Author: Jacques René Zammit

Categories
Campaign 2013 Politics

The Stereotypical Joke

A homosexual, a woman, a Gozitan, a farmer, a patient, a hunter, a student and an election candidate walked into a room. Is it the start of the latest viral joke? No, it’s just work as usual at Labour’s Congress about the future that unites us. Progressive Labour seems to be fuelled by cliches and stereotypes to no end. This Congress that regurgitates tautological guidelines by the dozen is proving to be a huge confirmation of this facet of Joseph Muscat’s “politics”.

The art lies in the conversion of “bandwagon” politics into a demonstration of apparent democracy. Always intent on seeming to be the man whose heart beats at a popular rate, Joseph’s style is dramatically simple and as accommodating as possible. How else could you describe the evolution of a political position that can be summed up as simply as “you tell me what you want and I promise to consider it”? (Non c’è problema… tu mi dici quello che devo fare e io lo faccio).

Here’s Anthony David Gatt (One News Journalist) expressing his pride (on facebook) about the goings on at the Congress:

Cyrus Engerer gabni fiha… Persuna gay u Musulmana flimkien jitkellmu dwar l asperazzjonijiet taghhom fuq l istess sufan. Nassigurakom…ma saritx bi hsieb jew biex nezageraw. Minna nfiha din hi r realta ta dak li qed jirnexxielu johloq l PL din l gimgha. Spazju shih ghal kullhadd ghal skambju serju u li jghodd.

What better than a ONE News reporter to gauge the feeling and feedback that exists within the walls of Labour’s tent gatherings? In Labour’s weird way of thinking, the gatherings are not made up of individuals, of persons, but of labels. You are “a gay”, “a muslim” – a token representative of the latest minority that is going to be fed the spiel of how Labour “cares” about them because it is a progressive movement.  Gatt’s sentence is very telling because he assures us “it is not done with forethought or to exaggerate” but this is the REALITY that Labour managed to CREATE this week – a gay person and a muslim speaking together on a sofa discussing their aspirations.

I’ve spoken about my misgivings regarding the modus operandi of this Congress in a previous post (The Wrong shade of Green) and this stressing of stereotypes only goes to reinforce my suspicion that this is one hell of a Potyemkin Village that the Labour planners have got going. We’ve all seen how much the PLPN are capable of using the “dialogue with the people” spin to their advantage. Remember the “tinda tad-Djalogu” of Fenech Adami fame? That was around the same time as Eddie Fiducja.

Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with putting out feelers and listening to what people have to say and what they wish. All the good will in the world though requires more than a bit of mascara marketing and a splash of token stereotypes (from all walks of life as perceived by the seriously obsessed with pigeonholing labourites). Joseph Muscat’s party remains non-committal on most issues and is now hiding behind the tautological guidelines that are neither here nor there.

Meanwhile we are still denied concrete positions on anything factual – just hedging and camera posing. Ramona Depares expressed what is flawed with this reasoning very clearly in one of her blog posts (PL stating the obvious) while MaltaToday’s Wednesday editorial (Manifestly asburd) hit the nail on the head when it came to pointing out why Labour’s foot shuffling about producing a proper manifesto is completely non-sensical.

The charade and parade of the various “sectors of society” goes on. The Congress of Stereotypes tends to look more and more like a series of meetings scheduled by Professor Xavier. And Labour insists on deliberately missing the point – so long as the sofa is there and the “gay and muslim” can chat openly about aspirations then surely  a future that unites us lies ahead.

I’d hate to look into a crystal ball right now.

 

P.S. Have you taken a peek at www.josephmuscat.com yet? Much has been made of the “not so cool” photos decorating the banner on the site but how many people have noticed that if you zoom out on the front page (“CTRL & -” on chrome) you get to see many more faces… and hidden away you will also see the sweet token lady with the hijab. Labour eh… couldn’t miss out on any stereotype…

 

Categories
Campaign 2013 Politics

The wrong shade of green

I must admit to being surprised. My duties elsewhere keep preventing me from blogging with a more teutonic regularity but I still take a peek at what is being said ‘ere and there just to keep abreast of the latest developments. Seems like a November election can all but be ruled out as in the latest development in the amateur chess game between the PN strategists and the Honourable Blogger from Ghaxaq there seems to have been a tiny impasse reached. Franco has (finally) sussed out that the PN strategy involved pushing him to the brink of voting down the government and has retaliated with the usual aplomb:

“Gonzi, dik ix-xi haga se naghmilha meta rrid u meta jidhirli jien! Grow up!”

