18 August 2007

'Basque land not for sale'

It looks like ETA-stylebombing is now a French problem. Similarly to what happened briefly in Wales about 20 years ago. Note the underlying issue might be asmuch the issue of urbanisation as nationalsim. By 'urbanisation' I'm referring to the way that true rurality is dying in western Europeas the effects of urban wealth and systems reachesoutinto the countryside evermorefully via transport, telecommunications and the economics of home-ownership. :"the current campaign - attacking the villas of French 'outsiders' and firebombing cars with Paris-region number plates - has sparked fears among politicians of a return to the violent campaign of 20 years ago. Then the French Basque movement, Iparretarrak, carried out hundreds of attacks against villas and property firms under the slogans 'No to tourism' and 'Let the Basque country live'."
Of course the effectsare short term and more immediately mosre likely simply to push would-be buyers towardsareaswherethe nationalist factor is not itn the mix. These areaswill then eventually getto enjoy the prosperity and the fact that they don't haveso manyruinedand abandonedbuildings in their landscape. The other interesting thing is to note and learn from the Cymraeg experience: in Wales, somehow, learning Welsh has become importnat even to Saeson incomers...
'Basque land not for sale' - bombers hit holiday homes | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

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"Spend and tax" not "tax and spend"

 I got a response from my MP which got me kind of mad. You'll see why as I reproduce it here. Apologies for the strange changes in types...