Festival Weekend. Defend Culture, Culture, Culture!

This country (I don't mind whether you are thinking on Spain or Catalonia, the result is the same) is a complete shame: corruption, lies, manipulation and an undisguised attempt to destroy the rights of the "regular citizen". Don't want to go "higher" and write about the European Union, not after seeing how are they reacting after the Lampedusa drama, because to me is just embarrassing to think I once was a serious supporter of the EU ideals, now an unmasked bunch of miserable people trying to design, rule our lives in their own benefit... I need a weekend to take shelter and hide, and to do that the best option, at least for me, has always been culture. Culture and education are the answer, and are bound together, against the bastards. Both needed to be defended (we do have a villain to fight against you know, it's called Wert, and looks like a vampire from a very dark age on Spanish history, not that long ago). Defended by you.

And in that sense this weekend is an ideal one. Two amazing festivals are taking place in Barcelona. Yesterday the 11th edition of the Beefeater In-Edit began (yes, music films are back in town!), and tomorrow the second BIS Festival (a fantastic idea where local labels gather to show the world what they do and why) will open its doors too. Music documentaries and local independent music, what a powerful and exciting combination. Would you like to defend culture? Here's a double option. You only need to get up and join what's going on in your city...      

   

(My) Independence

Spain! Catalonia! I'm so tired of you two! Quino nailed it again.

It was bound to happen. I tried to stay aside from the current debate on Catalonia / Spain, but it's everywhere. I guess my choice wasn't very realistic and couldn't last long. So here's a very personal collection of thoughts...


(My) Independence

I want to be independent... from politics
From corrupted and vile politicians
The ones that brought us here & cut our rights,
but now have decided to hide their failures behind flags

I want to be independent... from media
From the miserable and evil majority of media
The ones that should be informing citizens,
but they are just manipulating us while serving the corporation that pays their checks

I want to be independent... from justice
From the paralysed and partial justice
The ones that should be defending our rights
but instead they just protect the unfair benefits and privileges of the richest and powerful

I want to be independent... from the Constitution
From the so sacred and untouchable Constitution
Many of us didn't vote it, but we all have the right to
decide whether it still fits us or not

I want to be independent... from democracy
From this ridiculous, false and deplorable idea of democracy
Where the ones supposedly chosen by us are only serving themselves
Where the ones we vote don't make the decisions, and the ones that do,
banks & greedy corporations, are free to keep their campaign towards social annihilation

I can't believe on a future leaded by the ones ruining our present. I want to be independent from a rescue I didn't provoke; from an economic model based on construction and tourism I didn't choose, and has obviously failed; from ancien régime institutions like monarchy, religion or capitalism; from conservative parties that call themselves liberals but are just fascists, and from left parties that forgot all their social aims while they focus on keeping their pockets full; from silly bipartidism; from corruption; from markets; from a EU that is sadly just another neoliberal economic club; from a criminal unemployment rate fostered by criminal an absurd neoliberal policies that I haven't voted; from people who still tries to use the language/s he/she speaks as a tool to divide people; from all nationalisms and anyone who tries to win an argument waving a flag. Behind any flag, there's people. That's what matters. This shouldn't be about Spain or Catalonia, but about the needs and rights of the citizens living on that territory. That's the sort of independence we should seek.

Bye Bankia! (#LiquidarBankia)

Here we go! A campaign is been launched today in Spain by #15mpaRato asking for the judicial intervention of the bank Bankia. Sorry it is in Spanish, but if you can please read the following link:

http://15mparato.wordpress.com/a-toda-troika-le-llega-su-15m/

Please retweet, re-send, spread the word! Let's #liquidarBankia!

Dedicated to the ones who said 15M is dead

Spain: betraying citizens, betraying democracy

"The time to rise has been engaged/ You're better best to arrange"

R.E.M.   "Finest Worksong"

Enough HAS to be enough.

Methods to get out from the crisis:
I. Becoming rich
II. Becoming even richer
III. Run away
Vignette by El Roto

Yesterday, our Spanish government certified another brutal series of measures, the biggest ones we haver ever suffered during democracy, against us, the citizens. Our president, Mariano Rajoy, also proved that Spain is no longer a sovereign country, but a piece of land ruled by the European Union. Did we vote for that last year? Did anyone who vote in that election, no matter which option you voted, or even if you voted blank or null, knew our president was going to be in the hands of someone else (that we didn't choose)? I don't remember it. Which is weird because I do remember casting my ballot then (as I have always done since I'm legally allowed to). 

Rajoy justified the measures explaining us, citizens, that we have to make another effort, and pay more while we earn less, because is the only solution. Which is a FLAGRANT, unacceptable, outrageous LIE. Because:

We, citizens, ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE for the BANK abuses. We don't have to pay for their rescue.  

