Bizarre is the only word

Rhys Williams, Labour PPC Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, has decided to write an article for Welsh language monthly, Barn, saying that although he likes individual Welsh-speakers he doesn't like the Welsh speaking community. Moreover, despite his back-tracking on Radio Wales, he accuses Welsh-speakers of being elitist and trying to cut people out.

One can only guess that this 'elitism' or 'cutting people out' is the insistence of Welsh speakers to, erm, speak Welsh in Wales and not to turn to English, or turn all their clubs and societies into English whenever a non-Welsh speaker comes close to the radar. If Williams knew Welsh speaking society as well as he should, he'd know that it's usually the other way round; Welsh societies, clubs, social networks turning to English ... not the English turning to Welsh.

He goes on, as evidence, to sight Gwynfor Evans's experience when he arrived at Aberystywth university in the 1930s (as described in Rhys Evans's book on Gwynfor, which is now available in English).

Evans, a native of Barry who'd lost his Welsh (because of the socio-political-cultural climate of Barry at the time - i.e. it wasn't cool nor kosher to speak Welsh) was keen to relearn the language. However, a native Welsh-speaker from Bala who was to be his mentor, couldn't be bothered and refused to speak Welsh to Evans. Rhys Williams thinks this is hilarious. Other Welsh-speakers think it's rather sad... and I'd imagine many speakers of other minority languages like Tibetan, Breton, Inuit who are all too familiar with language death would too.

So Rhys Williams celebrates the ignorant Bala boy for refusing to allow Gwynfor Evans to join Welsh language society (by making sure Evans' never become proficient in Welsh) but at the same time, Rhys Williams accuses Welsh speakers, or Welsh nationalists in particular, of acting like a clique and not allowing others to join their club! So, refusing to speak Welsh makes you enlightened, open and egalitarian; speaking Welsh makes you closed or elitist?!?

The whole article just doesn't make sense.

Well, it does make sense. The Labour party is just institutionally anti-Welsh. It just can't handle modern, secular, contemporary Welsh speaking society. It can only handle Welsh-speaking society which is stuck somewhere around 1955 - keeping Welsh to places which knows it's place - chapel and hearth. A Welshness which is serf-like in its embarrassment of its own sound.

Rhys obviously feels uncomfortable in Welsh-speaking company. He's tried to back-track on Radio Wales, but it's obvious from his original article that he believes Welsh-speakers are just being awkward.

We could follow Rhys's line of thought (well, maybe not, because it doesn't follow any logic) and get rid of all these 'closed' societies, mason like, institutionally anti-English as he says. That would be quite easy - you get rid of papurau bro, Welsh gigs, Welsh chapels, Welsh schools, Welsh clubs, Merched y Wawr, Welsh radio, Welsh television etc. And you'd have no more Welsh domains or Welsh 'masons' as Rhys says... you'd also have no Welsh language. And lets be honest, that's what Rhys is really suggesting, that's the end game.

Rhys, as a Labour party member, feels excluded from modern secular Welsh language society. That's a pity... but this is a conscious decision by the Welsh Labour movement not to engage in any meaningful way with Welsh-speaking society. Labour members were irrelevant to the formation of the papurau bro. Why? I don't know, a community-lead, not-for-profit newspaper should have been up Labour's 'socialist' street. But that would have meant doing stuff in Welsh and that would have meant engaging thoughtfully with the future of Welsh not just sniggering like a school boy because Welsh-speakers weren't passing Welsh on to their children.

Labour sees no problem in not passing Welsh on to children. They see no social, economical, cultural nor political reason for these micro, individual decisions. And because of that, they see no need to spend time preparing the papur bro, organising a Welsh language gig, running a Welsh language youth club, speaking Welsh to Welsh learners.

Labour is totally irrelevant to modern Welsh language society, because Labour have decided to be so. Labour have opted out of creating a Labour Welsh language society. That's why Labour's vote has collapsed in Welsh-speaking Wales. That's why I increasingly believe Labour will not be the biggest party in Wales following the next Assembly election. Welsh society, both Welsh-speaking and non-Welsh speaking have moved on, leaving Rhys Williams and the Labour party stuck somewhere in 1955.

Tivy Side Observer - Welsh language slur condemned
welshramblings.blogspot.com - Labour stirring up anti-Welsh sentiment?
Borthlas - Biting the hand that you want to feed you
Guerrilla Welsh-Fare - Treat 'Em Mean....
Have a look at the Dragons Eye report on this. It’s 18.30mins in.
BBC Cymru'r Byd - Iaith: 'Corddi'r dyfroedd'

Cylchgrawn Barn - Dwi'n casau'r Cymry Cymraeg
Y Prysgodyn - Lemon i arwain ymgyrch chwerw
Blogmenai - Rhys Williams eto
Vaughan Roderick, BBC - Pregeth Rhys

I guess Adam Price's majority will be 10,000+ next time round!

