Continuing with these reflective videos. Here’s a great extract from the great movie “L’armata Brancaleone”. Ricordate Tommaso!
Facebook Comments Box
Categories
Beatitudes
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Facebook Comments Box
spread the word:
Categories
Rethinking Silence
I enjoyed reading yesterday’s Independent’s editorial (Period of silence silent no more) on the “cheap flight” to Malta. Michael Carabott describes the pre-electoral period of silence as being “as useful as a chocolate teapot”. The Editor’s take is split between the uselessness of the “silence” itself and the manner in which it is apparently ignored on the web.
During the 2008 elections this blog and its related sites (the Malta Chronicle) shut down for the day – choosing to respect a law with which we disagree completely. Other blogs – notably Running Commentary – chose to blog on in defiance opting for a more hands down approach to the issue. I recall that already then the Independent had pointed a (mild) accusatory finger at the online world while highlighting the disparity of treatment.
Whatever our opinion on the matter may be there is little doubt that the archaic laws apply to any publication: whether in print or on the ether. It is the law itself that has to be changed and there is no way of circumventing the prohibition (I’d dare say even on social networks) without risking falling foul of a particularly nitpicking officer of the law (who would probably have been duly informed by a whistleblower of sorts).
Having said that today’s period of silence is interesting. We technically cannot provide any propaganda urging voters to vote one way or another come tomorrow. On the other hand it serves us as a perfect excuse to reflect on the commonalities between this referendum and the normal electoral procedure. In the absence of the usual PL/PN divide we have demonstrated an inability to think and act differently. We dug the trenches, we formed the lines and above all every facet of our approach to a national decision required the Black vs White physiognomy that puts us all in familiar territory.
So the Rules of the Game (with intentional capitals) are applied to this little mini-bout. A Chief Electoral Commissioner is stunned into a non-reactive coma the moment “foreign elements” are placed on the plate. A Broadcasting Authority finds itself applying the very same paradigms that had been nurtured and abused by the parties. We had the “cheap flights”, we had the “billboards”, and we had the mudslinging about “dirty tactics”. It was all there to see. Barring the fact that the Holy Roman Catholic Church made a guest appearance this time round we had all the trappings of the usual PLPN debacle.
Back to the silence. It is ridiculous in this day and age that we still apply laws dreamt up for the 50’s, 60s and 70s when banning the use of the word “Malta” could turn out to be a sly political move. True, we are not the only nation to have “days of reflection” but then again the reasons behind these laws have become rather obsolete. One of the main justifications for a ban on press and media chit chat was the danger of “last minute lies” being spread without the opportunity of rebuttal. Nowadays it takes two hours for a tweet to go viral and spread across the web – how’s that for sufficient time for rebuttal (coupled with a massive in-the-face explosion for the original perpetrator)?
J’accuse had half a mind to break the silence. We might still do that but for now we will be hitting the beach in order to have the right angle for reflection. Meanwhile a series of pre-programmed posts have been set to entertain you throughout the day.
Also… look out on these pages over the weekend. We’ve got a lovely surprise for you that will be unwrapped on Monday.
Facebook Comments Box
spread the word:
Categories
Wicked Child
There have been times in history when busybodies spread there mores beyond the necessary. Chairs? You have chairs?
Facebook Comments Box
spread the word:
Categories
A Mullah's Apologia
The persons behind Divorzistan sent J’accuse this letter which they are describing as “the CounterPastoral of the Mullah”. Thanks to Divorzistan (among others), the weak Maltese thread of satire has found a new lease of life and in some instances a new form of expression well beyond the accepted frontiers that were the goalposts until now. In this final half-defence of his/her work the Mullah (whose identity we cannot uncover on pain of beheading) pulls a serious note out of his/her repertoire of tricks and slideshows. Here goes:
***
Il-KontroPastoral tal-Mullah
Ħbieb, wasal iż-żmien li ninżgħu ftit il-maskra. Ma jfissirx li ser jinkixef il-moħħ ta’ Divorzistan min hu, għax ċuċ sa barra m’inix.