There you go. Grow up Gonz. Meanwhile Varist, Leo and the merry band of Joseph’s movement creators have taken a break from blaming everything on GoNZiPN because they are very into the latest discovery that is “The Congress”. It deserves a capital C because it is apparently a revolutionary idea for the Labour party – the first of its kind. Basically what is happening is that the Labour posse uproots itself and goes to the “specialists” in every field and asks them what they think about a particular topic. Now I’m not sure whether it is apocryphal or whether it is a fact but it seems that the modus operandi involves a general show of hands indicating the IRL (in real life) equivalent of a contemporaneous multitude of LIKES for a particular idea.

Such ideas as pass muster during these very public plebiscites are then incorporated into a set of GUIDELINES that will be presumably taken into consideration when the Labour party finally decides that the time is ripe to actually lead people and come up with a real plan. In the meantime this marketing gag has us all in awe at Joseph’s unlimited capacity to come up with obvious tautologies on a regular basis – healthcare to centre around patients, business not to be obstructed, Gozo needs work etc etc. We’d seen it all before, only now there is the confirmation among folk who “understand” the subject. Can you imagine asking a taxpayer what he thinks we should do with taxes?

Great marketing move by Labour though. This way we get to forget that we STILL have no concrete plan beyond the usual medley of buzzwords. We forget that Karmenu Vella and Assistant Aaron Farrugia have still not produced the goods and in case we were wondering here is Leo spelling out the main reason why we should not expect a manifesto any time soon (on Facebook – where else?):

Meta ser nkunu nafu x’fih il-manifest elettorali tal-PL?
Twegiba f’waqtha ta’ Joseph Muscat illum. Fil-MALTA TODAY.
“Ahna ser naghmlu preciz kif ghamel Gonzi fl-ahhar elezzjoni generali. Nippublikawh BISS wara li tkun thabbret id-data u rrankat il-kampanja nnifisha….”
Din il-gimgha nhejju ir-Road Map u l-Linji Gwida ghall gejjieni

So there you go. Screw  you voter. If  Gonzi is bad enough not to give you his plan before an election is called then we will do the same. You’re screwed anyway because it’s not like you’re spoilt for choice. Meanwhile we get this Congress – a cross between Potemkin Villages and the People’s Jamahiriya of Libya Collectives. People being conned into thinking they count because they are giving “linji gwida” to a party that is mostly prone to never taking positions. I wonder whether there will be Linji Gwida about gay marriage or immigrant policy? Which public show of hands will count?

That was my surprise incidentally. That no one hooked on to the uncanny similarity between Joseph’s congress meetings and the concept of collectives, committees and conferences that underpinned that load of trash that was Muammar Gaddafi’s Green Book. Then again… Karmenu Vella MIGHT have been working on something all these months after all….

“The democratic system is a cohesive structure whose foundation stones are firmly laid one above the other, the Basic People’s Conferences, the People’s Conferences, and the People’s Committees, which finally come together when the General People’s Conference convenes. There is absolutely no conception of democratic society other than this.” – The Green Book (Muammar Gaddafi)

The Green Book announces to the
people the happy discovery of the way
to direct democracy, in a practical
form. Since no two intelligent people
can dispute the fact that direct demo-
cracy is the ideal -- but its method has
been impossible to apply -- and since
this Third Universal Theory provides
us with a realistic experiment in direct
democracy, the problem of democracy
in the world is finally solved. All that
the masses need do now is to struggle
to put an end to all forms of dictatorial
rule in the world today, to all forms of

                  [28]

what is falsely called democracy --
from parliaments to the sect, the tribe,
the class and to the one-party, the
two-party and the multi-party sys-
tems.
  Democracy has but one method and
one theory. The disparity and dissimi-
larity of the systems claiming to be
democratic is evidence that they are
not democratic in fact. The people's
authority has only one face and it can
be realised only by one method, name-
ly, popular congresses and people's
committees. No democracy without
popular congresses and committees
everywhere.

