”
People often felt opportunities for employment in Britain were diminishing, and worried there would be even fewer for their children. Despite the similarities between Wales and countries like New Zealand in terms of scenery and main economies, they felt life abroad would offer more leisure facilities, leading to better health.
In the 1960s, thousands left the UK under the subsidised migration scheme, Ten-pound Pom, which offered financial support to UK citizens emigrating to Australia. American states such as Pennsylvania also attracted Welsh citizens in the mid-19th century, from industrialised South Wales.
Economists and social scientists say the same countries remain popular today, and a perception exists that foreign countries offer more opportunities.
Professor Steve Hill, an economic development expert at the University of Glamorgan, said, “Predominantly those leaving are young people in their 20s and 30s. The reason they go is that they are more mobile, and many who go become settled and do not come back. They respond to economic opportunities. It is like those here becoming teachers, for example, going to London and the South East (of England). It can seem you get quicker career progression in certain places.”
Prof Hill added that Britain – including Wales – had also experienced an influx of migrants from abroad and that often, when people living abroad reached their 50s, they chose to move home. “Wales is a nice place to be at that age – there is less congestion, less pressure on services and it has a pleasant environment,” he said.
Psychologist Dr Paul Saunder also said youngsters were attracted to countries like Australia and Canada due to the perception these provided more opportunities and a better quality of life.
However the principal lecturer in psychology at Uwic in Cardiff, said often people did not research the full implications of a permanent move, and would return in weeks once they discovered life abroad came with its own problems.
“It is easy to find the good things somewhere else, but not the bad. This only comes with experience. The problems of a country are often not immediately available to us. People can become very disillusioned once these become apparent,” he added.
The ONS says there has been a 50% increase in the number moving abroad to countries like Australia in the past three years.
News Report.
(from "Independence Cymru")
"IF WALES IS SUCH A GOOD PLACE WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE LEAVING?"
Britons in their hundreds of thousands are leaving these shores. In general, the elderly are going to Spain, the younger people to Australia. Meanwhile immigrants from all over, particularly Eastern Europe and the Middle East and South Asia, are flooding in, and are granted Council housing which the local citizens find extremely hard to obtain. There is at present no requirement for English to be spoken or understood, let alone Welsh. Part of the disaffection with the British way of life as it changes for the worse is represented by the cartoon above - the rest lies with the climate and the increasing disparity between the rich and the poor in society as well as the rising cost of living.
Mar 8 2008 by Sarah Miloudi, Western Mail
THE number of people leaving Wales for a new life abroad has almost doubled within nine years, latest figures reveal.
The government statistics found 4,000 more emigrated in 2006 than in 1997. It matches evidence from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and The Emigration Group which shows Britain is experiencing unprecedented emigration levels. More than 200,000 UK residents have left for a life abroad in the past two years.
Figures from the ONS show that in the year to July 2006 – the latest year for which figures are available – an estimated 10,000 people left Wales to move abroad, with Australia and New Zealand the most popular destinations. Nine years earlier, just 6,000 citizens were recorded leaving the country.
Paul Arthur, director of The Emigration Group, said highly- skilled workers and professionals such as doctors and architects were not the only ones leaving Wales for a life abroad. Increasing numbers of tradesmen and women were also choosing to emigrate.
“Australia and New Zealand – two of the most popular places to emigrate to – are booming economies, and people see they need all sorts of skills to help build these countries for the future,” he added. “We help many skilled trades people emigrate as well as professionals like doctors and teachers, and one thing they all mention are the opportunities that exist for themselves and their children.”
People often felt opportunities for employment in Britain were diminishing, and worried there would be even fewer for their children. Despite the similarities between Wales and countries like New Zealand in terms of scenery and main economies, they felt life abroad would offer more leisure facilities, leading to better health.
In the 1960s, thousands left the UK under the subsidised migration scheme, Ten-pound Pom, which offered financial support to UK citizens emigrating to Australia. American states such as Pennsylvania also attracted Welsh citizens in the mid-19th century, from industrialised South Wales.
Economists and social scientists say the same countries remain popular today, and a perception exists that foreign countries offer more opportunities.
