Saturday 25 June 2016

a brief interruption... oh Wales, when will you learn...

Dear Wales, what have you just done?  Iesu mawr...

Once again, the majority of you have aligned yourselves with England and, in this case, voted to leave Europe.  52.5% of you voted that way.  Is Wales disappearing?  It'd be easy enough to blame the English immigrants in Wales for this mess - but in actuality, all of my so-called 'English' friends voted to remain in - perhaps more on that later - so, the difficult truth is, far too many Welshies made the vote to leave.

So let me share with you some of the ways in which you have just screwed yourself up the ying yang.

Wales was heavily funded by the EU.

See all those blue plaques everywhere?  Yeah, that means your village hall, your town centres, your museums, your galleries and your local theatres were all built or re-built with European money.  I hope places like Theatr Felin Fach and Theatr Byd Bach will survive.  But who said communities need culture anyway?  Eh?!  Any money left over will now go sinking back into London and East England.


Is there anyone in Wales with enough money to privately fund Welsh cultural centres or small community projects?  Or interest?  I seriously doubt it.  Do you think the Senedd will do it?  They can't even make a Welsh language national daily paper happen.  Impotent is the word...

Well, maybe you don't care about community.  Prefer your Telegraph to a village hall...  Okay then...

What about farming and Welsh farmers?
Welsh farming was also heavily subsidized and given development funding by Europe (estimated to be about €250 million per year). I guess we can now say goodbye to small Welsh farms and Welsh farmers with them.  Are you going to compete with Canadian and American farmers?  A single farm over there has thousands of acres compared to your hundreds (or even tens).  That's not to mention big factory farming.  Without your European subsidies, how will you survive?

Oh, Britain can start doing more business with the States, you say?  It'll be fine, you say?  Canadians have already experienced their version of Free Trade.  Free for them, crap for us.  I guess you could try to trade more with China (at least you'll be able to paint your fields with lead paint) but good luck with that.  China will walk all over you.

Well, maybe you don't care about farmers.  They do make our food... but okay then...

What about the Welsh Arts?
Many Welsh artists (musicians, painters, writers, etc.) and Welsh artistic companies - and Welsh publishing companies - have had European Union funding in some form or other whether it's funding for new plays or taking Welsh music and musicians to Patagonia or funding artists to create new works or publishing new Welsh language books.  Then there is the knock on effect this funding has on other job creation and businesses surrounding the Arts.   Of course, our venues are also funded by Europe so how will they afford to hire us now?  Oh well Wales, say good-bye to all that.
 
I understand.  You don't think artists should be able to earn a living anyway.  Though, how I'm going to buy all that food you've been growing?  Hmmm?  Fine, okay then...

The language, surely, what about Welsh?
The EU has special laws to protect minority languages.  Do you really think the Conservative cronies and British fascists are going to continue supporting you?  Do you think that London and England gives a crap about you and your language?  There's no way.  And that's who you've aligned yourself with.  Bye-bye bi-lingualism and bye-bye official Welsh language.  In the end, it comes down to simple (and your exceptionally small) numbers...

Perhaps Wales just lacks the cahones that Scotland has...

Before I digress...  Maybe you don't care about the language.  Fair enough...

But speaking of Scotland, what about stability and security?
The pound has already dropped.  Easy to guess that will continue.  I wonder what will happen to all those pensions of all you seniors who voted to leave?  Hope they're in Euros...  (of the younger generations 64% voted to remain while those over 65 there was only 39%.)  After the pound sinks, the next thing to happen will be Scotland leaving the union.  They're already talking about it.  They are more forward thinking, more independent thinking, and understand the benefits of being a part of the global community - leaving will strengthen them in ALL ways.  They should have left in the first place... Then there's Russia... Nah, no, no, too worrying to contemplate...

Not into security and stability, eh?  A little Russian roulette instead.  Alright...