 

Categories
Politics

Din l-art ħelwa

Donnhom jagħmluha bi ħsieb. Tasal elezzjoni u jzeffnu  l-art fin-nofs. Tkun se toqrob elezzjoni u min forsi ikun xi ftit marid b’dik il-fissazzjoni dwar valuri, ideat u politika ta’ prinċipji isib ruħu imdawwar bi kronaka kriminali, psewdo-kriminali u allegazzjonijiet ta’ attivitajiet korrotti. Ħa ngħiduha kif inhi – il-politika imkien ma hi abjad fuq iswed. Ma tantx ser issib okkazzjonijiet fejn għażla bejn sew politiki/ideat differenti ssir b’diskussjoni denja ta’ fakulta tal-filosofija.

Bosta drabi f’pajjiżna innutajt illi l-qafas pre-elettorali għandu ħabta jiġi iddominat minn xi kwistjoni li tinvolvi bejgħ jew xiri ta’ artijiet. Niftakar żmien ilu (m’inix żert kienx id-96 jew id-98) lil Fenech Adami iħambaq għal ħin twil waqt mass meeting ġo Triq Psaila. Kien dwar xi kuntratt li mar żmerċ. Xi Charles Mangion jekk minix sejjer żball (imma jaf li iva sejjer zball). Li naf li moħħi kien jintefa wara ftit. Din it-taħlita ta’ psewdo-investigazzjoni u allegazzjoni pubblika kienet ittellifli kull sens ta’ interess. Filli kont nissaħħar wara dak li instema bħala proġett mibni fuq sisien ta’ xogħol, ġustizzja, liberta, solidarjeta, u sussidjarjeta… imbagħad filli qed jitkellmu dwar kuntratti, korruzzjoni, fottimenti, klikek li jagħmlu flus, art li mhux tagħhom eċċ. (titwiba) eċċ.

Għal bidu ma stajtx nifhem xi bżonn kien hemm li jingħataw tant importanza lil dawn l-affarijiet. Iva mela le, investigahom, u hekk, imma mhux madonna taħlili siegħa diskors fuq kuntratti u ftit (ftit wisq) fuq il-ħsieb tiegħek għall-ġejjieni u fuq liema prinċipji se jsawru l-pjan prattiku tal-gvern futur. Imbagħad kelli nidra. Għax bejn Sant u d-diskors kontinwu dwar barunijiet (li kienu ukoll imprendituri, spekulaturi fl-art) u bejn kuntratti li minn sena għal oħra kienu ikunu qishom il-pern li fuqhom tinbena politika ta kritika kelli nidra li f’din l-art ħelwa, l-art kollox.

Hemm għalfejn immorru l-bogħod? Tinsewx li l-elezzjoni tal-2008 (l-aħħar waħda biex niftehemu) intrebħet u intilfet fuq biċċa art il-Mistra. Pullicino Orlando u d-dmugħ falz tiegħu ssussidjat mill-klikka tal-ispin nazzjonalista kellu sehem importantissimu fir-riżultat finali. Daqstant ieħor kellu sehem it-timing hażin ta’ Alfred Sant li forsi ma għarafx iġestixxi sewwa l-mument li jikxef l-għawar fuq l-aħħar kuntratt mbażwar li kien ser iniġġeż lil din l-art ħelwa. Jekk hux art kbira li se tinbiegħ lil intraprenditur jew xi abbuż mill-kriterji tal-ippjanar (ah xi kriterji) tagħna bħal Manwel Arriva Delia li jiftaħlek offiċċju fir-raħal imma għadu biss bil-permess li jbiegħ il-ħaxix (ifhem).

Iddur fejn iddur tispiċċ titkellem fuq art. Mhux ta’ b’xejn li waħda mill-ikoni tal-politika Maltija inbniet wara Perit. Fejn issib biċċa business fl-art kull ma trid tagħmel hu li tfittex ftit. Hemm issib il-ħaxi. Jekk mhux verita għallinqas hija sewwa magħrufa (fis-sens ta’ “mhux kullħadd jaf, mhux ovvja”). Għax hekk għallmuna naħsbu. Issa ħarġu waħda ġdida. Perfetta. Għall warm up għall elezzjoni li jmiss għandna l-kuntratt bejn it-Tfal tal-Perit u ċ-Ċaqnu. Bellezza.  Tal-alternattiva ilhom imsieken jaqbżu għal din l-art ħelwa u isejħu għal politika miftuħa, nadifa u trasparenti fil-qasam tal-art. Anki f’dan il-każ indunaw illi dal-kuntratt jinten miż-żewġ naħat. Kif jista ma jintinx… għandu storja li tinbet fl-aħħar xhur tal-politika soċjalista u tkompli tul il-perijodu ta’ gvernijiet nazzjonalisti.