2005 Result in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
Plaid Cymru: 17561 (45.9%)
Labour: 10843 (28.3%)
Conservative: 5235 (13.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 3719 (9.7%)
UKIP: 661 (1.7%)
Other: 272 (0.7%)
Majority: 6718 (17.5%)

Welsh Language LCO

Is this some kind of joke? On the day Heritage Minister makes announces that the Welsh Government wish to legislate on the Welsh language, up pop the usual suspects (Labour's Paul Murphy and some Chamber of Commerce/CBI bloke) saying that we need to be mindful of the business sector.

Is Murphy totally shameless? The Labour Government - his government - has chucked £400bn down the drain because of their incompetence and obsession with the great British 'City' is telling us we can't have equal rights for Welsh and English in our own bloody country, in case it affects adversely on the economy?!

Why doesn't Alun Ffred tell him to take a running jump and put his own financial house in order? The UK and Welsh economy is going down the toilet not because WAG believe that large companies which get £200k out of our money should give some service to some of those tax payers; it's going down the pan because of the British nationalists infatuation with the City. This infatuation is built because British nationalism needs a bloated City to prop up it's own self-worth.

And then the CBI bloke comes out with the usual line. This is the same CBI which miserably failed to predict the financial crisis and told us the minimum wage would bring on a plague of locusts? Why do the BBC still insist on interviewing these people - they're totally discredited. They're just a pressure group in smart suits. Why not ask Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg their view on the economy - it could hardly have been worse than the CBI... nor Labour's.

Ann Beynon of BT would 'prefer Welsh language services to remain voluntary.' Ann, I'd prefer taxes were voluntary too - but hey, life's a bitch eh? You've got a license to print money from the state you can now pay that state back for that right.

Murphy's Labour Party and the CBI are two totally discredited bodies in search of a role. They should spend more time sorting out the economy, and stop lecturing a democratically elected Welsh government which believes the future of the Welsh language should be in the hands of a Welsh government.

It's time Alun Ffred told them a few home truths and spoke in plain English the next time they try and 'advise' us.

A Comprehensive Language Measure – Demand more for the people of Wales! cymdeithas.org Publication of LCO is a start – but also an obstacle on the road to full linguistic rights. Welsh language LCO petition plaidcymru.org If you support the transfer to the Assembly the necessary power to confirm official status for both Welsh and English Welsh language bid for Assembly sparks fears over firm cost South Wales Evening Post PLANS for the Assembly to be given the power to compel private firms to use the Welsh language in their dealings with customers have received a mixed

Can the law protect the language? Daily Post The Welsh Assembly Government now wants the power to make laws to promote the Welsh language, partly to extend a responsibility on those in the private

Language Commissioner must be independent, say Tories WalesOnline Tory AM David Melding supported the key Labour-Plaid Cymru goal of appointing a commissioner to protect and promote the Welsh language, but called for him ..

Language choices for all WalesOnline We have started the process this week of applying for the responsibility to legislate over the Welsh language to transfer from Westminster to the Assembly ..

Let weans speak oot in oor ain guid Scots leid The Herald The Welsh language has always had more political overtones than Scots. It has long been a potent symbol of identity, not least when the people of Wales felt ..

Bid for Welsh language responsibilities ‘common sense Tivyside Advertiser Plaid Cymru’s Elin Jones AM has welcomed the One Wales Government’s bid for responsibility to legislate to promote use of the Welsh language as a ‘common ..

What's the Welsh for red tape? Telegraph.co.uk The Assembly has drafted a legislative competence order (LCO) which would give it the power to require private firms to use the Welsh language, whether they ...

Post employees would be affected by language legislation WalesOnline The organisation has been developing bilingual services for a decade through its Welsh language scheme. Telecoms workers for BT and utilities workers at ...

Business may opposes it, but the assembly government guardian.co.uk The vocabulary used and the positions adopted hardly change at all – and especially so when it comes to legislation relating to the Welsh language. ...

Iaith: Cais am fwy o bwerau BBC Cymru'r Byd Mae Llywodraeth y Cynulliad wedi dechrau'r broses o wneud cais i gael mwy o bwerau dros yr iaith Gymraeg...

Cam diweddara brwydr hir BBC Cymru'r Byd Cyhoeddiad cais Llywodraeth y Cynulliad am bwerau i ddeddfu yn achos yr iaith Gymraeg yw'r cam diweddara yn y frwydr hir i gael statws swyddogol..

Public services will mind their language WalesOnline The organisation has been developing bilingual services for a decade through its Welsh language scheme. Telecoms workers for BT and utilities workers at ...

Battle lines are drawn on historic day for language WalesOnline DEEP tensions shot to the surface yesterday as the Assembly Government outlined the powers it will seek from Westminster over the Welsh language. ...

Time is right for mature language conversation WalesOnline IVEN its long gestation period and the frantic rumours about what it would contain, one could be forgiven for expecting the Welsh Language LCO to set the ..

Law would force firms to use Welsh language Independent Ministers in Cardiff yesterday began seeking the right to legislate over the Welsh language when they unveiled a long-awaited request to transfer powers ...

