Casus belli

In case you did not notice it already, the recently-appointed head of the Romanian Orthodox Church is taking an increasingly agressive and assertive stance in relation to what it regards as its rightful monopoly over Romanian souls and (also) minds. The following are just a few worrisome developments of late that indicate such approach.

1. The project for the People’s Cathedral was given the go ahead by the Government and will probably proceed despite widespread protest. The proposed location alone – behind the horrendous pile of the People’s House – proves we have learned nothing from the past;
2. The audio-visual watchdog (CNA) is recommending private cable operators to include in their offer the Orthodox Church-owned TV station Trinitas;
3. Evolutionism was quietly removed from school curricula;
4. There is widespread resistance from all segments of society, as well as from sections of the Government to implementing in good faith the court decisions mandating the elimination of religious symbols from schools;
5. Most recently following negotiations between the recognized religions and the Government the teaching of religion in school became mandatory for kids up to 16 years of age;
6. The main public radio station is ignoring calls to eliminate the prayer broadcast at the beginning and end of its daily programme together with the national anthem

The most frequently cited reason used by the State to justify cozying up with the Church is the good influence that this institution supposedly has on the morals of the country and education of youth. It would be - the argument goes - a counterbalance to violence, drugs etc. There are at least three problems with this argument. First, Orthodox clergy at all levels are compromised by strong suspicions of having collaborated with the Communist Securitate which they managed to dodge so far. Second, the Church is an inherently intolerant teacher; moreover, their teachings may contradict some of the present policies of the State. Third,by allowing the Church to permeate all fields of life,populist politicians and arguments (ie Becali) are given an unexpected lease of life. And we don't want that.

Romania sinks deeper in illegal flights scandal

The Washington Post presented new evidence of the use by the US of the military basis in Mihail Kogalniceanu for illegal transfers of terrorism suspects. The Post cites a top Romanian military official with access to the basis who witnessed a number of suspicious happenings on the airport. According to the article, only very few high-level Romanian politicians such as the former and the present presidents are aware of these operations. The findings in the article were presented in a number of Romanian media outlets, such as HERE. It is also interesting to note that recently the UK admitted that the US had used one of its military basis in the Indian Ocean for transferring terror suspects, despite having previously denied it.

So far the prevailing view in Romania on such allegations has been as follows: a) politicians are denying such incidents ever took place (I remember former Romanian foreign affairs minister Ungureanu during a lecture at Chatham House in London aggressively responding to such allegations raised by members of the audience); b) same politicians and media are taking these accusations lightly (such as otherwise sensible weekly 22, or as manifest in the weakness of the official investigatory mechanisms set up by the Romanian Parliament on this occasion) and c) civil society (with some exceptions) are complacent and indifferent.

Without doubt, Romania is complicit in the serious breach by the US of human rights of terror suspects by allowing the Americans to use its territory for operations such as those described in the Post article. The question is when the huge lie perpetrated by the politicians will be exposed. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

Despre imagine la romani

S-ar putea sa fi aflat si voi ca la inceputul acestei saptamani un scandal de scurta durata alimentat in principal de tabloide a izbucnit in Marea Britanie in legatura cu o presupusa retea de traficanti romani de etnie roma care aduceau copii de la un an in sus din Romania si ii foloseau pentru savarsirea de infractiuni si alte activitati antisociale. Imaginea din postul anterior face parte de altfel din aceasta campanie. Ultimul The Economist expune minciuna gogonata a tabloidelor, aratand ca politia a gasit doar trei copii, si nu mii cum sustinea Daily Mail si altele, si ca singurele acuzatii aduse impotriva presupusilor traficanti au fost de furt de mobile precum si de incalcare a legislatiei din domeniul imigratiei. Ar fi multe de spus, insa acum as vrea sa comentez putin asupra notiunii de imagine.

In ziua cand scandalul era pe val, am fost solicitat sa dau un interviu unui post de radio local, in calitatea mea de cetatean roman locuind in Londra. Intre altele, reporterul m-a intrebat repetat daca nu sunt deranjat, daca nu mi-e rusine de manifestarile conatioanalilior mei, daca nu impieteaza acestea asupra imaginii cetatenilor romani din Londra etc. Pe scurt, raspunsul meu e ca problema imaginii in acest context e cu doua taisuri – nu are rost sa fiu ingrijorat de ceva ce nu pot controla, respectiv tendinta localnicilor de a se inflama din nimic; in situatia in care intr-adevar constat ca imaginea romanilor se inrautateste, asta spune ceva despre calitatea intelectuala a persoanelor care fac asemenea generalizari, si care nu au invatat inca sa judece fiecare persoana dupa meritele sale individuale, si nu in functie de stereotipurile zilei; in plus, conform aceluiasi rationament englezii ar trebui sa se incuie in casa daca ar cunoaste/le-ar pasa de imaginea pe care o au in afara granitelor, in special din cauza haitelor de tineri betivi care invadeaza weekend de weekend Europa de Est.

In mod simetric, aceeasi obsesie a imaginii o au si romanii – ca ce imagine proasta are Romania in lume, ca din cauza tiganilor, ca nu reusim sa ne facem cunoscuti etc etc. Acestor persoane le spun ca eforturile lor sunt inutile. Atata timp cat situatia in tara este proasta, si imaginea tarii noastre si a romanilor va fi, pe ansamblu, proasta. Se incearca de fapt crearea unei imagini idilice, se matura gunoiul sub pres - o misiune imposibila. Imaginea Romaniei este succesul fenomenal al filmelor sale, dar si saracia medievala in care se zbat romii. Si pentru ca imaginea corespunde realitatii, nu are rost sa-ti fie rusine de ea, sau sa incerci sa o ascunzi, fara ca implicit sa-ti renegi originile.

In sfarsit, argumentul imagine are de foarte multe ori un substrat rasist. Intotdeauna e vorba de tiganii din gara x sau y care ne fac tara de rusine, si nu de politicienii nostri hoti, de huliganii de pe stadioane, de mizeria din Bucuresti etc. Aruncand vina tot timpul pe tigani, ranforsezi segregarea de acasa si excluziunea/marginalizarea acestora. Folosirea acestui argument este in plus terapeutica, ca astfel se arunca vina pe acelasi amarat rom, si, cel putin pentru moment, uitam multele noastre pacate.

In concluzie - mai lasati-ma cu imaginea, si nu, nu mie rusine cu romii.