Professor Steve Hill, an economic development expert at the University of Glamorgan, said, “Predominantly those leaving are young people in their 20s and 30s. The reason they go is that they are more mobile, and many who go become settled and do not come back. They respond to economic opportunities. It is like those here becoming teachers, for example, going to London and the South East (of England). It can seem you get quicker career progression in certain places.”
Prof Hill added that Britain – including Wales – had also experienced an influx of migrants from abroad and that often, when people living abroad reached their 50s, they chose to move home. “Wales is a nice place to be at that age – there is less congestion, less pressure on services and it has a pleasant environment,” he said.
Psychologist Dr Paul Saunder also said youngsters were attracted to countries like Australia and Canada due to the perception these provided more opportunities and a better quality of life.
However the principal lecturer in psychology at Uwic in Cardiff, said often people did not research the full implications of a permanent move, and would return in weeks once they discovered life abroad came with its own problems.
“It is easy to find the good things somewhere else, but not the bad. This only comes with experience. The problems of a country are often not immediately available to us. People can become very disillusioned once these become apparent,” he added.
The ONS says there has been a 50% increase in the number moving abroad to countries like Australia in the past three years.
News Report.
(from "Independence Cymru")
"IF WALES IS SUCH A GOOD PLACE WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE LEAVING?"
Britons in their hundreds of thousands are leaving these shores. In general, the elderly are going to Spain, the younger people to Australia. Meanwhile immigrants from all over, particularly Eastern Europe and the Middle East and South Asia, are flooding in, and are granted Council housing which the local citizens find extremely hard to obtain. There is at present no requirement for English to be spoken or understood, let alone Welsh. Part of the disaffection with the British way of life as it changes for the worse is represented by the cartoon above - the rest lies with the climate and the increasing disparity between the rich and the poor in society as well as the rising cost of living.
Friday, 7 March 2008
The Rights of Peoples to Choose their Rulers
All nations should have the right to self-determination. Rhodri Morgan has been urged to speak out for Tibet. Large and powerful states have always had the temptation to swallow up their smaller neighbors, or to build empires to conquer and exploit for their own ends. Examples include the Spanish conquest of Mexico and Peru, the British conquest of India and the German conquest of Poland and Czechoslovakia. There are also nations without a country of their own, including the Kurds, the Basques and the Palestinians.
It is right that pressure should be put on states such as China to encourage them to rectify the wrongs committed by their own previous administrations.
CLICK HERE
It is right that pressure should be put on states such as China to encourage them to rectify the wrongs committed by their own previous administrations.
CLICK HERE
There's More to Poetry than Meets the Eye
For those readers who are interested in Mediaeval Welsh Poetry click and read.
Or do you prefer a Chinese?
Or do you prefer a Chinese?
Thursday, 6 March 2008
For Mencap Cymru in Memory of Gwynfor
Rhobert ap Steffan will be going on the Patagonian Trip to raise money for Mencap Cymru, and he is requesting donations.
Please send your donation via the following web address: rhobertmencap.blogspot.com/
Please send your donation via the following web address: rhobertmencap.blogspot.com/
Campaign : Welsh Flag Number Plates
Welsh number plate campaign / Ymgyrch Cyfreithloni'n baner
Global
Information
Group InfoName:
Welsh number plate campaign / Ymgyrch Cyfreithloni'n baner
Type:
Common Interest - Politics
Description:
Plaid is launching this number plate campaign to legalise the use of the Welsh national flag on vehicle number plates. The New Labour London Government have yet to honour a promise it made in 2001 to make it legal for the Welsh flag to be used on the number plates of cars, vans and lorries.
Mae Plaid wedi lawnsio ymgyrch i gyfreithloni defnyddio baner genedlaethol Cymru ar blatiau cofrestru ceir. Dydy'r llywodraeth Llafur newydd yn Llundain heb gadw'r addewid a wnaethpwyd yn 2001 i'w gwneud hi'n gyfreithlon i ddefnyddio'r ddraig goch ar platiau cofrestru ceir, faniau a loriau.
Contact InfoEmail:
post@plaidcymru.org
Website:
http://www.numberplates.plaidcymru.org/
Democracy that is No Democracy
It has been said:
"Democracy is the rule of the majority, by the majority, for the majority....."
but who wants to be ruled by the majority, and who says the majority knows best?