Din l-art ħelwa. Stennew botta u kontro botta dwar il-kuntratt, il-ħaxi, il-fottimenti, in-nuqqasijiet li bihom qed indardruha. Fuq kollox stennew li kull naħa toħroġ ta’ kavalliera protettriċi ta’ dan il-wirt tagħna u tas-suppost prinċipji li inħaddnu biex nindukrawha. Stennew storbju, stennew frakass u allegazzjonijiet. Stennew, bħal ma kien qal Rupert, l-għaġeb bħal ma sar fil-każ tal-bajd tal-fkieren. Imbagħad tgħaddi l-elezzjoni u kollox qisu ma hu xejn. il-bajd jintesew u l-ħaxxejja jibqgħu jaħxu – huma min huma.  L-art fejn tal-Barrani tinbena plottijiet u jgaqwdu minnha ulied Mintoff u ulied Fenech Adami. Mhux it-tfal ta’ … uliedhom – fis-sens ta’ ulied Mose… dawk li ħaddnu l-istess modus operandi tul iż-żmien. Li waqt li jkantaw dwar din l-art ħelwa u kemm jgħożżuha ma refgħux id biex iħarsuha minn kull deni.

Id-dehen lil min jaħkimha? Forsi ilu li għadda ż-żmien meta jmissna indunajna li l-ħakkiema kollha ta’ l-istess pezza.

Il-Ħadd it-tajjeb.

 

Categories
Mediawatch

Wikileaks à-la-carte

The Maltese blogging scene is nowadays taken for granted as a major participant in the field of information processing. The Blogosfera is as varied as ever, covering a panoply of interests with the occasional blog or two getting its moment of limelight within a particular sphere. markbiwwa.com recently let out a rant about the dos and donts of blogging (and what’s wrong with the word “blogosphere”). It’s been some time now that conceited bloggers like myself (wankellectuals) have been a proverbial pain in the arse for mainstream media pointing out flaws, errors and journalistic faux pas.

Melahart was at it this week commenting on the selective editing that seems to be the trend in some papers (Media manipulation…) while Rich Muscat Azzopardi also had a good point to make about the Times’ trend to becoming a click-hunting site above all (Rightly So). I’ve got some bad news for Rich. His autopsy on local journalism comes a little too late.. J’accuse had proclaimed it dead a while back after a particularly jarring episode of Bondiplus regarding Plategate.

The role of blogs and bloggers in filling the vacuum of investigative journalism is what triggered off this post in actual fact. Given how most media establishments in the country are agenda-driven or just downright lazy, the levels of investigative journalism have fallen to an all time low. Blogs and bloggers (not Times trolls mind you) might just be in the right place to fill the gap.

Take the Running Commentary. Back after the traditional end of summer pause, Daphne has set her sights on a deal between Polidano and Mintoff’s offspring. In her first post on the subject Daphne called for a Public Inquiry. The facts mentioned in the posts relating to the issue are just that: facts. They are publicly available to anyone wishing to discover them – in the archives of MEPA to begin with.

Now I do not believe that Daphne spent her little sabbatical recovering from the trauma of Mintoff’s passing away looking through random archive of the MEPA records. What probably happened is that somebody (a mole, a snitch, a leaker,… whatever) passed on this information to Daphne with the intention of getting as much public coverage for this bit of news. Used to be such news would go to a media outlet but then again… given the subject matter what better place to go to than Malta’s blog with most hits?

Am I saying it is wrong? Not at all. Expect more of this phenomenon as things get to a head. A while back we had also featured a Polidano related post on J’accuse. In March we were writing “Polidano Can, if he thinks he can” pointing out the rough manners in which Polidano literally bulldozers over our planning laws. In that case too I had received a pointer as to some illicit night time action in which Polidano was engaging in some property close to Zmerc in Balzan – what prompted me to give particular attention to the matter.

The network of blogs – with different affiliations, orientations or independent minded persons – that has developed over time might end up with Malta having its very own unofficial network of Wikileaks. What worries me is that each blogger will have a sieve of their own with regard to what information can or cannot be published. Expect blogs associated to the mainstream parties to be very selective as to when to make a noise about information in their possession. Expect others to proceed cautiously as they are drawn closer and closer to the limelight of lawsuits, libel proceedings and other “democratic” mechanisms of silencing the truth.

