Rhodri Morgan Wants to See End of Wales

Good to see some AMs have the dignity of Wales and Welsh sport close to their heart. Plaid AM Chris Franks is one of the few who've taken an interest in the latest effort by the British nationalist Labour Party to rub Wales off the world map.

We all know Gordon Brown wants to get rid of any Scottish international identity now it seems Rhodri Morgan, our First Minister, is also happy for Wales to disappear from the world stage just like Poland was in the 19th century.

After all, Morgan is never short to give his view on any sporting achievement ... he'll give a pass by pass account on Welsh rugby or the Ryder Cup, but the sporting patriot has kept uncharacteristically quiet about the fate of the Welsh football team and efforts to coerce it into signing its own death warrant by joining the British nationalist project which is team Team GB.

Where does Morgan stand on this? Is he with the British nationalists or is he, as First Minister of Wales, going to back the Football Association of Wales who recognise a pearl-handled Colt 45 when it's pointing to their forehead.

Time to be a man Morgan and make yourself counted. Time to takes sides. Are you for British nationalism and the death of Welsh international football or are you going to support your country - the job which you're paid handsomely to do?

Abkhazia

It's not very often I read the London Review of Books and it's not very often I read an article about Abkhazia, especially a balanced one.

But Neal Ascherson's article in the current issue of the 'London Review of Books' caught my eye for its even-handedness, lack of frothing anti-Russian or anti-Georgian rhetoric and for raising a fundamental question. Ignore Putin's power-games and geo-political manoeuvrings behind Russia's recognition of Abkhaz independence, why shouldn't the West also recognise Abkhazia?

To champion the territorial integrity of Georgia is like championing the territorial integrity of the USSR, Spain, Austria-Hungary or any other state. The Abkhazians aren't Georgians, they're not a colonial implant which moved there with the power of a larger colonial power behind them, they're not a totally imagined community which is used as a proxy to undermine a colonised nation. They're an indigenous nation with their own language, history and will.

As Welsh nationalists we support independence of Georgia and their ability to chose their own leaders free of Russian interference, but we should also support the same principle to Abkhazia. After all, the Georgians bombed their national archives. Would Wales wish to be governed by a state which bombed its National Library? What more graphic image does one need that a state is incapable of governing another people if it decides to wipe out the memory and history of that people? If the Abkhazians are supporting Russia it's only because nobody else will help them. Wouldn't we Welsh do the same if no other state supported us?

As Welsh people we should recognise the independence of Abkhazia. Were the West to recognise Abkhazia, what defence would Putin have against recognising Chechnya's independence and Georgia's right to chose its own government?

It's time to talk, and it's time to be honest.

Greenlandic - Stronger After Independence?

I welcome Greenland's move towards independence. As a Welsh nationalist I'm also a Kurdish nationalist, a Tibetan nationalist as well as Breton, Basque ... and Greenlandic.

We're very different of course, but also there are many similarities. Whilst I hope for Greenland's independence and a thriving Greenlandic language I have once concern.

My concern is that having Danish as an official language has in many respects in recent years, strengthened Greenlandic. That is, once the tipping point was passed in the 1970s, Danish was never strong enough to kill off Greenlandic. The fact that native Inuit became bilingual with Danish strengthened their language rather than weaken it. Danish became just another language, another asset among many possible languages and language skills, the prime one being of course, English.

My fear is this; come independence Greenland will only have English as the second language as Danish will be discarded (as it was in Iceland following their independence in 1944). That could undermine Greenlandic in a way Danish never did as English becomes the only 'other' language. An all-powerful 'other' reality.

The danger for small languages like Welsh (and possibly Greenlandic) isn't that Welsh was conquered by another language (English) but it was conquered by only one language. It would have been a strength for the Welsh language if our people also spoke another language on top of English and Welsh - Spanish, French etc. The ability to communicate in more than two languages makes the weaker indigenous language stronger not weaker. Their language is evidently just one among many linguistic possibilities. When a weaker linguistic community becomes bilingual in just one other (stronger) language, then the indigenous language is always in the orbit of the stronger, always in its shade always as a comparison to it.

So, independence to Greenland. But for tactical as well as cultural plurality and diversity, don't give up on Danish!

Greenland Now - Green Green Grass of Home Next?

OK, sorry, very bad title, but in any case, congratulations to Greenland for voting so overwhelmingly to transfer more powers from Copenhagen to Nuuk.