Answers on a piece of paper, please, and delivered to No.10.
Liberating the mind
Liberating freedom requires extracting ordinary wisdom from its inherited delusions, cultural containers, political manipulations, rampant superstitions, and blinding orthodoxies. We must come to understand that freedom is essential to our survival. It might be manipulated by ideology, but we must empower critical thinking, wise discernment and deep inquiry.
Only then can we learn to discern propaganda from truth. It is important to understand that freedom has no logo, no identity, and no nationality. True freedom is not American anymore than it is Israeli or German or Chinese. The liberation of freedom requires a radical vigilance to above all, think for oneself.
Professor Noam Chomsky reminds us of the task of the freedom fighter. “For those who stubbornly seek freedom, there can be no more urgent task than to understand the practices and mechanisms of indoctrination, which is so easy to perceive in the totalitarian societies, much less so in the systems of ‘brainwashing under freedom,’ to which we are subjected, and which, all too often, we serve as willing, or unwitting instruments.”
"Democracy is the rule of the majority, by the majority, for the majority....."
but who wants to be ruled by the majority, and who says the majority knows best?
Answers on a piece of paper, please, and delivered to No.10.
Liberating the mind
Liberating freedom requires extracting ordinary wisdom from its inherited delusions, cultural containers, political manipulations, rampant superstitions, and blinding orthodoxies. We must come to understand that freedom is essential to our survival. It might be manipulated by ideology, but we must empower critical thinking, wise discernment and deep inquiry.
Only then can we learn to discern propaganda from truth. It is important to understand that freedom has no logo, no identity, and no nationality. True freedom is not American anymore than it is Israeli or German or Chinese. The liberation of freedom requires a radical vigilance to above all, think for oneself.
Professor Noam Chomsky reminds us of the task of the freedom fighter. “For those who stubbornly seek freedom, there can be no more urgent task than to understand the practices and mechanisms of indoctrination, which is so easy to perceive in the totalitarian societies, much less so in the systems of ‘brainwashing under freedom,’ to which we are subjected, and which, all too often, we serve as willing, or unwitting instruments.”
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Laws concerning "Yr Iaith Gymraeg"
LAWS RELATING TO THE WELSH LANGUAGE.
From Councillor Gwyn Hopkins - Sir Gar
There have been five of these. A major purpose of the first two laws was to drastically downgrade the Welsh language to the point of extinction. In Wales, English was to be made indispensable and Welsh very much dispensable, indeed superfluous. The last three laws represent extremely reluctant, woefully inadequate and grudging attempts to atone for the monstrous injustices of the first two Acts.
N.B. Actual passages from the Acts are written in “italics” and are quoted verbatim.
The Acts of Union 1536/1543 (Acts of Imposed Incorporation would be a more honest description).
Although enacted by the English Parliament of Henry VIII that contained no members from Wales, these Acts are still highly relevant because they were not finally repealed until 1993 (by the Welsh Language Act of that year; Section 35, Schedule 2).
The preamble of the 1536 Act says: Some rude and ignorant people have made distinction and diversity between the King’s subjects of his realm (England) and his subjects of the said dominion and Principality of Wales.
The clear implication is that all “distinction and diversity” is to be eradicated, not least the Welsh Language.
This is re-emphasised by the following passage in the body of the Act: utterly to extirpate all and singular the sinister usages and customs differing from his realm of England.
The Act then spells out the primary, draconian provisions by which the language is to be eliminated: Also be it enacted that all justices, commissioners, sheriffs, coroners, stewards and their lieutenants, and all other officers and ministers of the law, shall proclaim and keep the sessions, courts, hundreds (divisions of counties), sheriff’s courts and all other courts in the English tongue; and all oaths of officers, juries and inquests, and all other affidavits, verdicts and wagers of law to be given and done in the English tongue; and also from henceforth no person or persons that use the Welsh language shall have or enjoy any manner of office or fees within this realm of England, Wales or other of the King’s dominion upon pain of forfeiting the same office or fees, unless he or they use and exercise the English speech or tongue.