Expect, in other words, the development of a network of Wikileaks à-la-carte. Probably not the best of worlds but already going a long way into filling the gap left by a media system that is either dead or in a long coma. Or in the case of the Times… busy chasing the cheap click.

Categories
Mediawatch

“So long as” and other impasses (UPDATED)

Euro(im)passe

At 10 a.m. the German Constitutional Court is expected to take a final decision on whether or not German President Gauck can sign the European Stability Mechanism and the European fiscal pact. German participation in the ESM has been described as crucial to the plans to “save” the euro and participating member states. Both agreements under court scrutiny had been approved by the German Parliament at the end of July (two-thirds majority in both cases). Still, the buck now rests with a court that has not shied away from putting its foot down previously. Notably, the Karlsruhe court spelt out its position very clearly in two human right related cases that have now become known as the Solange I and Solange II cases.

In both instances, while acknowledging the primacy of European law – as had been developed by EU jurisprudence – the court reserved the right to submit any laws and decisions to further review using the German standards of rights.  While the second Solange case was effectively a loosening of this “so long as it conforms with our national law” control there was still a postilla (as long as the European Communities, and in particular its Court, generally ensure an efficient protection of fundamental rights against the authorities of the Communities that is to be deemed equal in substance to the protection of fundamental rights inalienably required by the German Constitution).

In today’s judgement there could scarcely be space for any equivocation. The German government is expecting the green light to participate in both agreements (ESM & Fiscal pact) – anything else would be… well, let’s just not go there shall we? (UPDATED: We didn’t have to…)

THIS JUST IN

Electoral (Im)passe

It’s also time to look at the state of the nation insofar as elections are concerned. Franco Debono may have gone all trigger happy with his ever more popular blog (ah Alexa, sweet, sweet Alexa) but the question on many people’s lips is one: when shall Malta hold its next elections. Well, J’accuse has long gone on record that the beginning of the end of this legislature will be around the opening of the next parliament session. That’s earmarked for October. What laws (i.e. votes) could trigger the beginning of the end? Let’s see.

The Honourable Member from Ghaxaq has already prepared a motion relating to the use of certain types of fuel in Delimara. He intends to move that (or has moved it?) as a Private Members Bill.  He has filed the motion as a private member of parliament. The problem I see here is that this is a motion relating to expenditure and as far as I know (and I stand to be corrected by some Fausto, Franco or Erskine May himself at this rate) such votes cannot be moved by a private member so expect a ruling in this sense by Mr Speaker Frendo.

Franco has also been quite clear about his intention to move a motion of no confidence in Minister Joseph Cassar (nothing personal and all that). Now that is a motion that can be presented but that could also suffer the same ignoble treatment of hedging and agenda shifting that Mr Speaker is capable of if only to gain time.

Another bill that is on the frontburner is the doomed Cohabitation Bill. In this respect the pain in the government’s side is the Cohabitation Partner Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando (It’s Not a Coalition, Stupid). In this case an already botched attempt at drafting a common sense law leaves JPO with options wide open for him to be the one to bring the temple crushing down (and cock a snook at Franco). My guess (and this is a wild one) is that unless hugely reparative measures are made for the second draft following public consultation this bill will not make it in this legislature. Also, don’t forget the resistance that undoubtedly exists within PN circles against too much strengthening of same-sex couple rights. This is after all a party that is – on paper – against same-sex marriages.

Which leaves us with the budget. And I’ll leave you thinking about that one too…

Thou shalt not pass

What is all this criticism of Malta’s valiant 11 who battled the Iti’s? So bloody what if we gave them a taste of their own medicine and put down the chains across the harbour? Only a few days ago we celebrated Victory Day. 8th September 1565 – all through that Great Siege, the Grand Harbour was protected from incurring Saracen boats by a thick chain that crossed from fort to fort. This time the wall of intrepid defenders resisted most of the attacks from a formidable opponent – the Vice Champions of Europe nonetheless. That the goals came, when they came, from a quasi-offside and from a corner that never should have been given is a boon and boost for Pietro Ghedin’s side.

Catenaccio? Hello… this is not an Intercettati side claiming to be best in Europe or Chelski’s millionaires climbing the elimination stages with a defensive wall reminescent of Helenio Herrera’s worst. This was Hogg, Dimech, Borg, Schembri, and more…. standing tall among what are supposed to be the giants of football. Proud. Yep. Like Joseph Calleja, every one of those men on the pitch made us proud.