Then what about the sense that Wales was finally starting to find its feet within the global community?
Dearest Wales - this is the most important aspect to cultivate if you want survive in any meaningful way.  You must change the way you view yourself.  You can continue to be England's little runt brother.  Or you can finally take your rightful place in the world, stand to your full height and let the world know that you exist and are worth saving and worth having a conversation with.  Otherwise, I can see you will slowly sink into nothingness...

And think about the heartfelt connections with our global fellow sisters and brothers and the joy that closer relations can bring...  the idea behind it all was to find ways of creating harmony, fostering respect for all cultures and encouraging peace...  

You're not that into Wales?  ...or peace? Uhhh, okay, well, damn.  Try this then...

What about jobs?
Europe helped fund job creation schemes in Wales.  Things like money to build infrastructure and money to help new businesses... and scienctific research.  Yes, scienctific research.  And schools.  And higher education.  And anyone want to count the jobs that Welsh people have in Europe itself?  Bye-bye jobs. 'Ta ra.  Bye now.  Bye.

Are jobs really not what you're into?  Really?  Even for your children?  Well...

What about the young people of Wales?
What hope have you just given to the youth of Wales?  None. You've wrecked the prospects of your grandchildren.  They could have had their horizons and vision expanded.  They could have traveled all over Europe, freely and easily finding working with no hassle.  Instead, they'll be stuck with no jobs, no prospects, no money, no culture with no culture centres and no hope.  Well done Wales!  WAaaales.  WAAAaales...

Oh, you don't care about the future of our young people?  Then what do you care about?

Ahh, I see.

You believed the scare tactics of the Leave campaign.

You were afraid of the 'immigrants' and 'foreigners' coming to Britain.  And you're worried about EU regulations.

As to the EU regulations... yes, too much red tape, agreed, not great.  But the reason for regulations are to make sure people don't do crazy things like dump their chemicals into the rivers, or dump their sewage into the seas for the people and dolphins to swim in, or hunt every living thing into extinction, etcetera and etcetera.  So get the frack over it!  No matter who you trade with now, be it China, India, Norway or the States, you'll come up against the same regulations or worse.  (Oh, by the way, Britain long ago sold the majority of its fishing rights.  So leaving Europe won't get that back, suckers.)

As to the fear of the immigrant... there is underlying racism involved here which is entirely fear-based-ignorance.   (Who knew british people were so scared of everything? geez...)  But there is nothing to fear from immigrants.  Honest.  First, most immigrants (except for English ones) do 'naturalize'.  (What a stupid term - as if they weren't 'natural' already!)  It happens in Canada all the time (errr... except for the English ones - just ask any First Nation person how that went).  And it has happened in Britain in the past (well, mmm... except for the English ones - just ask the Celts how that went).  Within less than a generation, people start to adapt to their new surroundings and culture as well as adding the best of their culture into the mix which then makes for a much richer tapestry all around.  And so it would and will happen in England.  It could easily happen in Wales and all within the Welsh language too - it would only take a slight change in attitude...

And the best part of all, immigrants bring great tasting food with them.  The greatest reason to let them in!

Speaking of immigrants, to the English immigrants in Wales...

Nah... I'll save that for another day...


If the Welsh language and Welsh culture are to survive, you must start to see yourselves within the global community and take part in it rather than holding onto this small vision of yourself.  You must become more like your Celtic cousins and begin to think independently and welcome immigrants like me.  For example, I've learned Welsh - so, even though I'm a foreigner, am I one of you or not?  If not, then your numbers have just dropped - one less Welsh speaker - do you get it yet?  Can you see?   

Have I said it clearly enough for you to understand?

If Wales continues with a small minded and narrow viewpoint there will soon be nothing left to be called Welsh.  As I said above, it's easy to see this future, the long slow march into oblivion...

Perhaps, by that point, you can rename yourselves Little England.  Should we have a referendum?  How utterly moronic.


Well, to hell with the right wing government and british fascists and the bloody media... and to hell with all of you who voted with small vision.  You've done it to yourselves.


Yep, to hell with you.  I'm going to continue making music and art and celebrating Welshness whether you bloody like it or not.  To Hell with you.

And to all the rest, travel well.

Hwyl.

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