They're now well on their way to independence and even have a timescale for it - 2030 - 300 years since they were incorporated into the Kingdom of Denmark.

Now, if Greenland, a nation of 57,000 people, speaking what many of our fellow-country men would probably call 'a silly language which nobody speaks', has the confidence to have more power, what the hell is stopping Wales?

Are Welsh Labour AMs so weak that they won't even come out fighting for the One Wales 'Yes' Vote - which will give Wales less power than Greenland? Heaven bless the Greenlanders that they don't have their own version of Welsh Labour MPs in Copenhagen begrudging and thwarting every move towards more power and self-respect.

Why doesn't Wales have a schedule for independence - lets say 2030 too? Although, after being patronising and smug towards Iceland, I don't see Gordon 'Brit Nat' Brown quite so smug now that it's obvious he, nor the UK, has any clothes. The present economic crisis in the West is the fall of our Berlin Wall. The old 'big' states; UK, Spain, Denmark can't defend us - why stay with them?

Greenland now, but keep an eye on the Faroe Islands, Flanders, the Basque Country (where Spain refused to allow them to hold a democratic free referendum on independence a few weeks ago) etc. The dominoes will fall and the tide of history is too strong for British nationalists like Brown.

BNP Members List

Not sure what to do about the leak of the BNP members list. After having New Labour members attack decent Welsh people as 'racists' and 'xenophobes' and hear Labour AMs demanding that Prof Dafydd Glyn Jones not to be allowed to speak at the Assembly in 2001, I'm not really impressed when I hear the same Labour people using this members list to their own advantage.

Labour's tactic of smearing everyone with the word 'racists' etc has only achieved in belittling the word and its actions - and that's a grave mistake.

I simply take no notice any more if I hear a politician or writer accuse someone of being racist. How do I know they are? Maybe they're just ordinary decent people who Labour have decided to hound like they did to Simon Glyn, Dafydd Glyn and anyone else with a name including Glyn... or who doesn't follow Labour's Thought Police.

In any case, now that some of the BNP's topics: controlling immigration, Gordon Brown's allegiance to the Union Jack, promoting the English language, controlling borders etc etc. are main-stream shouldn't we also see the leaked names of Labour members too? If truth be told, I think a lot of them have a close to racist view of the Welsh language! Maybe we should tar and feather them and make sure they can't have a job in the public service which may mean them dealing with Welsh speakers?

I don't support the BNP. I deplore their policies, and all forms of racism. I have stated on this blog from the beginning: "We completely oppose the racist and fascist views of the BNP. There is no room for their politics in Wales."

But, unlike the Labour, Tory and BNP I don't believe in the concept of a British nation. It's a political concept which has done more damage to Welsh identity, language, economy, wasted war dead and self-respect than any corner shop owner from Pakistan or Polish plumber. I want a tolerant, inclusive Welsh identity.

My guess is that the leak of the members names will actually benefit the BNP as people turn round and see 'people like us' who are members and think, 'oh, he's a nice enough chap, maybe the BNP isn't so bad'.

The BNP are a fringe group who scare Labour and Tories because they appeal to some of their core vote. Attacking the BNP also makes people feel good about themselves, because fighting fascism is so much more simple and heroic than explaining how we got into the economic mess we are today or which services will be cut - whoever is in government.

My view; this list shows that the BNP have less than 500 members throughout Wales. They are an irrelevance. Wales's problem isn't the BNP, it's the British state!

Star in full frothingly self-righteous Brit Nat mode

It is sad, but perhaps not all that surprising, to see Mohammed Tufail, Director of Race Equality First, lending his support to a particularly poisonous article by the Daily Star on Wednesday. The Star, in full frothingly self-righteous Brit Nat mode, had decided to scrape the dregs in a hate-filled attack on Ron Davies for having the temerity to suggest that some Welsh people prefer not to be called British.

Mohammed Tufail, in a soundbite which will have delighted the attack dogs at the Star, claimed that he had 'not come across any Welsh people who don't want to be referred to as British.' Surely Race Equality First can see that when their soundbites are being used to support vicious attacks against individuals who want to express their own identity, they are not doing a very good job of promoting the tolerance necessary for the equality agenda to succeed?