We, citizens, ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE for the vile and corrupted behaviour of our political leaders
We, citizens, ARE BEING IGNORED by the ones that are supposed to represent us. We should never forget that they are representing us, they serve us, not the contrary. If they are not capable of solving the situation without harming us, they should resign. IMMEDIATELY.

The sort of cuts the conservative government are imposing are not the only way out. It is only a political decision that responds to a very contested way of understanding economics. Many voices, in a very open way, around Europe and the rest of the world is asking for another kind of economic policies. Take the announcement of increasing VAT to 21%, for example. It's a measure that will ballast consumption, therefore aggravating the crisis. Misery is just around the corner with that sort of policies. It simply doesn't make sense. The argument argued by our politicians, saying that we had a very low VAT before is a complete, perverse MANIPULATION. Look at this numbers:

Germany VAT: 19% Minimum Wage: 1.993€
United Kingdom VAT: 20% Minimum Wage: 1.201€
France VAT: 19,6% Minimum Wage: 1428€
Netherlands VAT: 19% Minimum Wage: 1446€
Spain: 21% Minimum Wage: 641€

Besides, and never forget, that among the political decisions taken in this terrible 6 months there has been one that is particularly revealing: the "TAX AMNESTY". Until November 30 2012, individual and corporate taxpayers (the millionaires of this country that are evading their capital in fiscal paradises) will be permitted to voluntarily disclose unreported income or assets by paying a special 10% levy on the amount or acquisition value, with no criminal or administrative penalties, surcharges or interest. They are demanding drastic efforts to the vast majority of the population while they are alleviating the much needed pressure to the biggest fortunes, who by the way, are committing an obvious economic fraud. That is an ABERRATION, that invalidates any of their political justifications when announcing an unpopular measure. There are several alternatives instead, but it is clear who they are trying to protect... even at the cost of ending with our welfare state.

I could keep on and on (justice, education, health, freedom of expression, repression, don't even let me enter into football) but its all pretty obvious. Our political leaders are either puppets in the hands of biggest powers, or rats trying to take benefit of their position while they are in charge. THEY DON'T REPRESENT US. Our government is against us, the citizens. And by doing so they have sentenced the concept of democracy to death. They are destroying our rights. That is unacceptable. 

Then, it's time for us, citizens, to restore it. We are the only ones that can revert the situation. It's our duty as citizens. We have to kick them out of the power. Today, more than ever, we need a Real Democracy Now!

The death of Spanish democracy: referendum now!

And if Iceland should be the model to follow, Spain is the shameful example of what we mean by giving up to the pressure of the market, banks, and the countries that rule the European Union. Here's another article, by professor Vicenç Navarro (sorry is written in Spanish, but I guess an online translator would do fine) about why WE MUST celebrate a referendum in order to, we citizens, have our say regarding all this economic nonsense. Otherwise, we will be certifying the death of Spanish democracy.

Un referéndum necesario

[...]La democracia queda limitada en España a votar cada cuatro años sin que se le ofrezca a la ciudadanía la oportunidad de participar en referéndums vinculantes y otras formas de democracia directa que permitieran una mayor capacidad de incidencia de los ciudadanos en el quehacer común. [...]La única expresión de desaprobación que los representados tienen a su alcance es dejar de votar o votar por opciones distintas cada cuatro años. Ello es un indicador de lo enormemente limitada que es la democracia española.
Hemos estado viendo recientemente cómo partidos gobernantes (tanto a nivel central como autonómico) están aprobando medidas altamente impopulares, que no estaban incluidas en sus propuestas electorales, y que se están llevando a cabo supuestamente por mandato de los mercados financieros, a quienes nadie ha elegido. El 82% de la ciudadanía estaba en contra, por ejemplo, del retraso de la edad de jubilación; el 86% en contra de la congelación de las pensiones; el 68% en contra de los recortes del gasto sanitario, y así un largo etcétera, lo cual no fue un obstáculo para que la mayoría de las Cortes españolas aprobaran tales medidas. Una consecuencia de ello es la enorme distancia que se está creando entre representados y representantes, con la pérdida de legitimidad de los últimos. No es de extrañar que la clase política dominante esté considerada por la población como el tercer gran problema que tiene el país.
Y estamos a punto de ver otro caso en el que una decisión de enorme trascendencia (la reforma de la Constitución, para garantizar un límite al gasto público) se está proponiendo por la dirección de los dos partidos mayoritarios, medida que no estaba en el programa electoral de ninguno de ellos (y que afectará negativamente a la calidad de vida de la mayoría de la población). 

Full article here: http://blogs.publico.es/dominiopublico/3895/un-referendum-necesario/

We must mobilize in order to let "them" now we won't remain silent while our rights are buried.

