On assaulting Nurses and Pro Football players.

[FireIceTalon]

I asked a simple question no more. I wanted to know how much you knew about the situation. In return I received an insult.

I know enough that would be "yes to independence" voters of this referendum were harassed, assaulted, and threatened with legal action for trying to invoke their democratic right to vote for sovereignty. Additionally, police have been raiding polling stations and seizing ballots to prevent the referendum from going through. The highest Spanish court even made the vote unconstitutional so that Spain could retain control over the lives of [would be] Catalan citizens.

Of course, when fascist, anti-separation protesters went around the streets of Barelona looking for any pro-separation voter to beat their brains in, there was no problem with that.

Why do they want independence? Because Catalans have their own culture, language and national identity that is independent of Spains. Not to mention, they are one of the most economically repressed parts of Spain with one of the highest tax rates in all of Europe - so much so that their education, healthcare and overall standard of living has suffered greatly. There is also a historical territorial factor, in that they never were a part of Spanish territory WILLFULLY.

There are several inaccuracies in your statements.
Language
There are about as many Catalan speakers outside Catalonia as there are in it (Valencia, Balearic Islands, Aragon).
Additionally, Spanish is the first language for more people in Catalonia than Catalan. 55% -- Spanish as 1st language vs. 31% for Catalan.

Demographics
People originally from other regions of Spain outnumber Catalans in many areas of Catalonia, especially in Barcelona.

Economy
Catalonia is one of the most prosperous areas of Spain. They are not "economically repressed". Catalonia does pay out more to the central government than it receives back, essentially helping poorer areas of Spain, a redistribution of wealth.

History
Catalans overwhelmingly approved the 1978 constitution, the terms of which render a unilateral vote for independence null and void.


There is more, but I am tired and I am going to bed. Buenas noches.

LOL. Comrade, you actually did the exact opposite of what you intended, and CONFIRMED what I said as being correct.

There are several inaccuracies in your statements.
Language
There are about as many Catalan speakers outside Catalonia as there are in it (Valencia, Balearic Islands, Aragon).
Additionally, Spanish is the first language for more people in Catalonia than Catalan. 55% -- Spanish as 1st language vs. 31% for Catalan.

Entirely irrelevant to what I stated, which is that Catalan and Spanish are distinctive, separate languages, with which you just concurred. I have a sneaky suspicion anyways, that most of the Catalans who favor independence, speak Catalan as their first and/or primary language. I mean, I could be wrong, but is it a bet I would take to Vegas? You betcha.

Demographics
People originally from other regions of Spain outnumber Catalans in many areas of Catalonia, especially in Barcelona.

Again, irrelevant. What does the population of Catalans relative to the number of non-Catalans have absolutely anything to do with Catalans desiring nationhood and self-determination? You guessed it, nothing.

Economy
Catalonia is one of the most prosperous areas of Spain. They are not "economically repressed". Catalonia does pay out more to the central government than it receives back, essentially helping poorer areas of Spain, a redistribution of wealth.

Which has made things very difficult for working class Catalans for the past 30+ years. Whether separation is a good thing or not economically for either Catalonia or Spain is another, more complex matter of course. But in general, I think you have a very rosy view of things regarding Catalonia's economy based on what you see on paper.

America has the largest GDP in the world, but also one of the largest disparities of inequality in both income and wealth distribution, and ranks a dismal 36th in the world in healthcare. Simply looking at numbers on paper, you wouldn't think that, with the country being one of the wealthiest in the world. What does this have to do with Catalonia? That both America and Catalonia look very prosperous on paper, and to a certain extent, that is true. But it doesn't tell the whole story. On the ground, things are at best, much more complicated than that. Prosperous is a relative term here.

http://fortune.com/2015/01/30/spain-cata...s-economy/

It isn't just a simple redistribution of wealth that has many Catalans pissed off. From the article:

For many Catalans, the complaint is not simply that Catalonia subsidizes poorer regions of Spain. Rather, it is that Catalonia does so to such an extent that many of Spain’s other regions have more resources per capita than Catalonia to spend on essential services. The redistribution of tax money in Spain doesn’t merely bridge the wealth gap between regions; it reorders the divide.

More galling to many in Catalonia is that the regions of País Vasco (Basque Country) and Navarra have a special deal that lets them keep almost all of their tax receipts instead of forwarding them to the central government. According to López, that leaves them with 40% to 60% more in resources per capita.

History
Catalans overwhelmingly approved the 1978 constitution, the terms of which render a unilateral vote for independence null and void.

I have some news for you. We are not in 1978 anymore. We are in fact, in the year 2017. Many Catalans, certainly the ones who favor independence, couldn't give a single fuck about the constitution. Many of the ones who favor independence probably were either extremely young in 1978 or not even born yet. Just because something is law, doesn't mean its legitimate. It took a civil war to end slavery as law, ownership of another HUMAN BEING, in this country.

Most importantly, the law does NOT justify police brutality and thuggery against unarmed protesters and voters who are expressing their democratic right.

All in all, I don't necessarily have an opinion one way or the other on Catalonia achieving independence. I do, however, fully and absolutely support their right to protest without being threatened, assaulted, and bullied by ultra-right scum and terrorist cops.

But, as a habitual apologist and panderer of the status quo, I don't expect you to understand any of this.