One cannot imagine a better example of a colonial linguistic policy – in a country whose people were nearly all monoglot Welsh-speakers. Unfortunately these (and other) barbaric measures, together with the accompanying intense anti-Welsh language indoctrination, have given rise to a profoundly anti-Welsh language mentality in many people within successive generations of Welsh people. Faced with such intense practical and psychological pressure many people have acquiesced and “gone with the tide”, even though it was, and is, patently obvious that – unchecked – the policy would lead to the long-term demise of the language and national identity of the Welsh people, as was its intention.
Half a century later the English poet Edmund Spenser (1552 – 1599) expressed this colonial oppression even clearer: For it has been ever the custom of the conqueror to destroy the language of the conquered and to force him by all means to learn his (the conqueror’s) language.
Of course, this language persecution policy was just a very important means of implementing the central policy of the English government, namely that Wales be swallowed up by England, as declared by the key passage of the Act: That the King’s said country or dominion of Wales shall be, stand and continue for ever from henceforth incorporated, united and annexed to and with his Realm of England.
Foster’s Education Act 1870 (this introduced compulsory primary education).
This gave state authorisation to the force-feeding of English to Wales’ children (most were monoglot Welsh-speakers at the time). It was an unmitigated disaster for the Welsh Language.
Prior to 1870 primary education was not compulsory but the elementary schools that existed were thoroughly anglicized. This trend was firmly cemented in 1861 when schools became financed by results – in reading and writing English, not Welsh. This measure effectively forced teachers to drastically downgrade, if not banish, the Welsh language from schools.
The 1870 Act legalised this trend by extending, throughout Wales, the network of “English” schools in which Welsh was outlawed on pain of physical punishment. To enforce anglicization the notorious “Welsh Not” was introduced. This was a piece of wood attached to a circular string and children were exhorted to betray one another by reporting anyone caught speaking Welsh to the teacher who would then hang the “Welsh Not” around the neck of the “offender”. The child possessing it at the end of the day was then punished physically. Thus children were mocked, scorned and punished not for any wrongdoing but for speaking their mother tongue – often their only language!
This disgusting and disgraceful persecution of children, and the policy that made the Welsh language an outcast in its own country, lasted for the best part of 30 years. The enactment and uncivilized implementation of the Act had the appalling – and intended - effect of further poisoning the minds of many Welsh children and adults against the language, reinforcing the damage already wreaked by the 1536 Act. This produced widespread indifference and often hostility towards the language that has only abated, to some extent, in recent times. Even amongst those who have - against all the odds - retained the language, the totally anglicized educational system imposed upon them has ensured that a very substantial proportion are, although quite fluent speakers, barely semi-literate in Welsh.
Unfortunately, as a result of this intense, anti-Welsh language indoctrination, all too many of these have compounded the problem of ensuring the survival of Welsh by refusing to pass the language on to their children, thus largely depriving their offspring of the linguistic and cultural heritage of their own country.
The diabolical legacy of the 1870 Act endures and is very much alive within the educational system in Wales today.
Welsh Courts Act (1942).
This was the first chink made in the armour of the linguistic provisions of the Acts of Union. Of course, the vast majority of the provisions - essentially banning Welsh from public life - remained.
The Act merely gave legal validity to the use of Welsh in court proceedings and allowed evidence to be given in Welsh. Prior to this Act accused people whose only language was Welsh were compelled to pay for a court translator.
At this juncture it is worth recalling the bold, ground-breaking part played by Trefor and Eileen Beasley back in 1953 in challenging the totally unjust linguistic status quo. They were fearless enough to demand a rates bill in Welsh from Llanelli Rural Council – a revolutionary act at the time, when the cursed, barbaric, anti-Welsh language provisions of the Act of Union (1536) were still in force. As a result these trailblazers – natives of Llangennech and living there at the time - were summoned to appear before Llanelli Magistrates Court no fewer than 11 times during the period 1953 – 1961. They were consistently found guilty of refusing to pay the rates (until they received the rates demand in Welsh) and fined. As they refused to pay the fines the bailiffs removed all the furniture from their house on three occasions. They suffered much contempt and derision at the time. However, they finally triumphed and received their rates demand in Welsh. Trefor has passed away but Eileen is still with us and lives near Whitland.
