How not to be an imbecile

It is odd, to say the least, that a newspaper published in post-colonial Malta should carry a letter such as that by a Roger M. Flett, who apparently resides in Munxar (September 6).

The gist of his argument is that the Maltese should be thankful that "they have been raped and pillaged and conquered by just about every neighbour... and perversely how good it has been. Were such a small island left to multiply by its own devices it surely would have been full of inbred imbeciles by now. So what is this Maltese essence that should be so dearly clung to?"

The English visitor is worried "that Malta, of all places, should think that their very Maltese essence will be threatened by this onslaught of immigrants. Malta is such a small strategic island". He reckons that "the essence" (the quality of being Maltese) is just that "we are all identifiably white".

Us who, Mr Flett? Our colonisers have indeed been white, some whiter than others; but I doubt that most 'Euromed' Maltese would seem themselves as essentially "white". This is a purely racist term and a misplaced one at that. "Whiteness" is hardly the overriding characteristic in Maltese self-consciousness and self-identity as a people and nation.

The correspondent is also utterly misinformed in his condemnation of the Church ("of both denominations") as "deafeningly silent" when, in fact, it is Christian-led and inspired bodies who militantly dominate advocacy in humanitarian assistance to illegal immigrants requesting asylum on this island, dispensing much public aid to them in money and in kind.

Contrary to what he arrogantly assumes, a record number, almost 50 per cent, are granted some form of protection and assistance by the Maltese government and people, in spite of them not being Convention refugees as such, and ever-growing pressures to which he is cynically oblivious.

Whether this latter day pseudo-historian and ethnographer of Malta likes it or not, there is, yes, a long-forged Maltese culture, identity and nationality, about which he obviously knows nothing, appreciates nothing and cares for nothing.

He also seems to have understood nothing, but nothing, of multiple worries and tensions being caused by what he himself calls the (to him merciful) "onslaught of immigrants". Thank God for that, otherwise we might all be "imbeciles". All Mr Flett needed to tell us still more articulately was: "Raping is good for you; it is your salvation". That's his crude way of revealing to the world that the Maltese, like the British, are not pure races.

Aye aye, Sir. it is as you say, Sir.

Pity he left his "sad brethren" in the UK behind and came to "this small strategic island" to talk down to its people so despicably, as in the past, when "strategy" always came first.

Bon voyage, Mr Brett.