Farage's eurosceptics turn their backs on the Anthem Members of the eurosceptic group of Nigel Farage stood up and turned their backs to the Strasbourg Philharmonic orchestra while it played Beethoven's Ode to Joy, in the center of the European Parliament hemicycle, during the inauguration of its eighth legislature. The scene, captured by cameras, took place this morning in Strasbourg, immediately after the opening of the first plenary session of the new Assembly, elected last May, by interim president Gianni Pittella (Pd). The MEPs who turned their backs on the European anthem were about fifteen, out of the 48 members of the Efdd eurosceptic group (Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy), including the 17 elected from M5S, who did not participate in the protest.
What can I say? I should console myself thinking that, at least the Italians didn't do it. But... how sad!
Well, it is obvious that the gesture is directed neither at the Strasbourg Philharmonic nor at Beethoven; it seems clear to me that eurosceptics show their scepticism regarding something they do not believe in. In fact, on one hand, I see it too. The European Union is something ephemeral, unlike the USA where the bond is strong due to numerous factors... If we analyze our union, it exists only for economic purposes and a single currency (which is the same thing). Every state looks out for its own interests; 28 states of the union with 24 different languages, states in difficulty are not helped, so an union of what? Just look at us with the problem of illegal immigrants; we ask Europe for help and it responds to us: "Ok, we'll come give you a hand when we remember, but we won't give you a lira... um *euro", these people cost us 45 euros a day + VAT gentlemen, it is good that Europe knows this; beyond the people in Italy who don't even work, on average young workers cannot even earn that amount per day. The right solution should be to establish a European body for the illegal immigrant problem and redistribute the forces for a solution in which every state provides its own contribution: both economic and logistical.
It remains the fact, however, that turning one's back on an anthem in itself tastes like charlatanism to me: I don't think European politicians have such an image deficiency that they must demonstrate with these theatrical ways to show their opinion... And then, in the middle of it all, there is always Beethoven!
Yes, I agree with you on the political part, while remaining convinced that if everything you say is true, the right path to pursue is that of a real European political union. It will take 100 years - perhaps less or perhaps more - but this is the right path.
That being said, and listening to what Grillo was shouting today in this regard, I always think that a gesture like turning one's back on an orchestra performing the Ode to Joy - and not 'of joy', as Grillo shouted today - which, even before being the anthem of a united Europe, is the finale of Beethoven's Ninth - is a mean and ignorant gesture. Problems are not solved by rejecting European culture. We will not manage to emerge by spitting on the plate from which we all come.
Grillo shouted today that the Ode to Joy (sniff), was used in the past by Hitler and Mao. Bahh!!! So what? Does he truly think that when Beethoven composed it, he was thinking of people like Hitler and Mao? Or is it just his latest act of bad faith making him shout such things?
Well, we do not agree on the fact that the right path to pursue is that of a real European union. Europe is not like America and it will never be able to be, even in 1000 years. The United States of America has a political system different from ours based on a presidential leader, they have compatible cultures among the various states that compose it, a single language, which guarantees great communication between populations in the various states, and an innate patriotism that can never exist in Europe. In my opinion, there cannot be union between states that buy the public debt of other states belonging to the union in order to profit from it. In America, when there was the recent Wall Street crash, they printed banknotes at night at the Federal Reserve because even the banking system is not a cancer like our European banking system; banks in the United States are state-owned, whereas the banking system in Europe is held by S.p.A. (joint-stock companies) which therefore do not serve the interests of the peoples belonging to the union but serve the interests of the company and the investors (Yes sir, we are still talking about banks). How can an economic system like this work?
So one cannot understand how Europe can go forward under these conditions. So far, Europe has only cost a lot... I don't know if you knew that we were fined by the European community for some few hundred thousand euros because in Italy we have the bidet. I have told you everything! But where do we want to go with these heads?
Yes Simone, but politics is the art of the impossible. Who would have imagined until 60 years ago that a continent that for centuries knew only wars could reach this point in such a short time? A century ago World War I began; today the Germans commemorate that beginning together with the French and the English. Therefore, why not think and hope that in a century we can all be one single union?
But I hope so! With certain prerequisites, though!! Justifying that we have reached this point because until 60 years ago we fought wars is, in my opinion, not an indication... Wars contend with the intelligence of a people. A developed people avoids wars or, rather, fights wars of another type. From how I see it, there is currently an incredible economic war in Europe, where some nations are demonstrating their supremacy. Union means taking responsibility not only for the positives but also for the negatives of other nations. It seems to me that not only is Germany not giving a damn about states in difficulty, but it is actually profiting from them. This is a true economic war. If the union is meant to be an excuse to allow other nations to profit from the states that are part of the union and to play both sides just because Joint-Stock Banks hold the public debt of countries in difficulty, then I say no thank you, I don't want this union, I will go my own way. Obviously, many things must change... First of all, the re-establishment of a bank that is state-owned, and the state is the Italians. Following that, tourism, the relaunch of industries (remembering that Italy, in terms of quality and intelligence, is number one in the world: we have the best physicists, scientists, engineers in the WORLD!!! We practically invented everything ourselves and with four cents...). We must invest in alternative energy sources. Banks must make money circulate, because the crisis is not so much due to a lack of liquidity, but because the money does not circulate. Italy should become the Apple of the world... "I buy Italian because it isn't Chinese garbage; they are quality products, I pay a bit more but I have a product that is high-quality, functional, and long-lasting". We are doing the opposite; we submit to certain agreements made by God knows who. We pay farmers not to sow wheat because we have to buy it from Russia, we buy energy from France but we don't invest in alternative sources, we submit to economic laws imposed by rating agencies and banks which, I repeat, are joint-stock companies, and finally, instead of exporting products, we export brains and import goods and migrants. Young people do not work and go abroad; the elderly stay and collect their pensions (rightfully so for what they have worked). If pensions increase and workers decrease, at some point who will pay the pensions? If the income/expenditure gap is not at least equivalent between in and out, sooner or later the system will collapse, and it's not far off... Can a nation like this work? Predictable answer: Absolutely not!
