Just sent this to the New York Times in response to an article comparing Wales to Greece suggesting that we are living off England's largesse: Wales, or as it is more properly known, Cymru, from pre-Roman times to the end of the First World War was one of the richest countries of the world in mineral resources and productivity; the country has been robbed, raped & pillaged until there is nothing left, sucked dry except for its water, with its valleys being drowned to serve the neighbouring English conurbations of Liverpool* & Birmingham. Wales/Cymru is no Greece, it has a population of 3 million and had enough natural & industrial wealth to be very comfortable indeed. It served the empire until its back was broken under England's weight, but we still have the wind & rain if only we would be allowed to exploit them on our own terms. We have never been supported by England, on the contrary we have filled her coffers for centuries; perhaps it's time for an apology and a reimbursement..
* Liverpool has apologized for drowning the Welsh speaking village of Capel Celyn in Cwm Tryweryn 30 years after they realized it wasn't needed, they were allowed to go ahead even after 35 out of the 36 Welsh representatives sent to the British Parliament said no!http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/28/business/global/the-wales-economy-slips-but-london-cushions-the-fall.html?_r=1
Where is your response, and where's the link to the NYT article?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the sentiments you express in this post.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the flooding of Cwm Tryweryn did have its silver lining as it acted as a wake-up call for Welsh activists and, to my mind, was a turning point for the fortunes of Wales and its language. After that, and the famous address given by Saunders Lewis, it seems that things have continued to progress for the Welsh Nation.
I don’t know if you are a Plaid member or whether you are following the leadership campaign but things are happening that are worth noting. We now have the possibility of putting in place a leader (Leanne Wood) who appears to be totally committed to independence and who has the potential to appeal electorally to those in South of Wales. She is a republican and a socialist.
I’ve only just come across your blog, being new to the world of blogging, and as an ex-patriot Welshman now living in Llydaw, I find a lot of what you write of particular interest. We are active members of ‘Kevredigezh Kembre-Breizh/ Cymdeithas Cymru-Llydaw’ and the sort of things you write are the sort of things we say.
Keep up the good work and I hope your pub reopens soon.