The Welsh Language Act (1967).
Although better than nothing, this measly two-page sop gave Welsh equal validity – though certainly not equal status – with English, but only in an extremely limited set of circumstances. Section 1 of the Act states: In any legal proceedings in Wales the Welsh language may be spoken by any party, witness or other person who desires to use it.
Section 2 of the Act says: Where any enactment specifies the form of any document used for an official or public purpose, the appropriate Minister MAY by order prescribe a version of the document in Welsh or partly in Welsh and partly in English.
This, of course, allowed the appropriate Minister to do as he/she liked. Section 3(1) states: Anything done in Welsh in a version authorised by the appropriate Minister shall have the like effect as if done in English. However to reassure those who feared that the Act would cause the imperial language to relinquish any of its superior, totally dominant, status, Section 3 (2) (a) says: provided that in the case of any discrepancy between an English and a Welsh text the English text shall prevail. Welsh speakers had to be left in no doubt of their continued subordinate and inferior status.
The Welsh Language Act (1993).
Its preamble says: An Act to establish a Board (the Welsh Language Board) having the function of promoting and facilitating the use of the Welsh language, to provide for the preparation by public bodies of schemes giving effect to the principle that in the conduct of public business and the administration of justice in Wales the English and Welsh languages should be treated on the basis of equality.
As it applies only to public bodies, private and voluntary bodies can continue to totally ignore the Welsh language. Many do. Also ”basis of equality” – qualified, as it is in the Act, by any action having to be “reasonable and practical” - is a significantly watered-down version of “actual equality” let alone “equal status”. Indeed, this is effectively a cop-out.
To address this issue – which is essentially a matter of human rights - a new and much more comprehensive Welsh Language Act needs to be formulated aimed at ending all discrimination against Welsh-speakers by giving them exactly the same linguistic rights as non-Welsh speakers enjoy. If, and when, that occurs a Welsh language Act will be unnecessary – after all there is no need for an English language Act in Wales.
GWYN HOPKINS 21/7/2006 (Updated 10/2/2008)
Postscript.
Broadly speaking three linguistic categories of people exist in Wales today: (i) non-Welsh speakers, (ii) Welsh-speakers who tend to favour the English language particularly when communicating with officialdom, often – and understandably - because they are a lot more literate in English than in Welsh, (iii) Welsh-speakers whose loyalty is to the Welsh language and who favour its use and use it in all possible circumstances. Members of the first category enjoy the privilege of conducting the whole of their lives entirely and unhindered through the medium of English. The second category also face no difficulty whatever in choice of language, using English in official circumstances and Welsh socially, if they so wish. Members of the third category are very much the poor relations and linguistically down-trodden second class citizens, for in present circumstances - in large measure engineered by the first two of the above Acts - it is completely impossible for them to conduct anywhere near the whole of their lives through the medium of Welsh. Discrimination militating against this abounds at every corner throughout their lives – a constant reminder of the grossly inferior status of their language. The sooner the better both the Westminster and National Assembly governments seriously address this obvious, continuing and major discrimination; for no objective, fair-minded, impartial individual - nor any civilised society- could possibly condone the status quo.
The fight continues for the rights of the people of Wales to use their own native language in all situations without discrimination in their own land, and for sections of their own people to recognise the importance of Welsh for maintenance of national cohesion and identity. We await a new Welsh Language Act and encourage all Welsh citizens and immigrants to become fluent in the language so that it becomes the lingua franca of all.
Alan in Dyfed
From Councillor Gwyn Hopkins - Sir Gar
There have been five of these. A major purpose of the first two laws was to drastically downgrade the Welsh language to the point of extinction. In Wales, English was to be made indispensable and Welsh very much dispensable, indeed superfluous. The last three laws represent extremely reluctant, woefully inadequate and grudging attempts to atone for the monstrous injustices of the first two Acts.
N.B. Actual passages from the Acts are written in “italics” and are quoted verbatim.
The Acts of Union 1536/1543 (Acts of Imposed Incorporation would be a more honest description).