Divorzistan bdiet bħala ċajta – il-bżonn irrefrenabbli li nidħak daħka bil-messaġġi apokalittiċi, paranojċi u beżgħana tal-moviment li jgħid ‘Le’. (Il-‘Le’ jinkludi Żwieġ Bla Divorzju, il-Knisja, il-Partit Nazzjonalista jew aħjar partijiet minnu, il-moviment ta’ dak l-eżaġitat li jħobb ixejjer il-Bibbja, il-“moviment” Le B’Rispett Lejn il-Ġejjieni, et cetera).
M’hawn ebda dubju li jien u dawk kollha li għafsu l-buttuna ‘Like’ fuq il-paġna tagħna huma favur id-divorzju. M’għandi ebda dubju lanqas li ħafna nies li raw il-billboards tagħna daħku daħka jew għallinqas, apprezzaw l-ispirtu li hemm warajhom. Daħħkuni wkoll il-kontribuzzjonijiet tan-nies – li inkludew lil Bin Laden moħbi wara l-billboard li hemm tas-Sliema (vittma ta’ xi miljun karikatura), lil Montesin, lil Lino Banfi, u mbagħad kellna Star Wars, lil Tonio Fenech vittma tiegħu stess, u ovvjament ħafna karattri mill-kamp tal-Le. Il-favoriti personali tiegħi ħa nsemmiehom fuq fuq: Beckham (suċċess mhux mistenni), il-famuż Jekk Jidħol id-Divorzju togħla l-Vitella, Angelik u Olio Cuore, u finalment it-teorija ta’ l-Evoluzzjoni ta’ l-argumenti tal-Le – billboard satiriku li ma tantx idaħħak, għax ħa kelma b’kelma dak li ntqal s’issa.
Issa wasal il-mument li nagħtu l-aħħar spinta, mhux il-mument li nibqa’ nitkellem fit-tielet persuna kif nagħmel is-soltu fil-manjiera ironika ta’ Divorzistan. Wasal il-mument tas-serjeta – u napprezza kemm hi diffiċli tkun serju wara li għal erbgħa ġimgħat sħaħ inbixt u tmellaħt b’dak kollu li ntqal f’din il-kampanja assurda u assurdista.
Kieku kienet elezzjoni ġenerali, ma kontx nagħmilha żgur; imma din id-darba l-għadu huwa kbir, b’saħħtu, wiesa’ bi spallejn daqs travu; iżda huwa ukoll arroganti, Stalinist u fuq kollox, ma jaħmilx lil min mhux bħalu. Jhedded u jfajjar bl-addoċċ, ikeċċi lin-nies minn fuq il-post tax-xogħol, jitfa’ il-ġebla u jaħbi idu; għandu mod uniku kif jiġġustifika kollox u jħobb iżeffen fin-nofs il-mistiku, lil dak Alla li ħafna minna jemmnu fih iżda li mid-dehra huwa propjeta’ esklussiva ta’ dan l-għadu tagħna.
Għadu li għandu poter fid-djar u fil-knejjes, fil-kaxxa tal-posta miżgħuda b’imbarazz differenti fosthom il-Bargain, għadu li minn fejn jagħmel tattika ta’ bumbardament kontinwu. Bumbardamenti, Pastorali, biża, Stukas, theddid. Il-video ta’ Hitler li għamilt ftit ġimgħat ilu llum narah bħala xi ħaġa ta’ dinja oħra, donnhom użaw it-tattika ta’ Goebbels biex ipattu għal naqra ironija dwar Pierre Cordina.
Divorzistan mexxa l-kampanja online, u donnha ħadmet. Spiċċajna saħansitra fit-Times avolja ma ndunawx li aħna. Imma rridu nagħrfu li dan l-għadu tagħna jisfrutta lil min, minħabba raġuni jew oħra, m’għandux mezz biex jara l-messaġġi tal-IVA online. Jidħol f’darhom permezz ta’ fuljetti u jtanbrilhom fuq ir-radju. Jheddidhom fl-omelija.
Meta JPO ilbieraħ semma “Terroriżmu Spiritwali” ħadli espressjoni li kont ser nestendi għal “Terroriżmu Emozzjonali” – il-famuża “Jekk jidħol id-Divorzju…”.
S’intendi għandhom ħafna flus x’jonfqu, hemm xi ‘benefattur’ li għandu għal qalbu ‘l-patrimonju tas-soċjeta Maltija’ li intom, ħbieb isseparati tiegħi, qed jgħidulkom biċ-ċar li ma jridukomx fih.