I love Iceland. Lessons to face the crisis

I suggest you to read this great article by Deena Stryker, that I was lucky to find at the interesting website Daily Kos. It explains briefly how a country, Iceland, can collapse, economically speaking, and go back stronger while opposing to follow the unique's receipt the rest of the European countries (Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal on top) seems to be forced to take in the "sacred name" of the market. Is a bit long, but worth every second of your time, so please read it. This are the opening paragraphs:

Iceland's On-going Revolution

As one European country after another fails or risks failing, imperiling the Euro, with repercussions for the entire world, the last thing the powers that be want is for Iceland to become an example. Here's why:

Five years of a pure neo-liberal regime had made Iceland, (population 320 thousand, no army), one of the richest countries in the world. In 2003 all the country’s banks were privatized, and in an effort to attract foreign investors, they offered on-line banking whose minimal costs allowed them to offer relatively high rates of return. The accounts, called IceSave, attracted many English and Dutch small investors. But as investments grew, so did the banks’ foreign debt. In 2003 Iceland’s debt was equal to 200 times its GNP, but in 2007, it was 900 percent. The 2008 world financial crisis was the coup de grace. The three main Icelandic banks, Landbanki, Kapthing and Glitnir, went belly up and were nationalized, while the Kroner lost 85% of its value with respect to the Euro. At the end of the year Iceland declared bankruptcy.

Contrary to what could be expected, the crisis resulted in Icelanders recovering their sovereign rights, through a process of direct participatory democracy that eventually led to a new Constitution. But only after much pain.

Full article here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/01/1001662/-Icelands-On-going-Revolution

What an enormous lesson. To overcome the crisis, why don't become more democratic, inclusive and active, instead of letting the ones that created the problem start again? It's a bit embarrassing to read the article when PP and PSOE, the two biggest parties in Spain, have decided to reform the constitution together, in order to satisfy the markets, and without having a referendum. Let's learn something from Iceland, please!

"Capitalism: A Love Story", the criminals of today are ruling corporations

Capitalism: A Love Story

First, the flaws. "Capitalism" is the longest movie to date from Michael Moore, and in what regards to rythym and dynamism is probably his weakest, something that is partially understandable considering he is trying to explain world and American finances, and the consequences for the regular citizens. Besides, I wasn't particularly fond of some mixtures between some jokes or funny/cynical comments just a frame after or before he puts us in front of a dramatic personal story. I know he is trying to create an effect, but goes too far a couple of times in the film.

Having said that, let's move to the triumphs. I don't need anyone to tell me America, as it is Europe, and of course Spain, is wildly corrupted, and that we are all serving a system devoted to create a ridiculous amount of richness among the ones that are already rich. But I praise Moore for having the guts of pointing the names of the criminals and the amount of their crimes so openly in here. Osama Bin Laden might be dead, but I don't think the world has lost its most dangerous enemy yet. Greed is the enemy, and it usually has the form of a suit-and-tie, highly educated and trained CEO financial expert, or a highly incompetent or vile politician.

In a way, the idea of the film is far from being original. "Capitalism" goes back to the desolate territory he explored 20 years ago with the poignant and compelling "Roger & Me" and that he has been examining throughout his career. How corporate America dominates the country (and the world) and ruins it systematically. But now he takes the issue globally.

There are many horrifying scenes and information on the film that makes you wonder why Americans still believe they live in a democracy. Then you look at what the European Union is doing with migrants, or better say, with political refugees from Tunisia, or what Spain and Catalonia is doing with banks/corporations instead of investing public health or education and you can easily ask the same question to you. "Dead Peasants" insurance policies, wild evictions, atrocious juvenile detentions just for the sake of making more money, while tax reductions and increasing benefits for CEOs and corrupted politicians are common practices. But they want more, their greediness is so huge they go too far and the bubble explodes, so they ask the State they are ruining for a rescue. And they succeed. Oh by the way, does it sound you, European Union? Does it sound you, Valencia, Andalusia, Madrid, Mr. Millet, Santa Coloma, and a long, depressing etc.?

But while "Roger & Me" left you in complete desolation, Moore wants the Americans (and the rest of the world please) to raise against it. To say no. And he does it by explaining them the turning point towards disaster dates from a concrete period, the Reagan era, not so long ago. And he does it showing us that with political will (the speech of Marcy Kaptur, the Ohio Congresswoman, against the bank rescue of 2008 at the House of Representatives should be seen by every American and every person who has lost his/her belief in politics), with knowledge, and with union (the strikes, the cooperative examples are compelling), there are options.

I just wish we could find someone comparable to Moore in Spain. We definitely need someone like him. We need to get indignant, to react, to reclaim our rights, to revolt, that's his message. I couldn't agree more. It might not be the most perfect of documentaries, but can't imagine of a more necessary one.

SCORE: 7/10