Well, here's a first for you, Mohammed - I'm a Welsh person who doesn't want to be referred to as British. Is that such a dreadful sin? Don't you want to see a fair society where individuals can be proud of their identity even if it's different to the majority of the population? When you say that you've not met any Welsh people who don't want to be referred to as British, it raises some interesting questions. Do you quiz every Welsh person you meet about how they want to be identified? Or do you think it is fair and reasonable for you to imply that people like me don't exist, shouldn't exist, and should shut up if we do happen to exist?

Perhaps, Mohammed, before you make sweeping pronouncements about the people of Wales, you should consider taking part in some of the social networks that are letting people express themselves more than ever before. How about opening an account with Facebook? If you do, you could join the group 'Welsh not British' - which has almost 3000 members. Or, like David Davies, you might find it safer, more British, more acceptable, to join the Welsh conservatives - they've only got 37 supporters as I write this, so they might be grateful for a few more!

Come on, Mohammed - have you got the personal integrity to answer some of these questions?

Dear reader - if you, like me, are a Welsh person who would rather not be referred to as British, why not let Mohammed Tufail know that you do, in fact, exist? You can find his email address on the Race Equality First website. But don't stoop to the level of the Daily Star - just let him know, politely, that you exist, and that you would be grateful if he would not deny your existence, deny your identity, and deny your right not to be targeted by the kind of hatred the Daily Star is so quick to promote.

Labour Mess - Labour Trap

The present economic crisis seems to be a god-send to the Labour party. Never mind the fact that they're partly to blame for encouraging a culture of greed, irresponsibility and lacks government, Labour seem almost to gleefully welcome every new calamity on their watch. The same goes for Welsh Labour.

The big question is, is Plaid going to be caught out? Every thing put on the altar of schoolsandhospitals.

For every initiative which Plaid have brought to the table or have shown support for, especially ones based on the promotion of the Welsh language or an international Welsh identity - Welsh Federal College, Welsh Language Act, .cym, National English Language Theatre, Labour will turn around and say; 'hey, we'd love to see these happening, but er, you know guys, credit crunch and all that, we've got to support schoolsandhospitals.'

If Plaid aren't careful, come next year's conference or the 2011 election and they'll have nothing to show for. Not only will they have supported a Labour agenda they will have actively supported the shelving of their own agenda. By doing so, devo-sceptic Labour will have had what they want and will have denied what Plaid want... with Plaid paying through the loss of disillusioned voters. Of course, the Brit Olympics will still go on and be funded by Welsh tax-payers!

The credit crunch, Labour's credit crunch, will be used by the devosceptics to halt Wales's progress as a nation.

So-called Prince of Wales

Dafydd El's comments on the non-need of an Investiture for the (so-called) Prince of Wales is one of the most sensible and courageous things he's said in a while. The Investiture was used by George Thomas in 1969 to further his own ego and to keep Welsh identity in it's place i.e. subservient to the imperial centre.

However, Dafydd Elis Thomas's suggestion that people don't like 'stunts' or 'gimmicks' isn't quite true. Welsh people love a pageant and pomp - from the Gorsedd of the Bards at the Eisteddfod to a rugby international, the St David's Day annual parade or the recent Olympic celebrations outside the Senedd.

And if Welsh people can't release that need to celebrate, dress up, recognise nationality and other people's success within a Welsh context they'll look for it within an English or British one.

So, 'No' to another sycophantic, forelock tugging Investiture but 'Yes' to pageant and ceremony on Welsh terms, celebrating Welsh achievements. Being Welsh doesn't mean wearing woolsack.

New Government, New Language Act - Wales and Paraguay

It's not very often you see Wales and Paraguay in the same sentence. But it's interesting to notice that the new Government in Paraguay, the first non-Colorado Party Government in 60 years, has echos in Wales as we have our first non-Labour control in Wales in 60 years.

One of the priorities of the new government in Paraguay will be a Language Act in favour of Guarani. So, another indigenous, language which has been sidelined by a stronger one is fighting to gain prestige. Good also to see the trade unions call for this - pity the same hasn't happened in Wales over the years when Welsh had a similar percentage of speakers as Guarani.

Guarani am Byth!

We'll Fly OUR Flag

Interesting pics. Some of the Welsh members of the Olympic team being feted by the Senedd (good to see the Senedd becoming the centre of Welsh life).

And the image below is that of Becky Adlington, an English member of the GB Team, arriving in Mansfield. Notice the difference?

We are flying our own flag, the Red Dragon - not a Union Jack in sight. The English fans can fly the Union Jack. Wales is where the heart is!

