youngian wrote:If the referendum wasn't legal then why close down a voluntary opinion poll? Its only true believers who turn up.
^ this, a thousand-fold. We now have Carles Puigdemont claiming that his government will "act at the end of this week or the beginning of next" in declaring independence and the EU saying, in effect, that this is beyond the pale.
Add to that, King Felipe has weighed in - kings and Catalans never make good bedfellows - while the indiscriminately beaten voters' bleeding has barely been staunched.
Puigdemont, in my view, is grandstanding for personal kudos while brushing aside any semblance of political process. He is, de facto, giving renewed legitimacy to the Basque / Euskaldunak cause. That is another powder keg which is waiting to blow.
The EU, again in my view, needs to fucking jump on this pronto. Self-determination is a generally accepted right but this is no way to form nation states, not in the 17th century and certainly not now, and the Union cannot entertain regions going rogue just because people start banging pots and pans. Puigdemont is a reckless demagogue. Where have we heard that before?
Jack believed in the inherent goodness of humanity, and felt a deep social responsibility to protect that. Through us all, Jack marches on.