Dan kollu aħna ma nistgħux nagħmluh, u ma rridux nagħmluh lanqas – mhux sabiħ nbeżżgħu, mhux sabiħ inwerrċu lin-nies b’tgħawwiġ ta’ fatti u lingwa legali.
Madankollu dan ma jfissirx li ma nistgħux nirribattu, persuna ma’ persuna, dan l-attakk meskin tal-konservattivi u t-tattika tat-terrur.
Sempliċiment, irridu ngħinu sabiex joħorġu jivvutaw in-nies favur id-divorzju. L-apatija li taw is-surveys ser taħdem kontrina: irridu negħlbuha. Kull familja, kull qarib, kull kuġin, kull vot – huwa vot għal soċjeta fejn l-imħabba ma tibqax dominju tal-Knisja, iżda jkollha drittijiet ukoll mingħajr ma jkun hemm stigmatizzazzjoni tagħha.
Dil-kelma fid-dibattitu ħadd ma tkellem dwarha: l-imħabba. L-imħabba m’għandhiex ikollha ħitan jew konfini. L-imħabba li terġa’ tinbet hija dak li l-Moviment tal-Le ma jridx.
Ejjew naħdmu għal soċjeta li trid tħobb.
Related articles
- Dars, Pogguti u Bghula (akkuza.com)
Facebook Comments Box
spread the word:
Categories
Divorce and Their People
Before reading this post scroll down to the video at the end and watch it. Done? Now if the video does not raise a thousand different questions in your head all culminating in one massive WHY then you can leave this post. You’re incurable. If you do have these questions see if any of them are like my own (questions and reflections) and feel free to comment.
1. The Gut (tee-hee Gatt/Gut) Reaction: Not carcades. Not again. The ultimate proof that whether we are dealing with the price of corned beef or whether we are voting on a civil right it all ends up in carcades, taunts and revelries. Min hu missierkom?
2. The Recoil Reaction: Why is this news? Your meninges start to cogitate quickly and you wonder whether you had not already known that Agostino Gatt is dead set against divorce. Is there anything new? Will his wife do a Kate and tell us that she too forewent pre-marital sex? Do we care?
3. The ONE TV Agenda Reaction: So the Labour organ deems it fit to stir some of the proverbial faeces Austin’s way by telling us that Austin will be punching the air in celebration should the NO vote carry the day. Better still. Which makes you wonder: what does LABOUR have to gain out of this? Well, Labour are telling us to tsk, tsk (titkaza – onomatopeia) the Minister for putting conscience before principle. They insist on reminding us that Austin will vote NYET even if the people vote a resounding YES. But then again so will Adrian Vassallo – and anyone entitled to a “frijvowt” granted magnanimously by the paladin of progressives. So again … what’s the news?
4. The His People Retake: You will have noticed the constant use of “Austin u n-nies tieghu” – his people. These are the chattel of the 21st century, political slaves at the beck and call of their masters. The term “nies tieghu” is not used disparagingly mind you. While the PL propagandists might be trying to claim that Austin’s clan has a mind of its own they are only reinforcing a truth that exists across the PLPN constellation. “Their people”, “his people” – they are in his thrall and will follow him as the mice and rats followed the piper. Another stark reality unveiled unwittingly by a PLPN station – because they don’t see much farther than their nose when it comes to gaining mileage.
5. The What Mileage? Conclusion What Mileage? indeed. Labour has no official position on divorce. By telling us that Austin Gatt and his immediate entourage of yes men and automatic vote club will be happy clapping their way into the night should the NO vote prevail they just chose a random picture that could very well apply to many other politicians in the field. Is this Labour’s attempt to continue to sell the lie that it is (as a party) on the side of the YES camp. Would it were so the YES camp would definitely recover some of the unfair advantage the NO camp has from the automatic votes of many mice and rats. Unfortunately it is not so. Muscat’s pussyfooting has sold the conscience frijvowt nicely to the masses. It’s Automatic for the People.
So there’s nothing wrong with Austin and his Faithful Rats to clap and cheer if their position wins the day on Saturday. It’s part of the Game as we are used to playing it. What ONE has done is serve us a picture of the usual PLPN divide reasonings bang in the middle of a campaign that should have been anything but.
Carcade anyone?
Facebook Comments Box