We also got the LOL moment when we finally realised that our neighbours don’t give so much of a fart about the tiny islands to the south. Unless of course we are sending on boatloads of refugees or immigrants then Malta is  “cavalieri”, “sole” and to some Paceville but nothing much more. What do you mean they don’t know we don’t give a damn about baseball? Hello Italia?

Giletti and other hoaxes

Finally spare a thought for the brains that came up with the wonderful Giletti hoax that had facebook buzzing a few hours before the match. I may have been guilty of spreading the link but I cannot claim to be the mastermind behind the actual creation. So a big round of applause goes to SL and RC for the technical side and content. And a little applause to the Times who did not bother with a denial this time round (unlike the time of the equally infamous “the pope is not coming” hoax).

If you have not seen the link here it is: Massimo Giletti claims Italy will thrash Maltese beggars . Read it, it’s hotter than a calabrian peperoni sauce.

Categories
Sport

Il-Patrijott u il-ġakbin

Fiż-żmenijiet ta’ llum fejn il-fruntieri huma anakroniżmu li writna mill-passat il-patrijottiżmu u n-nazzjonaliżmu qajla jagħmlu sens. Għallinqas hekk suppost. Speċjalment f’din l-Ewropa li suppost (suppostissimu) għandha t-tir li tfarrak, tkisser u tnessa dak li jifridna filwaqt li suppost (iktar suppostissimu minn hekk ma nafx) teżalta u tfaħħar id-differenzi li jsawru l-identitajiet pluralistiċi. Et pluribus unum. Safrattant kull stat membru xorta għadu jfittex simboli ta’ identita li jfakkruh fil-kapaċita ta’ niesu (ma ngħidux ġensna għax naqgħu naqa għan-nejk). Fit-“tempi cupi” ta’ kriżi ekonomika fejn il-kumpass morali iġġennen jaf jagħti wens sens ta’ identita. Cerco un centro di gravita permanente.

Illum il-ħdax ta’ Settembru. Nine-eleven. Kienet laqtitni ferm l-espressjoni spontanja madwar id-dinja ta’ solidarjeta mal-vittmi ta’ dak l-attakk skifuż fl-2001. We are all Americans now. Avolja qatt ma nista inħossni Amerikan, lanqas fl-estrem kapitalist materjalistiku tiegħi li jimmanifesta ruħu kulltant, xorta fhimt x’riedu jgħidu. L-empatija, is-solidarjeta kienet fi bżonn ta’ twaħħid ta’ identita. Anki fin-niket kien hemm bżonn rinfurzar ta’ dik l-identita. Dakinhar, f’rokna imbiegħda ta’ moħħi ippermettejt li għal ftit mumenti u għal skop preċiżisimu tittajjar l-iStar Spangled Banner. Oh Say Can You See By The Dawn’s Early Light?

Titwieled u jeħel miegħek timbru. Malti, Lussemburgiż, Amerikan (għax mhux Statunitens?) jew Taljan. Trid jew ma tridx int wieħed minnhom. Ċirkostanzi storiċi setgħu ikkontribwew biex dan it-timbru ivarja ftit saħansitra tul ħajtek. Kien hemm il-Franċiżi ta’ Lorena li saru Ġermaniżi ta’ Lotharingia qabel ma reġghu saru Franċiżi. M’hemmx bżonn immorru daqshekk il-bogħod. Saqsi lill-Kossovari li dil-ġimgħa saru sovrani. Kemm minnhom kienu ukoll Jugoslavi qabel ma inħallet ix-xema ta’ Tito. Imma b’mod ġenerali nistgħu ngħidu li min jitwieled Malti ma jmutx… jien naf, Ingliż.

Mindu insteraq is-sigriet tan-nar mill-allat ta’ l-Olimpu, il-bniedem beda tellieqa teknoloġika li għada sejra sa’ llum. Sar-rinaxximent kull avanz kien ikun ġeneriku – ma tassoċjaħx ma bniedem imma ma’poplu. Jiġuni f’moħħi iċ-ċiniżi u l-ġigġifogu. Imbagħad bdejna nassoċjaw invenzjonijiet ma persuni. U kull nazzjon kburi mal-persunaġġi tiegħu. Il-kult u l-mit tal-kapaċita nazzjonali jissawwar madwar il-varji persunaġġi. Larger than life.