Although enacted by the English Parliament of Henry VIII that contained no members from Wales, these Acts are still highly relevant because they were not finally repealed until 1993 (by the Welsh Language Act of that year; Section 35, Schedule 2).
The preamble of the 1536 Act says: Some rude and ignorant people have made distinction and diversity between the King’s subjects of his realm (England) and his subjects of the said dominion and Principality of Wales.
The clear implication is that all “distinction and diversity” is to be eradicated, not least the Welsh Language.
This is re-emphasised by the following passage in the body of the Act: utterly to extirpate all and singular the sinister usages and customs differing from his realm of England.
The Act then spells out the primary, draconian provisions by which the language is to be eliminated: Also be it enacted that all justices, commissioners, sheriffs, coroners, stewards and their lieutenants, and all other officers and ministers of the law, shall proclaim and keep the sessions, courts, hundreds (divisions of counties), sheriff’s courts and all other courts in the English tongue; and all oaths of officers, juries and inquests, and all other affidavits, verdicts and wagers of law to be given and done in the English tongue; and also from henceforth no person or persons that use the Welsh language shall have or enjoy any manner of office or fees within this realm of England, Wales or other of the King’s dominion upon pain of forfeiting the same office or fees, unless he or they use and exercise the English speech or tongue.
One cannot imagine a better example of a colonial linguistic policy – in a country whose people were nearly all monoglot Welsh-speakers. Unfortunately these (and other) barbaric measures, together with the accompanying intense anti-Welsh language indoctrination, have given rise to a profoundly anti-Welsh language mentality in many people within successive generations of Welsh people. Faced with such intense practical and psychological pressure many people have acquiesced and “gone with the tide”, even though it was, and is, patently obvious that – unchecked – the policy would lead to the long-term demise of the language and national identity of the Welsh people, as was its intention.
Half a century later the English poet Edmund Spenser (1552 – 1599) expressed this colonial oppression even clearer: For it has been ever the custom of the conqueror to destroy the language of the conquered and to force him by all means to learn his (the conqueror’s) language.
Of course, this language persecution policy was just a very important means of implementing the central policy of the English government, namely that Wales be swallowed up by England, as declared by the key passage of the Act: That the King’s said country or dominion of Wales shall be, stand and continue for ever from henceforth incorporated, united and annexed to and with his Realm of England.
Foster’s Education Act 1870 (this introduced compulsory primary education).
This gave state authorisation to the force-feeding of English to Wales’ children (most were monoglot Welsh-speakers at the time). It was an unmitigated disaster for the Welsh Language.
Prior to 1870 primary education was not compulsory but the elementary schools that existed were thoroughly anglicized. This trend was firmly cemented in 1861 when schools became financed by results – in reading and writing English, not Welsh. This measure effectively forced teachers to drastically downgrade, if not banish, the Welsh language from schools.
The 1870 Act legalised this trend by extending, throughout Wales, the network of “English” schools in which Welsh was outlawed on pain of physical punishment. To enforce anglicization the notorious “Welsh Not” was introduced. This was a piece of wood attached to a circular string and children were exhorted to betray one another by reporting anyone caught speaking Welsh to the teacher who would then hang the “Welsh Not” around the neck of the “offender”. The child possessing it at the end of the day was then punished physically. Thus children were mocked, scorned and punished not for any wrongdoing but for speaking their mother tongue – often their only language!
This disgusting and disgraceful persecution of children, and the policy that made the Welsh language an outcast in its own country, lasted for the best part of 30 years. The enactment and uncivilized implementation of the Act had the appalling – and intended - effect of further poisoning the minds of many Welsh children and adults against the language, reinforcing the damage already wreaked by the 1536 Act. This produced widespread indifference and often hostility towards the language that has only abated, to some extent, in recent times. Even amongst those who have - against all the odds - retained the language, the totally anglicized educational system imposed upon them has ensured that a very substantial proportion are, although quite fluent speakers, barely semi-literate in Welsh.
Unfortunately, as a result of this intense, anti-Welsh language indoctrination, all too many of these have compounded the problem of ensuring the survival of Welsh by refusing to pass the language on to their children, thus largely depriving their offspring of the linguistic and cultural heritage of their own country.