Private firms are be ordered to provide services in Welsh Telegraph Suppliers of utilities could be forced to use the Welsh language when they provide services, under plans being put forward by the Welsh Assembly. ..

Private firms and utility companies forced to offer services Daily Mail Utilities and private firms in Wales could be forced to print all their bills and literature in both English and Welsh...

Bid to safeguard right to speak Welsh News Wales A move to create a truly bilingual Wales by transferring powers over the Welsh language from Westminster to the Assembly Government was announced today. ...

Welsh Assembly wants power over language issues Daily Post ASSEMBLY ministers are expected to launch a formal bid today for the transfer of powers to pass laws over the Welsh language in Wales. ...

Welsh language plan for private firms WalesOnline Under the 1993 Welsh Language Act, public sector bodies are legally obliged to communicate with the public through Welsh and English. .

Welsh language legal bid starts BBC News Ann Beynon from BT says the telecom company would prefer Welsh language services to remain voluntary. A bid by the Welsh Assembly Government for more powers ...

Elis Thomas on 'significant day' BBC News Lord Elis Thomas, assembly presiding officer, said the bid for Wales to make its own laws on the Welsh language was a "hugely significant day".

Scrap the Welsh Affairs Select Committee WalesOnline And that’s why we can expect an almighty ding-dong after tomorrow, when the long-awaited Welsh Language LCO sees the light of day. ..

Language move needn’t be an excuse to re-run tired old rows WalesOnline I MAKE it 18 months since the Labour-Plaid coalition in the Assembly announced they wanted new powers over Welsh language legislation. ..

El Gobierno galés presenta hoy una ley para impulsar el uso El Confidencial, Sbaen Desde la aprobación en 1993 del llamado Welsh Language Act (Ley sobre el Gaélico), que equiparaba esa lengua, de origen celta, al inglés en el sector .

Will You Be There?

St David's Day falls on a Sunday this year, so you have no excuse for not being at the annual national St David's Day parade in the Capital.

The parade starts from the National Museum at 1.00 and finishes at the steps of the Senedd. It's been sponsored by Cardiff City Council and the Assembly as well as Cambria magazine the Welsh Arts Council, Felinfoel Celtfest and more.

I wonder if there will be any representation from the Labour Party this year? It would be a first. Or are Labour AM's still of the opinion that St David is too Welsh and just a touch racist ... odd as representatives of Wales's ethnic minorities and various religions were there last year.

Oh, well, their loss. Last year's parade was a great festival of inclusive and proud Welshness - too much for the Brit Nats obviously!

Come on, join in - St David belongs to all who are proud to celebrate a positive and confident Welshness with no chips on their shoulders!

Britanny - Wales, Two Nations, One Struggle

Some in Wales tend to think of Brittany as a poor relation to Wales. It's true their language is weaker but then, they've been under the thumb of the fascistic policies of the French Republic for two hundred years. The state which claims to be for Equality and Fraternity and Liberty, but under those words have decided on a deliberate policy of killing the Breton language or any meaningful cultural and political Breton identity. It's no coincidence that the Turkish republic sees the French constitution as it's template for denying rights to the Kurds and that the Chinese and Russians also use the same Newspeak as the French.

But things are moving in Brittany.

The campaign 44=BZH website supports the movement to join the department of Naoned (Nanates) with Brittany. 44 by the way is the number for the Nantes department. In much the same way as we had the nonsense of 'Wales and Monmouth' until a few decades ago, the Bretons have to live with this problem too. Nantes was once the capital of Brittany but was cut off from the country by the collaborationist Vichy Government in 1941.

The French are so ready to attack any concession to Breton with the old argument that some Breton's worked with the Germans (in much the same way as other east European nations did in order to gain rights which was denied them by the Soviets). The Germans at least offered some education in Breton - obviously too much for the 'enlightened' French. This year's procession in support of reunification brought over 10,000 to the streets of Naoned. Here are a few clips from Youtube.





Naoned is also Cardiff's twin town, maybe Plaid Councillors there could support the Nantes council who voted to rejoin Brittany - not that France would allow democracy to get in the way of their policy of killing off Breton identity. Why doesn't Neil McEvoy and the group write to support the council's effort to rejoin Brittany?

The other interesting campaign is the one for status for the Breton language. A mayor in the west of Brittany wants to change Breton street names into French ones (sound familiar). Yes, the mayor is using the ignorance and arrogance of French speakers as an excuse to kill off Breton. Read the article here and sign the petition here!

Maybe here again Alun Ffred Jones as Heritage Minister, and in keeping with the Memorandum signed between Wales and Brittany to further cultural cooperation, can invite the Mayor to see how bilingualism works. Why not? What's the point of being a Minister if not to help other languages like Breton? I'm sure the Mayor wouldn't turn down the opportunity. Why not invite a delegation of Breton mayors over - a selection of 20 or so Bretons visited Wales on another similar official a few years ago. What of Cymdeithas Cymru-Llydaw (Wales Brittany Society) - have they petitioned Alun Ffred or been in touch with him?

The Bretons are on the march!

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!