L-apiċi tal-miti nazzjonali għalija narah meta naqra dwar ir-Renju Unit fil-ħamsinijiet. Kien għadu jħoss ruħu kbir. Coronation. Il-konkwista tal-Everest, il-kanal ta’ Suez. Trabbejna f’Malta li xi ftit jew wisq wirtet dan il-mod ingliż ta’ kif issawwar identita. Dan l-aħħar erġajna rajna revival. Bejn il-Ġubilew tar-Reġina u l-Olimpijadi l-Ingliżi skoprew l-kburija f’pajjiżhom. Tfasslu eroj ġodda. Olimpiċi u Paralimpiċi. Rule Britannia once again. Imma dawn ma rebħu l-ebda gwerra. Kienet iktar qisha xi Britain’s Got Talent imma ta vera. U minn Stoke-on-Trent sa Weston-Super-Mare inħass it-terremot ta’ kburija. Proud to be Brit.

Imbagħad rajna lil Joseph Calleja. U xi uħud tkażaw b’kemm fraħna kuntenti u kburin li dak il-ġuvnott libes it-tshirt bis-salib tal-kavallieri u tela fuq palk dinji. Malti. Malti bħali. Qalulna li bla sens nifirħu għax dak wasal hemm bil-ħila tiegħu mhux għax Malti. Seta twieled l-Azerbaijan. U mhux hekk nibqgħu. Iva mela, kullħadd jasal fejn irid jasal b’ħiltu. Jekk hux Tiffany Pisani timmudella jew Joseph calleja ikanta, jew William Chetcuti jispara… kollha stinkaw personalment, m’għandi l-ebda dubju. Pero qiegħdin hemm imgeżwrin bil-bandiera tagħna, għax hawn twieldu u huma ukoll ulied din l-art. Għalina li nehdew bis-suċċessi tagħhom… forsi għax nafu kemm hu diffiċli iktar li toħroġ minn ġo din il-gabuba minn fost il-baħar għira u li tasal x’imkien.

Mhux talli ma nara xejn ħażin li niċċelebraw suċċessi personali ta Maltin oħra u li nikkapparawhom anzi naħseb li għandhom jiġu eżaltati. Għax nazzjon irid ix-xempju, il-mudell. Biex forsi minn għada ikun hemm ħamest itfal oħra De La Salle li jridu jikkuppjaw lil Calleja. Hu kellu biss lil Mario Lanza x’jemula. It-tifel li minn għada se jipprova jintona żewġ linji mit-Turandot għandu lil Joseph x’jirringrazzja. Standing on the shoulders of giants.

U fl-aħħar hemm it-tim nazzjonali. Dak li għadu jkaxkar miegħu memorji ta telfa 12-1 ma Spanja avolja dan l-aħħar ħabbatha tajjeb ma min hu daqsu. Għalija tim nazzjonali hu reliġjon indiskuss. Ibleħ trid tkun biex tgħid li ma tifhimx fil-futbol imma mhux se żżomm ma Malta. Patrijottiku? Forsi. Loġiku, iktar u iktar. Tistħi tgħid li int Malti? Forsi għalhekk qiegħdin fis-sitwazzjoni imnejka li ninsabu fiha. Għax forsi il-kburija, the pride, ilha li saret skarsa. Minflok nistmerru, nitkażaw u nitnejku. Narak tiela l-fuq u dlonk niġbdek l-isfel biex ma tmurx issir aħjar minni.

Statistikament it-tim nazzjonali Malti jirbaħ biss b’miraklu. Soccernomics jgħallmek dan il-fatt. Imma l-kburija li tkun Malti u tħoss l-identita li twaħħad poplu kontra l-avversita u li tiddefinih tmur oltre l-istatistika. Din hija identita li ssilitna għaliha. Mhux kif jgħallmuna l-għażżenin ta’ l-istorja… mhux li xerridna demmna għall-barrani. Le, jien nippreferi nara sens ta’ kontinwita fid-destin ta’ nies din il-gżira. Issilitna dejjem għalina u iva, jekk trid għal uliedna. Survival.

Illejla m’hemmx kummiedji. Illejla m’hemmx ġakbini. Illejla, ma’ l-ewwel noti ta’ l-innu ta’ Robert Sammut konvint li inħossuna kburin li fuq dik il-biċċa ħaxix ġo Modena hemm biċċa minna ukoll. Ħdax-il raġel lesti jagħtu li jistgħu u jagħmluna kburin li aħna Maltin.

Forza Malta!