A traditional strategy by the common or garden dictators, and their pseudo-democratic heirs, is to try to isolate the territories they covet. Once isolated, they hope that force will prevail, regardless of the will of their population. The latest attempt to blockade Gibraltar just confirms this, with those trying to strike at the livelihood and welfare of the Rock's inhabitants also hoping to give the impression that neither the United Kingdom nor other countries care about the Rock's fate. Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.
As soon as the current escalation began, many all over the UK were quick to react, sending messages of support. The advent of the social media made it much easier for ordinary citizens to make it clear that they would never give in. The government and many leaders, among them the Prime Minister and the Mayor of London, also expressed their determination not to surrender. One of these leaders was Julie Girling, a member of the European Parliament who serves as Chief Whip of the Conservative MEPs in Strasbourg.
Writing in her blog, Girling summed up the different ways in which Gibraltar was being harassed. She went further than that though, making it clear that “There has been enough talking, now there must be action”. And, to prove her point, she urged Britons “to consider taking their summer holidays elsewhere this year – Spain is not on our side. Citizens of Gibraltar will not stand for the Spanish bullying and intimidation.” The Phoney War was over, and the aggressors could no longer count on the passivity of the mother country.
While the UK was mobilizing in favour of Gibraltar, the Rock's defiance did not go unnoticed in other quarters. A particular case being Catalonia, linked to the Rock from day one, that is from the landing of a Catalan battalion as part of the Allied contingent in 1704, and also suffering oppression from the same corner. Again, the reaction took place at two levels, ordinary citizens, and political leaders. Like the soldiers storming ashore in Catalan Bay, netizens plunged into the waters of the Internet, filling the social media with messages of support. This was quickly noted by Julie Girling, who, in order to avoid any misunderstanding as to the area covered by her call for a tourism boycott, tweetted “Thank you to all the messages of support for Gibraltar from Catalonia. I encourage my constituents to take their hols with you”.
Unfortunately Girling's support for the people of Gibraltar and her acknowledgement that Catalonia was also standing behind the Rock did not go unnoticed by the enemies of democracy, and she was “singled out for a series of deeply offensive and racist messages via Email and Twitter”. However, she is not surrendering, and instead she is visiting Gibraltar tomorrow, while making it clear that “Their abuse shows they have no argument as they can only resort to the lowest form of language”. As always, bullying and insults boomerang and damage the cause of those resorting to them. The more abuse at Gibraltar, the fewer the chances of her population ever considering any sort of connection to the neighbouring country. The same applies to Catalonia, every insult just brings closer the recovery of her sovereignty and her exit from that same neighbour.
Needless to say, the coming months will be most intense. We can expect more trolling. We can expect more bullying. We can expect more queues. We can expect more harassment at sea. We can expect more torched cars and more arrests. The mettle of the Rock's population will be tested, but we can rest assured it will not be found wanting. Gibraltar will show the world that might cannot prevail over right, and that a people united in their determination to be the masters of their destiny will never be defeated by a dictator's heirs who still believe that government can be based on coercion, not consent. The world will be watching, Catalonia will be watching. Those Catalans still afraid will learn a powerful lesson, and as their fear disappears this will be the tipping point. Thus, by resisting aggression, Gibraltar will not only be defeating the current offensive against the Rock, but fatally undermining the resources available for future attacks. Without Catalan taxes at their disposal, the Rock's neighbours will have to concentrate on other, more productive, endeavours. It is thus clear that strong interests bring together Gibraltar and Catalonia, and that they reinforce each other's security and economy.
Àlex Calvo
http://www.helpcatalonia.cat/2013/08/mep-julie-girling-makes-it-clear.html
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