Scottish Sikh Visits Festival of Hate

... and doesn't get abused or mugged by Welsh speaking 'extremists'.

I found this link to a witty and positive programme by the Scottish Sikh comedian, Hardeep Singh Kohli, broadcast a few days ago on BBC2 (throughout the UK) about his visit to the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff last week - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00d18bm

Funnily enough, unlike the Labour Party in Wales he:

1. turned up at the Eisteddfod
2. didn't find it to be a Festival of Hate or one for the 'Crachach', just quite interesting, relaxed and affirming.
   

Yes, a festival that welcomes all people, in a celebration of literature, art, science, music... and getting off with smart girls. If a Scottish Sikh can feel at home at the National Eisteddfod, it just makes you think what deep colonial prejudice the Labour Party in Wales has with the Welsh language and a Welsh culture which isn't stuck somewhere around 1955.

But then Hardeep Singh Kohli isn't a member of the Labour Party, isn't a British nationalist or anti-Welsh like large segments of the Labour Party in Wales.

Well Done Nicole, Now it's time for a Welsh Olympic Team!

Congratulations to Welsh cyclist Nicole Cooke for winning a Gold Medal at the Olympics today.

Nicole, from the Vale of Glamorgan, was the first Welsh athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics for over 30 years, but I am sure that Wales would have many more medals, if Wales had an Olympics team, and more Welsh athletes were given the chance to shine on the greatest sporting stage of all.

Nicole is one of only 14 Welsh athletes, out of a GB group containing 312. It doesn't take a mathematician to see that Wales is poorly represented, and that many more Welsh athletes would be in Beijing this year if Wales had its own Olympics team.

OK, Wales is not an independent country (yet!), but are Palestine and Hong Kong Independent countries? Both have teams competing at this year's Olympics!

Wales is too small to have a team many sceptics will shout, but there are many smaller nations than Wales who have teams competing at the Olympics. Not enough athletes? Well we have 14 in the British team; some countries are only represented by one or two athletes.

Welsh athletes would certainly NOT be at a disadvantage if they represented Wales instead of GB. Most of the sports are individual sports, and for the team events, hardly any Welsh athletes are represented at the moment. The GB Football team at the 2012 Olympics will be full of Englishmen, as the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish FA's refuse to take part. If Wales had it's own team at the Olympics, think of the wonderful under 23 football team that could represent us in 2012. Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter, Sam Vokes, Ched Evans, Lewin Nyatanga, Wayne Henessey and Aaron Ramsey.

To make matters worse, a very large sum of money that was supposed to come to Wales (estimated at around £100 million) will go to London instead to pay for “Britain’s” 2012 Olympics. It Wales had its own Olympics team, this money would have stayed in Wales.

The Welsh flag has even been banned from the Olympics this year, with flags from competing countries only allowed. That's why Nicole Cooke wasn't even allowed to hold the Welsh flag after her superb victory today. Her National Anthem (Hen Wlad fy Nhadau) is also banned at the Olympics, and she had to listen to God Save the Queen, with the Union Jack (that doesn't represent Wales by the way!) flying above.

It’s about time Wales had an Olympics team. Contact your local politicians to ask them to campaign on your behalf!

Below is an excellent article that appeared in the Western Mail a few days ago:

Give us our own Olympic team

Aug 7 2008 by Our Correspondent, Western Mail

In light of the ban on the Welsh flag in the Olympics, Dr Geraint Tudur, general secretary of the Union of Welsh Independents, argues it is time Wales was given a separate team

BANNING Welsh medal-winners from draping themselves in the Red Dragon flag during victory celebrations at Beijing is an absolute disgrace. It undermines our nationhood and is an insult to the Welsh people.

Indeed, we feel that this is contrary to the Olympic Charter itself which insists on “respect for universal fundamental ethical principles”. As Christians in Wales, we believe that God has created us as a nation to serve him, and that our existence is a cause for celebration. Any action which diminishes or rejects our identity is to be deplored.

Potential Welsh medal-winners, such as swimmers David Davies and Jemma Lowe, and cyclist Geraint Thomas, must be allowed to celebrate their achievement by waving the flag of their country.

It is very sad, but relevant, that this story should have broken in the press during National Eisteddfod week at Cardiff. The massive financial burden of holding the Olympic Games in London in 2012 has already thrown a shadow over Welsh cultural events – including the eisteddfodau.

