Submitted by Alex Birch on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 18:13.
The German newspaper Die Tageszeitung a few days ago called Belgium the “most successful ‘failed state’ of all time.” The Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme offered to resign last month, saying that the “federal consensus model has reached its limits,” and that he couldn’t bring harmony to the country’s Flemish and French-speaking regions, raising the specter that this nation of 10.4 million might split up for good.
It’s about culture in the end. In its escalating dysfunction Belgium demonstrates the inextricable link between culture and nationhood. As acting mayor Mr. Thiéry presides over tense meetings at which nationalists from out of town listen to hear if he utters a word in French instead of Flemish, as the various Dutch dialects of Flanders are known. If so, he said, all council decisions can be annulled, and he can be replaced as mayor by someone the Flemish choose.
“In a global society, nations are less important,” she answered. “It’s a moral question. Does a culture have a right to stand up for itself? More than that: Do unity and nationhood take priority over one’s culture? That’s not just an issue for Belgians but everyone.”
Yes, it does, unless we want the global market to replace our traditions with a hollow consumer lifestyle. All multicultural societies show us that they fail to unite different cultures under a single political rule. They last for as long as people are distracted by entertainment, then they want to break free with violence. We're looking at a very unstable situation right now; one that's likely to grow even more unstable in the future. The riots in Paris and the burnings of government buildings in Denmark were just the beginning. We choose our future. Let each culture determine its path, and the problem is solved.
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I live in Belgium and more
I live in Belgium and more specifically Flanders as well.
It's really preposterous how people start making weird faces whenever I talk about me being a Flemish Cultural Patriot. It's like it's not allowed and we're supposed to deny the fact we're Flemish.
On 11th of July, Flemish national holiday I wore a Lion's Pride shirt (Slightly nationalistic band singing about Flemish Culture and other various things). And I got all sorts of looks directed at me while all the people from different origins are allowed to wave around their flags and nobody will complain.
People need to start waking up and realize: That the time of World War 2, where the Flemish nationalists were cooperating with Germany, is over. And that "Vlaams Belang" is not the only political party you can vote on when you claim to be Flemish. Because that's the main issue in my opinion.
And because of that people don't want to do anything in favor of the people and split the country up, but they prefer to keep it as a whole. Because forcing unity upon the people is more important than living in harmony next to eachother... *sighs*
I'm from Flanders, and I
I'm from Flanders, and I doubt we're going to separate ourselves from Wallonia any time soon. What the problem is, as far as I can see, is that people nowadays - even Flemish nationalists - don't recognise globalism as the problem. As Ms. Witte says, nationalism is useless from the point of view of globalism. But that does not mean that nationalism itself is at fault!
To her question "Does a culture have a right to stand up for itself?" I can answer with a resounding "Yes!". More than that, it has a duty to do so. I do not care that this makes me - in the eyes of many of my "countrymen" - a racist, a nazi, or whatever else they like to call me. I'm a Fleming, and I'm proud of it.