This isn’t 1990. The Winds of Change have stopped blowing. When the Soviets present a more docile response to self determination than a “western democracy,” the situation is bad. How painful is it to pine for the days of passive Soviet resistance to secession?
Images and videos of the jack-booted thugs bulldozing their way through crowds of peaceful voters (including firemen and unarmed police officers) in Catalonia are a distressing reminder that the heavy hand of the state is still alive and well when it comes to self-determination.
Spain went full Lincoln, quickly. At least the people of the Southern States held conventions and voted before being bludgeoned and shot.
This was probably to be expected. Donald Trump offered his encouragement for a unified Spanish government before the referendum was held, clearing a way for Spain to avoid condemnation, at least from one major ally. The court of public opinion has not been so kind.
Even before the election was held, the New York Times tepidly supported the referendum, as did an opinion piece at Townhall.com. Both pointed out the cultural distinctiveness of the Catalonian people. That was the real issue at hand. Can a unique people thumb their nose at what they consider to be illegitimate authority?
Obviously, Spain and the United States said no but the people said yes.
And perhaps this is indicative of more to come around the globe. There are already several secession efforts underway in the United States, and with the newly inflamed cultural war burning in the American mind, this might be the right time to talk about a divorce of incompatible things.
There are now at least two Americas and nothing is going to change that any time soon.
“Blue America” favors a “libertine” society under-girded by the “social justice” identity triplets of race, class, and gender. Mob violence and property destruction are used in conjunction with “peaceful” forms of “resistance” like anthem protests, federal court orders, gender studies, sensitivity training, and character assassination to bully people into capitulating to their desired goal, namely a society that lacks traditional western civilization. In other words, they will use any means necessary to achieve their goal to “erase bigotry,” including state machinery like the courts and favorable legislation. Of course, this can work against them, too, as the results of the 2016 election made clear.
“Red America” wonders what happened. “That ain’t my America,” they say while pulling the lever for someone, anyone, who will talk tough and stand against this neo-Marxist nonsense. They aren’t necessarily opposed to a strong central government because it can work in their favor, and they are weary from years of being made to feel guilty for traditions they admire and support. But “Red Americans” need to understand their love affair with the state can be dangerous. They are barely a majority, if at all, and once the other side is in power the repercussions will be severe.
Catalonia should be a wake-up call for both sides. Young people are already more receptive to secession than any other group in America, and their aversion to violence and a general acceptance of “divorce” could lead to more peace, rather than less. It will require Americans to rethink the Union and to re-evaluate their admiration for both President Lincoln and the mega-state he forged through blood and iron. We don’t need a repeat of 1861 nor even Catalonia of 2017. East Germany of 1989 would be preferable.
You can go your own way never sounded better. Maybe shacking up in 1788 wasn’t the right thing to do.