The “National” is the pinnacle of a pyramid of smaller eisteddfodau held in village halls, schools, chapel and church vestries throughout the length and breadth of Wales. These local eisteddfodau are the breeding ground for the formidable talent that maintains the high standard of the National Eisteddfod.

But the society which does so much to promote the local eisteddfod, Cymdeithas Eisteddfodau Cymru, has had to curtail its activities drastically after losing grant aid – as a direct result of Lottery Heritage funding being diverted into the financial black hole that is the 2012 London Olympics. Village eisteddfodau and other cultural events are threatened. Many are held in our chapels, and are part of both our Welsh and Christian heritage.

This is happening because the cost of the London Olympics has risen to nearly £10bn – four times the original estimate. And so, the Welsh Peter is being robbed to pay the London Paul.

Earlier this year, the then Welsh Heritage Minister, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, estimated that Wales would lose £70m between 2009 and 2012. Adam Price MP put the loss at well over £100m. Losing grant aid will have a devastating effect on charities, societies and services in Wales.

As Mr Price said, it is totally unfair that some of the poorest communities in Wales will be paying towards the rejuvenation of part of the richest city in Europe.

Independent Chapel members throughout Wales are horrified by this injustice. At our annual meetings at Swansea last month, members accepted a motion from West Carmarthenshire chapels expressing outrage at the way in which Wales is being milked of money to pay for the 2012 Olympics, at a time when the Welsh language and our nation’s community life is already fragile.

To add insult to the financial injury, successful Welsh athletes at Beijing will now have to mount the winners’ podium beneath the Union flag, to the strains of God Save the Queen.

Of course, this situation would not arise if Wales was allowed to compete as a nation in future Olympic Games. In view of the financial injury and the political insult, we feel that this is the only reasonable course of action.

I have, on behalf of the Union of Welsh Independent Chapels, written to the Welsh Assembly Government, asking them to press on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow Wales to compete as a nation in its own right in the London Olympics.

Would you like to see a “British” Rugby Union team or a “Great Britain” football side in the World Cup? In these days of devolution surely it is time for Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to compete as separate teams in the Olympic Games. And what would it matter if Wales came 67th in the medal table? (GB only managed 10th last time!) Surely our self-respect and rights as a nation on the world stage should come first.

The Union of Welsh Independents represents some 30,000 Christians in 450 chapels. Since 1872, the Union has taken a radical stance on a range of spiritual, moral and social subjects.

The Cost of British Nationalism

Yes, they want a British state, no matter who's in power - Labour or Tory, they're both wedded to the drug of British virility. Yes, they pour £3bn down the drain, because the British state is a nationalist state that needs to prove its worth with nuclear weapons.

So, when Labour British nationalists like Eluned Morgan say Wales can't afford to have status for Welsh in the EU or we can't afford to have policies to promote Welsh, or build council houses, or railways in Wales... you know who to blame and what to blame - British Nationalism which is espoused by the British nationalist Labour Party.

Independence for Tibet - Independence for Wales

I salute all those protesters who've stood up for Tibet in London and Paris - and hopefully in the USA when the Olympic flame visits there soon.

If you believe the Olympics should be 'apolitical' or 'shouldn't be used for political purposes' then, hey, time to get out of bed. What - and you think the Chinese aren't using the Olympics and spending billions of pounds of it without a political agenda - c'mon, smell the coffee!

OK - I'll leave aside my genuine mistrust of trendy Brit lefties highlighting the plight of a small nation and language (Tibet) in danger of being swamped by a larger one but failing to see similar correlations in Wales. For once we're as one. Tibet's fight is Wales' fight. And lets hope Plaid Cymru don't just talk of political rights and rights of expression. This isn't a protest about rights of expression or human rights - this is a fight about NATIONAL rights.

The Han Chinese people have precious few rights - it's right to campaign for their 'rights of expression' or 'human rights'. But the Tibetan Intifada is about National Rights. The Han Chinese are educated in their own language (or at least an agreed Mandarin 'Chinese' language). They have their own state, legitimacy of national culture. The Tibetans don't have their own state; don't have full linguistic rights and don't have the right to secession or self-government (though many Labour Brit Nats probably agree with that).

So come on Plaid, tell it like it is, this is an Intifada for National Rights and Tibetan independence, and we support them because without their own independent state the Tibetan language (like Welsh) WILL become a minority language in its own country - a fate the Han Chinese (or English) would never allow to happen to their own language.

