2016-07-13
Global Portugal vs. EuroPIGS
The most rewarding observation of the Eurocup win in Portugal was seeing people of all races (I have no idea about their religion or lack thereof) celebrating with portuguese flags all over Lisbon. I absolutely love it that the winning goal was scored by Eder, born in Portuguese-speaking Guiné and raised in Coimbra---home to one of the three oldest universities in World. In contrast to other European countries, where immigrants amplify hatred of the host-never-home country with every passing generation, the Portuguese homeland is more naturally global and easily adopted. Instead of Molenbeek, Bobigny and Rotterdam Zuid, we throw Globailes, creating genuine afro-brazilian-portuguese music. No wonder the Aga Khan established the formal Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal, that our prime-minister is of Indian heritage, and that we have a habit of attracting people like Gulbenkian here.
It also becomes ever more clear that as a part of the current version of the European Union, we will always be seen as EuroPIGS, a disrespected, southern nation who must be disciplined and moralized at every chance. It does not matter that Europe is only an important economic power because Portugal and Spain went out there establishing the first global empires, which, by the way, funded the wars that stopped the Ottoman empire from conquering all of central Europe. It does not matter that our present linguistic cultural identity has a planetary footprint. As long as even the educated elites like Mr. Schäuble who rule the EU think of us as PIGS, we will be the olive-pickers and vacation caterers who do not know how to take care of our finances. Yes, Mr. Schäuble, the europe-in-the-image-of-germany "europeanist", does not think twice of throwing entire countries to the lions, to hide the weak finances of Deutsche bank. What a towering European figure! Instead of dealing with extremist and racist governments in Hungary, Poland and others, these educated fellows prefer to sanction Portugal and Spain for minor deficit "infractions"---rather, for first following then slightly relaxing the systematically wrong economic diktats of the factless austeritarians*... If anything, the people issuing those diktats (the Eurogroup and the IMF) should be sued and sanctioned on international courts for imposing failed policies after a shock, failing to see or act on huge problems in the banking system, and otherwise bringing about a nightmare for people and businesses. Naturally, France, doing exactly the same thing, escapes the sanctions, because, well, C'est lá France! Bien sûr! Some are more equal than others, and we have to be "intelligent" in the application of rules, in the wonderful EU double-speak.
I am not sure how, but we must get more respect by disentangling a little from this abusive marriage. Maybe time to see more of our family; Starting to think that better to have one Isabel dos Santos, with the lack of transparency she brings, than a hundred Schäubles, Dijsselbloems and Junkers... We need at least to get some counseling.
* An austeritarian is an authoritative austerian (see also).
It also becomes ever more clear that as a part of the current version of the European Union, we will always be seen as EuroPIGS, a disrespected, southern nation who must be disciplined and moralized at every chance. It does not matter that Europe is only an important economic power because Portugal and Spain went out there establishing the first global empires, which, by the way, funded the wars that stopped the Ottoman empire from conquering all of central Europe. It does not matter that our present linguistic cultural identity has a planetary footprint. As long as even the educated elites like Mr. Schäuble who rule the EU think of us as PIGS, we will be the olive-pickers and vacation caterers who do not know how to take care of our finances. Yes, Mr. Schäuble, the europe-in-the-image-of-germany "europeanist", does not think twice of throwing entire countries to the lions, to hide the weak finances of Deutsche bank. What a towering European figure! Instead of dealing with extremist and racist governments in Hungary, Poland and others, these educated fellows prefer to sanction Portugal and Spain for minor deficit "infractions"---rather, for first following then slightly relaxing the systematically wrong economic diktats of the factless austeritarians*... If anything, the people issuing those diktats (the Eurogroup and the IMF) should be sued and sanctioned on international courts for imposing failed policies after a shock, failing to see or act on huge problems in the banking system, and otherwise bringing about a nightmare for people and businesses. Naturally, France, doing exactly the same thing, escapes the sanctions, because, well, C'est lá France! Bien sûr! Some are more equal than others, and we have to be "intelligent" in the application of rules, in the wonderful EU double-speak.
I am not sure how, but we must get more respect by disentangling a little from this abusive marriage. Maybe time to see more of our family; Starting to think that better to have one Isabel dos Santos, with the lack of transparency she brings, than a hundred Schäubles, Dijsselbloems and Junkers... We need at least to get some counseling.
* An austeritarian is an authoritative austerian (see also).
Labels: #EU, #Europe, #Lusofonia