The diabolical legacy of the 1870 Act endures and is very much alive within the educational system in Wales today.
Welsh Courts Act (1942).
This was the first chink made in the armour of the linguistic provisions of the Acts of Union. Of course, the vast majority of the provisions - essentially banning Welsh from public life - remained.
The Act merely gave legal validity to the use of Welsh in court proceedings and allowed evidence to be given in Welsh. Prior to this Act accused people whose only language was Welsh were compelled to pay for a court translator.
At this juncture it is worth recalling the bold, ground-breaking part played by Trefor and Eileen Beasley back in 1953 in challenging the totally unjust linguistic status quo. They were fearless enough to demand a rates bill in Welsh from Llanelli Rural Council – a revolutionary act at the time, when the cursed, barbaric, anti-Welsh language provisions of the Act of Union (1536) were still in force. As a result these trailblazers – natives of Llangennech and living there at the time - were summoned to appear before Llanelli Magistrates Court no fewer than 11 times during the period 1953 – 1961. They were consistently found guilty of refusing to pay the rates (until they received the rates demand in Welsh) and fined. As they refused to pay the fines the bailiffs removed all the furniture from their house on three occasions. They suffered much contempt and derision at the time. However, they finally triumphed and received their rates demand in Welsh. Trefor has passed away but Eileen is still with us and lives near Whitland.
The Welsh Language Act (1967).
Although better than nothing, this measly two-page sop gave Welsh equal validity – though certainly not equal status – with English, but only in an extremely limited set of circumstances. Section 1 of the Act states: In any legal proceedings in Wales the Welsh language may be spoken by any party, witness or other person who desires to use it.
Section 2 of the Act says: Where any enactment specifies the form of any document used for an official or public purpose, the appropriate Minister MAY by order prescribe a version of the document in Welsh or partly in Welsh and partly in English.
This, of course, allowed the appropriate Minister to do as he/she liked. Section 3(1) states: Anything done in Welsh in a version authorised by the appropriate Minister shall have the like effect as if done in English. However to reassure those who feared that the Act would cause the imperial language to relinquish any of its superior, totally dominant, status, Section 3 (2) (a) says: provided that in the case of any discrepancy between an English and a Welsh text the English text shall prevail. Welsh speakers had to be left in no doubt of their continued subordinate and inferior status.
The Welsh Language Act (1993).
Its preamble says: An Act to establish a Board (the Welsh Language Board) having the function of promoting and facilitating the use of the Welsh language, to provide for the preparation by public bodies of schemes giving effect to the principle that in the conduct of public business and the administration of justice in Wales the English and Welsh languages should be treated on the basis of equality.
As it applies only to public bodies, private and voluntary bodies can continue to totally ignore the Welsh language. Many do. Also ”basis of equality” – qualified, as it is in the Act, by any action having to be “reasonable and practical” - is a significantly watered-down version of “actual equality” let alone “equal status”. Indeed, this is effectively a cop-out.
To address this issue – which is essentially a matter of human rights - a new and much more comprehensive Welsh Language Act needs to be formulated aimed at ending all discrimination against Welsh-speakers by giving them exactly the same linguistic rights as non-Welsh speakers enjoy. If, and when, that occurs a Welsh language Act will be unnecessary – after all there is no need for an English language Act in Wales.
GWYN HOPKINS 21/7/2006 (Updated 10/2/2008)
Postscript.
Broadly speaking three linguistic categories of people exist in Wales today: (i) non-Welsh speakers, (ii) Welsh-speakers who tend to favour the English language particularly when communicating with officialdom, often – and understandably - because they are a lot more literate in English than in Welsh, (iii) Welsh-speakers whose loyalty is to the Welsh language and who favour its use and use it in all possible circumstances. Members of the first category enjoy the privilege of conducting the whole of their lives entirely and unhindered through the medium of English. The second category also face no difficulty whatever in choice of language, using English in official circumstances and Welsh socially, if they so wish. Members of the third category are very much the poor relations and linguistically down-trodden second class citizens, for in present circumstances - in large measure engineered by the first two of the above Acts - it is completely impossible for them to conduct anywhere near the whole of their lives through the medium of Welsh. Discrimination militating against this abounds at every corner throughout their lives – a constant reminder of the grossly inferior status of their language. The sooner the better both the Westminster and National Assembly governments seriously address this obvious, continuing and major discrimination; for no objective, fair-minded, impartial individual - nor any civilised society- could possibly condone the status quo.