It's time the West stood up to China. It's time the Brit Left Wing stopped winging about George Bush (he won't be here in a few months time), stopped attacking America every chance, and looked at the elephant in the room. Do you want a world dominated by China? Independence for Tibet, like the campaign for independence for the Baltic States in the 1980s, is not only morally right, but strategically right too. Baltic independence brought the evil empire of communism down. Support for Tibet will show China that the people in the West are no fools. Tibetan independence will bring democracy to China.

Tibet is Estonia with mountains, Wales with glaciers, Brittany with monks, Sioux Indians with writing, Kurds with communism. We're different but we all know what language death looks like. We all know what living next to a stronger and more numeric culture looks like. And we all know what being called 'separatist/racist/fascist/xenophobe' looks like when we're called that for wanting the same national and linguistic rights as our stronger neighbours would never dream of giving up.

Yes to Chinese independence; yes to Chinese language and culture; yes to Chinese democracy.

But also

Yes to Tibetan independence; yes to the Tibetan language and culture; yes to democracy in Tibet.

I look forward to the 2012 Olympic games where there will be national teams competing from China, Tibet ... and Wales!

Tibet am Byth

Free Tibet: http://www.freetibet.org/

Eluned Morgan - British Nationalist against Welsh and Tibetan Independence

So Eluned Morgan MEP in an incredible attack on her own nation has said that recognising the independence of Kosovo is a dangerous precedent.

Yes, this coming from a Labour MEP whose party lead the war in Iraq which is this year costing UK taxpayers $3bn and has been part of a totally reckless international precedent. Absolutely no irony - amazing.

Of course, Morgan, believes that nations which are part of larger states (i.e. that have been militarily conquered in the past and have been colonised) shouldn't be recognised - that's us, the Basques, Catalans and in fact virtually every nation on earth sometime in its history. Oh, how I wished Britain had been defeated by Napoleon or the Kaiser to teach some humility to these British nationalists. I mean, was there ever any national campaign for liberation which wasn't 'a dangerous precedent'? The UK didn't exactly support US independence, nor Ireland's nor most African states nor Welsh when Glyndwr lead an intifada.

Morgan's words gives moral support for the Chinese massacres in Tibet today. Oh yes, Morgan will say she's against the heavy-handed action of the Chinese and that they should put up some bilingual signs in Lhasa and have a nice cup of tea, but by not supporting the right of a nation to independence she gives moral support to the Chinese.Will Morgan support Tibetan independence or not?

The arguments used by the dictatorial communist Chinese regime is exactly the same ones used by Morgan and her Spanish and Turkish nationalists to oppose Kosovan, Basque, Kurdish or Welsh independence. Her immoral stance will create more bloodshed and tears as it gives thugs like Putin the go-ahead to crush Chechen independence or the Burmese junta's war against the Karen. It seems Morgan, like a true British nationalist, is very proud to be in the camp of the colonisers, the juntas and the anti-democrats.

Is Morgan going to campaign in the EU against the legitimate right of a nation to become independent? When she walks around the corridors of the EU does she have the conviction of her principles and tell the Slovene or Estonian MEPs that their shitty little countries shouldn't be independent and should have stayed a part of Yugoslavia or Russia. I'm sure they'd love to hear her tell them what a mistake independence was for them!

And how can she speak to these people and see the Slovene Presidency of the EU and not think, "hmm, maybe Wales could do that..." but then, Wales is just a shitty little country which should be glad and proud to get little crumbs from London's table. Heavens, what kind of deep psychological condition does Morgan suffer from which makes her believe that Wales is not only less capable than Slovenia but that Wales shouldn't even have the right to be like Slovenia. Oh, yes, Labour's British nationalism.

Morgan's comments will actually deny legitimate nations like ourselves the right to independence. Or maybe she'd actually campaign against Welsh independence within the EU. Fine - we'd take her on. I'd like to see Labour take that to Scotland and see Salmond whip them for it. I'd like to see the EU deny membership to Flanders in which Brussels is a part. I'd like to see the EU refuse to recognise Basque independence after a majority of people have voted for it. Morgan's comments are a recipy for disaster not for Wales or the Basques but for the EU. If the EU won't recognise legitimate nations who precede the states in which they are a part of it will be another small but significant step to dismantling the EU. Countries will go it alone and will prosper - it will only be a small step then for England / Germany / Italy to leave as well.

