A blogger on strike

I am glad to see that this blog is increasing its visitors number. I never pretended to make much more than an experiment, to see how many non-catalan-speakers would find interesting to read about the process towards an own state we are living. In fact, my blogger activity is fulfilled through another one I write in Catalan on Vilaweb. That blog has given me great satisfactions since I started on february 2006. But now, since June 1st, I'm on strike. On blog strike. Strange? Sure! Does it make any sense? I don't know it yet.

When I started blogging I found most opinions on newspapers neglected a topic I considered necessary: the right to self-determination. Nowadays it is quite usual to read about it. Sure, it's not because of my blog alone, but I hope it helped in any sense. Now the problem is a different one. Some surveys are saying Catalonia has a majority of people willing to vote for independence. In any modern european democracy, the data the Government is handling would be enough to stop and ask the people. But President Montilla doesn't. I'm not asking him to declare independence. I'm just asking him to let Catalan people talk through a referendum like they did in Montenegro or Kosovo or like Salmond's SNP wants to do in Scotland. If a YES comes out, we 'll see what follows.

We bloggers for independence go on discussing every little line we read, we keep discussing if a politician has a good strategy or a bad one to reach our goal as soon as possible. But when independence comes it will be through a democratic act which needs a majority. An obvious strategy for those who want Catalonia to continue in Spain is to neglect this point, to avoid discussing in this terms. Everyone has their right to defend a point of view, but democracy should be the way to solve it. So clear, so easy.

But there seems to be no democracy in Spain. Basque lehendakari Ibarretxe has planned a referendum for next October. He simply wants to ask the Basque people if they support a dialogue-driven process towards peace. Surprisingly enough, Spanish president Zapatero will not give permission for it.

I think we are risking the quality of our democracy. Some people might blog just for fun; others might do it as a therapy; maybe I do both, but I also blog because I think blogging is a way to create public opinion, and that leads to social change. When social change is possible through democratic expression, those who block it destroy social and public debate. What can we bloggers do, then? Our words become useless. We can protest through our posts. I have been doing it for months. But when words are useless, and since I reject violence, maybe silence is the way.

From June 1st, I am posting everyday a single line under the title "Blog strike for souverainity"; and as text, "Day X on strike". Occasionally I add some links to other relevant informations or to posts from other bloggers I add comments to. I will post again the day president Montilla recognizes the need to give the word to the people, the day he lets us decide on our future.

I will post again too if the three parties that recognize Catalan right to self-determination sit down and talk about how and when to it. It's easy and simple. So much, I can't understand they haven't done it yet. That's why I protest. That's why my blog is on strike.

My silence is a very little one. Insignificant. I am nothing but a blogger. But my reasons are powerful because they are simple.