The fight continues for the rights of the people of Wales to use their own native language in all situations without discrimination in their own land, and for sections of their own people to recognise the importance of Welsh for maintenance of national cohesion and identity. We await a new Welsh Language Act and encourage all Welsh citizens and immigrants to become fluent in the language so that it becomes the lingua franca of all.
Alan in Dyfed
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Avalokiteshvara - Treasury of Compassion
Time for a spot of meditation
There Are Hundreds Of Paths Up The Mountain
There are hundreds of paths up the mountain,
all leading in the same direction,
so it doesn't matter which path you take.
The only one wasting time is the one
who runs around and around the mountain,
telling everyone that his or her path is wrong.
Hindu teaching
Thought for the Day
Compassion is the finest weapon and best defence.
If you would establish harmony,
Compassion must surround you like a fortress.
Therefore, a good soldier does not inspire fear;
A good fighter does not display aggression;
A good conqueror does not engage in battle;
A good leader does not exercise authority.
This is the value of unimportance;
This is how to win the cooperation of others;
This to how to build the same harmony that is in nature.
If you would establish harmony,
Compassion must surround you like a fortress.
Therefore, a good soldier does not inspire fear;
A good fighter does not display aggression;
A good conqueror does not engage in battle;
A good leader does not exercise authority.
This is the value of unimportance;
This is how to win the cooperation of others;
This to how to build the same harmony that is in nature.
Monday, 3 March 2008
NEWSFLASH - Britain to be Abolished!
Find out all about it by clicking HERE and HERE
IMPORTANT NOTE:
INDEPENDENCE CYMRU AGREES WITH THE FACTUAL CONTENT OF THE REPORT BUT NOT WITH THE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED IN IT.
INDEPENDENCE CYMRU, AND PLAID, SUPPORT THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS PARLIAMENT ADMINISTERING THE 27 MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE EU.
Following the demise of Britain presumably the nations of England, Scotland and Wales will be added, making 29 countries, and if Cornwall negotiates entry it will make a total of 30 nations.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
INDEPENDENCE CYMRU AGREES WITH THE FACTUAL CONTENT OF THE REPORT BUT NOT WITH THE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED IN IT.
INDEPENDENCE CYMRU, AND PLAID, SUPPORT THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS PARLIAMENT ADMINISTERING THE 27 MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE EU.
Following the demise of Britain presumably the nations of England, Scotland and Wales will be added, making 29 countries, and if Cornwall negotiates entry it will make a total of 30 nations.
Sunday, 2 March 2008
88% back EU treaty referendum bid
'88% back EU treaty referendum bid'
Press Assoc. - 33 minutes ago
Campaigners for a referendum on the European Union's controversial Lisbon Treaty claim they have overwhelming public support.
The I Want A Referendum Campaign said that in unofficial mini-referendums which it ran in 10 parliamentary constituencies, 88% voted in favour of a full-blown referendum on the treaty.
The campaign said that 152,520 people voted in the polls, of whom 133,251 voted for a referendum.
The announcement of the results came as MPs prepare to vote on Wednesday on whether to hold a referendum for real.
Press Assoc. - 33 minutes ago
Campaigners for a referendum on the European Union's controversial Lisbon Treaty claim they have overwhelming public support.
The I Want A Referendum Campaign said that in unofficial mini-referendums which it ran in 10 parliamentary constituencies, 88% voted in favour of a full-blown referendum on the treaty.
The campaign said that 152,520 people voted in the polls, of whom 133,251 voted for a referendum.
The announcement of the results came as MPs prepare to vote on Wednesday on whether to hold a referendum for real.
Saturday, 1 March 2008
ST. DAVID'S DAY PARADE IN CARDIFF 2008
We were there! Were YOU there?
If not you missed a spectacular event in the making of the history of the nation.
Photographs coming shortly....
If not you missed a spectacular event in the making of the history of the nation.
Photographs coming shortly....
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