Moreover, Morgans' almost racist hierarchy of nations (with her own, Wales, very much on the bottom, below Latvia or Malta) will lead to conflict and maybe bloodshed. The Spanish state refuses the democratic right of the Basques or Catalans to have a referendum on independence. This anti-democratic madness is the one glimpse of legitimacy which ETA use to support its claim that there is no democracy in the Basque Country and that the Spanish state will never peacefully allow the Basques to chose independence. ETA's reasoning, supported by the Spanish State, is that only military option will give that choice to the Basques.

The UK was more intelligent than the Spanish. In the Good Friday Agreement, Tories and Morgan's Labour, agreed that the UK had no selfish economic nor military interest in Northern Ireland and that the 'province' was free to chose it's destiny. That one significant statement undermined the whole of the IRA's logic and lead to peace.

What kind of a Welshperson snitches against her own nation's right to independence and aligns herself with Chinese Communists who kill Tibetans, Burmese junta who kill Karen or Stalin and Franco?

Independence for Kosovo

Congratulations to Kosovo, or rather Kosova, on gaining statehood and voting for independence on Sunday.

There's a lot of doomsayers about the future of the state the usual 'economically unviable' and, yes, at the moment it's in a bit of a mess. But, it's more economically viable than an independent Palestine, and I've yet to meet anyone that says Palestine shouldn't gain independence because of its economic inviability!

In fact, statehood will be a great help towards the economic development of Kosovo, bringing it out of a legal limbo and forcing the Albanians to sort themselves out and stop blaming others. It won't be Sweden in five years time, but then, who would have thought the other East European would have travelled so far in 15 years. Well we would have as Welsh nationalists! We've always known 'you can't make it on your own [sic.]' to be prejudice by proxy.

If Kosova can gain status and recognition (and will in time be economically successful), then what really is stopping Wales? Are we really less of a people than the Kosovar Albanians, one of the poorest people in Europe? Do we have less self-respect and dignity than the Kosovar Albanians? What kind of a nation is Wales that can't even vote to ban plastic bags?

In 2012 Kosova will be represented at the London Olympics, raising the profile of her nation and her self-respect, and where will Wales be, cap in hand asking the Mother of Parliaments for a few more crumbs, no doubt with the Brit Nats telling us how lucky we are!

Welsh Daily Newspaper

If Plaid Cymru Ministers are not willing to fully support the establishment of a Welsh language Daily Newspaper when in Government, what exactly was the point of voting them in? We wanted something different, not the same tired Labour policies!

Below is a copy of an email I received yesterday. I've signed the petition, and call on everyone else to do the same!

SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION - http://deiseb.cymdeithas.org/

Keep to your promise Rhodri - Welsh Language Daily Newspaper:

We call on you (Rhodri Glyn Thomas - Plaid Cymru) as minister to ensure that the government honours its clear promise to establish a Welsh language daily newspaper announced in One Wales.

"We will expand the funding and support for Welsh-medium magazines and newspapers, including the establishment of a Welsh-language daily newspaper."

We ask for a new statement from the government that sufficient funds will be set aside specifically to establish a national daily newspaper in the Welsh language.

http://deiseb.cymdeithas.org/

More info available here - http://cymdeithas.org/english/

Nationalia - Welcome to the Real World!

I'm a regular reader of the Eurolang website so it was good to hear about another similar site.

Nationalia is a Catalan site (in English too) which opens the window on the politics of stateless or semi-autonomous nations like ourselves, Kurds, Inuit or Basques. You know, the kind of news that rarely gets covered under the heading of 'nationalism' or 'ethnic tension' presumably because no people are (thankfully) killed.

Ciemen puts the site together, the Catalan linguistic rights NGO. These are the same people who produced a map of the nationalities and languages of Europe in the 1980s - the map of the invisible people who were submerged under the USSR of official maps. Well, the East Europeans like Estonians and Slovenes are not invisible any more and the Welsh, Scots and Catalans are stepping out too.

Nationalia is a site with news from the true nations of the world not just the artificial states, you know those nations and languages which Brit / French / Spanish / Turkish Nats tend to 'forget' about.

Bonkers!

So Paul Englandandwales Murphy thinks it's 'bonkers' to want to reduce the number of Welsh MPs in exchange for more Assembly Members.

