Fruits of militancy

The recent GWU victory at the International Labour Organisation - an important structure of the United Nations - where loss of public holidays by Maltese workers is concerned, has proved once again that militancy brings positive results. Those armchair critics who had been chattering away against militancy can now go and wag their tongues to sing meaningless songs after they were proved silly by a serious international organisation. Militancy is indeed the only strategy that brings results as far as workers' rights are concerned. The yakking of those who object to militancy for their own hypocritical purposes would be well adapted to a Punch and Judy show. Watering the lettuce of Marsa would also not be a bad anti-militant activity.

It is now the government's duty to respect the recommendations of the ILO... or risk having undemocratic credentials sticking to its reputation like a sore thumb.

Local militancy in Europe

The successes obtained by Labour MEPs in various fields in Europe explain why the Maltese voters wanted a majority of socialist representatives in Europe. These too, thank God, are militant and no less than the militants of leftist and rightist parties in Europe - who are not criticised in their own countries but actually have official militant sections in their political parties. Among other things, by their militant energy, our MEPs stopped funds going to non-independent media analysts in Malta. As if you can ask a wolf to guard the sheep! Yes, dear, militancy is actually what we need much more of. Indeed, these articles make me a proud militant myself.

Decency on American TV

On June 7 the American House of Representatives approved a law called Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act. This will multiply tenfold present fines for "indecency of words and images". President George W. Bush declared that this new measure "will strengthen families". Basically, this is a witch hunt against the showing of bare bodies in the third millennium. In present-day America, back to basics is interpreted as "back to Puritanism, Victorianism and fundamentalism", drawing America under a conservative government closer to Iran in mentality. It is proved in psychology that a shame of and a hostility against the bare human body is a psychological problem in itself (cf Fischer, Gilbert, Price, Miles, Tangney etc.).

Meanwhile, the same anti-body zest is not used to suppress violence on TV. Indeed, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has only just started to timidly discuss violence in the media. Violence on the small and large screen in many countries including America is not considered too harmful. Thus, the conditioning of people into violent behaviour as a result of violent media language and images is not given too much importance. What's really important in many countries is the self-righteous whipping of the human body. Hypocrisy may artificially reassure the mind; but it also makes society sick.

Gift of gab

Malta's Gift of Life organisation is well-renowned for its sweeping statements and anathema against those who try to be European in mentality and morality. Indeed, GoL suffered a beautiful own goal when condemning the Labour MEPs regarding prudent scientific research in the Seventh Framework Programme of the EU. The expressions used by GoL are quite self-confident and verge on clear arrogance. They seem to know what "the vast majority of Maltese" want and what today's "overwhelming" culture of Malta is - even if culture is not meant to overwhelm. I think these people are living far away from the reality and mentality of present-day European Malta. The Inquisition has long been dead and buried while fundamentalism is no more than a comic floor-show.

I hope you're satisfied!

The host family saga is now showing its ugly fruits. British and Italian families are sucking up the language students the Maltese families and language schools worked hard to attract. The usual arrogant government decisions made hundreds of foreign students stay away this year. Prior consultation with all concerned regarding such matters is absolutely necessary as authoritarian decisions and pique only produce gaffes. I hope that the "clever strategists" of Malta's and Maltese families' loss of income are satisfied with their impulsivity now. Perhaps bulls should be strictly limited to arenas not to China shops.

Casa's brickless environmentalism

In an article about the environment in The Sunday Times (June 18), David Casa said that the PN supports "the courageous and concrete programme that the government is implementing". Eureka! Party and its government see eye to eye! But I agree with Mr Casa... especially regarding the "concrete" government programmes in our diminishing countryside.

Muzzle

A certain gentleman from Attard going by the name of Conrad Vella actually invites me to write what he suggests. In his letter of June 21, he tells me "Why doesn't he mention...?" This is rich. Why doesn't Mr Vella take my hand and guide my writing? Why doesn't he take over my mind? Or perhaps suggest to the editor to muzzle and censure the few leftist columnists of this paper that wishes to be inclusive? And he'll be surprised how much of my information comes from unhappy rightists! Perhaps he could give me a few tips himself on disgruntlement within the rightist fold? Finally, Mr Vella seems to intolerantly take exception also to my academic activity, thus ignoring the fact that writers, teachers, lecturers, artists etc in Europe are mostly leftist. I must take this opportunity to express solidarity with columnist Claire Bonello whose social commitment was struck by intolerance. I am sure she will write more and more. I will do so too, in spite of cowardly missiles. All columnists must show open resistance to muzzling without any wishy-washy pathetic platitudes proffered by condescension.

The Christian politician

In a letter titled The Christian Politician (June 21) a correspondent says that a Christian politician "is committed to her/his people", "is... everything to everybody", "transforms and renews", "brings fraternal love", "makes sure that the problems of the poor become a top priority", "always seeks to dialogue with others" and is "a light for others to follow". Maybe that's how a Christian politician should be. But it's certainly not what a Christian Democrat politician is! Need we mention again the post mortem about the disaster of the Euro Parliament elections where the opposite of all the above was specifically mentioned as the culprit of the crash?

Only in Malta... and Bangladesh

I somehow suspected that when we sometimes say "only in Malta", we are exaggerating. Indeed, the BBC announced on June 19 that, in Bangladesh too, football fans surprise and amuse tourists by flying foreign flags. Thus, problems with the consolidation of cultural pride and identity (is "inferiority complex" too strong an expression?) exist elsewhere too. From now on we should say "only in Malta and in Bangladesh".

Dr Licari teaches psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and geolinguistics at the Department of French of the University of Malta.