Sfegatati

We’re in our 7th year of blogging and the fourth one of our Sunday column and we like to think that J’accuse has had a rather consistent “editorial line” throughout this time. When I started blogging I chose “la verité si je mens” as a sort of motto for J’accuse. “The truth, if I lie” is an apparent contradiction picked up from a social commentary comedy film by the same name that pictures the world of the “tunsian-jews”. We later appended another motto – “ludendo castigat mores” – he makes light of serious values. I still like to believe that J’accuse remains an outlet of personal opinion and commentary on current events and beyond.

Dedicated readers will have noticed that my position on national politics is one that insists on the importance of proper representation and as a corollary points out the inadequacies and drawbacks of the bipartisan grasp on local politics. In other words we dish out deserved criticism to whoever falls within the line of fire of our argument. It is with huge disappointment that I still find that my blog is seen as a vehicle of “the PN” or “the PL” by some parts of the reading world. There could be a reinforcement of my original thesis here since anyone who is groomed to think in PLPN terms will only be able to be “hurt” by criticism of “his party” without seeing the wider picture of why the criticism is there in the first place (and by ignoring the fact that the criticism is meted out to other parties too).

The latest manifestation of the pigeonholing of J’accuse into “the other side” (a relative term) was on Saturday’s l-orizzont. A geezer by the name of Joe Fava had this to say:

Dan il-fatt lampanti, jiġifieri li llum GonziPN tilef kull nitfa ta’ kredibbiltà huwa aċċettat minn kulħadd. Saħansitra anke opinjonisti anti-Laburisti sfegatati bħal dak li fil-ġurnal The Malta Independent on Sunday, l-għaxqa tiegħu jakkuża b’kull malformità politika lill-PL u biex jikkopja lill-awtur famuż Franċiż Emile Zola jintitola l-kontribuzzjoni tiegħu J’accuse (jien nakkuża), kellu kontra qalbu jistqarr li l-opinjoni pubblika tant irriġettat lil GonziPN u tant qiegħda temmen lil Joseph Muscat, li kieku xi ħadd jgħid li Joseph Muscat ivvinta t-‘toaster’ u l-‘washing machine’, jemmnuh ukoll!

Whatever drugs this guy is taking should be distributed freely to the sad and bored of the land. J’accuse is not an anti-laburist, nor is it an anti-nazzjonalist. It is anti-bipartisan opiates. Incidentally Joe we acknowledge openly the Zola inspiration and we like to say that we are not copying the words but the spirit of J’accuse. It is evident that you have not noticed how the fact that the people are currently in gullible mode with regards to Muscat was not a complement nor a grudging acknowledgement. It was part of a wider argument that claimed that Muscat has gained such trust (if trust it is) through deceit and abdication of political responsibility.

Sfegatati we may be. But our tireless quest is the age old one shared by philosophers of old and young thinkers of new. As some friends commented on facebook there are good conclusions to be drawn out of this. Two in particular:

1. if ‘re getting it from both sides it means you’re doing something right! (M. Tortell)
2. There are worse things in life Jacques!! … Either one of them could be calling you ‘friend’… (C. Cassar Torregiani)

Q.E.D.