Yes, 'bonkers' like it is for the Scots... don't see them being 'bonkers'; Bonkers for the southern Irish (where his great grandparents came from of course) who have no MPs in Westminster... don't see them bonkers either. They all seem pretty grown-up to me.

No it's just bonkers that we Welsh would want to see a proper Parliament on our own soil. Better to keep it a jumped up little talking shop and leave the real politics to real people in a real parliament like Westminster 'mother of parliaments’ - yawn!

Bonkers? Yes, Murphy thinks it’s bonkers because it will mean less jobs for his British Nationalist friends in London. Labour MPs looking after their own careers once again!

So when the Tories win the next UK election, will it still be 'bonkers' to want more power for the Assembly?

Wales Without Frontiers!

Were you there? I was, well in a pub actually, but wasn't it amazing. Amazing to see Wales, a small nation of 3 million beat England a nation of 50 million? It's no disrespect to my English friends, but it was a great feeling.

Wouldn't it be great if we could bottle it - grown men cwtching the man next door, people of all hews of Welshness singing along - a great unifying and positive force in Welsh life. And Wales making the headlines across the World. No doubt the Brit Nats will also come over all Welsh now, and some Labour AM or Paul Englandandwales Murphy will patronise us with some obvious comment.

So, now that everyone's agreed it's such a great feeling, such a good unifying force, such a great positive way of creating a civic Welsh identiity, I look forward to the Brit Nats supporting Adam Price's suggestion that Wales has it's own international athletics team as well. We wouldn't be able to compete in the Olympics. In fact we'll have to suffer the Brti Nats fest which that will be in 2012... and see our culture suffer financially to pay for not being represented there whilst Estonia or Malta or Montenegro hold their heads up high. But we can compete at the World Athletics Championship.

Imagine the positive effects of that, imaging the massive pr for 'brand' Wales, imagine the confidence and inspiration it would give our increasingly fat children to take up sport. All that is within our reach... we're just waiting for the Brit Nats in Labour to put Wales before Britain.

I look forward to see Labour take up (or turn down) Adam's offer. I look forward to Plaid asking Rhodri Morgan and Paul Murphy are they for a Welsh international athletics team or not. And if not, then why make an exception to rugby. Why not get rid of the Welsh rugby team in the name of Britishness? I look forward to see Plaid (and all other supporters) make this a campaign to unite people across Wales

C'mon Cymru! We can be Champions!

It's Too Late Lucas

Sad really, the Scandinavianisation of Britain is keeping poor old Brit Nat MP Ian Lucas up at night worrying. He sees his identity slipping away and is feeling down about it. Maybe I should feel sorry for him - I know how he feels - but, no, he's never shown any remorse about the disappearance of Wales or the Welsh language so, let him suffer.

His latest idea (hat tip to Ordovicius) is to decentralise England. So let me get this right, he doesn't want more power to a devolved Wales (which according to recent polls, is supported in various forms by the majority of the Welsh electorate), but wants more power to so-called English regions (which isn't supported by anyone really).

I've got nothing against English regions, in fact if I was an Englishman, I'd probably support them in some form or other, but unlike Lucas, I'm not English, and it's none of my business. The fact is, Lucas, an Englishman who's shown no interest in Welsh culture, is wasting his time (and everyone else's) promoting Britishness/Englishness because he knows that the more power Wales has the stronger Welsh identity will be... and as he hasn't been arsed to show any interest in Welsh identity, then he doesn't want more power for Wales.

But I'll say this. The English won't go for decentralisation (the Balkanisation of England would be the probable New Labour tag for it, or is Balkanisation only applicable for smaller nations?) until they have an English parliament. I'll support Lucas and the Brit Nats if the balkanisation of England includes powers for Cornwall on a par to the other 'English' regions.

Fact is, Lucas and the Brit Nats are too late, the horse has bolted the stable. What kind of powers will these new regional assembly's have - the same as Wales in 1999, or Wales now or Wales after 2011 when we'll have won the next referendum, or the same as Scotland after 2011 when they'll either be independent or have maximum devolution?

The only way I, and any other self-respecting Celtic nationalists, would support this from the sidelines is if Cornwall is recognised as a constituent part and not lumped with Slough or Bristol as this thoughtful posting and map explains.

But then Lucas' support has less to do about devolution, and more to do with his fear of Wales becoming 'too Welsh' for his own liking.