Further to the excellent article written by Dr Tim Potier in your paper of June 15, I find it remarkable that some of our politicians express such surprise at the recent referendum results. The concept of European Union is a very laudable goal and it is understandable how it came into being after the horrific wars of the 20th century that created such carnage for its people in two world wars. What is unreal, however, is the concept that the leaders of the founding states expect us all to bind together today as one entity, or a United States of Europe, despite the centuries of history that would dictate otherwise.
Whatever the politicians may say to the contrary, people do not accept that we are all the same and should be “adult” in our thinking towards the devaluation of our national identity. The French and the Dutch people have just said otherwise. Much as I like French wine, their cooking, their language and indeed their country, I am not a Frenchman. Nor do I wish to be considered one sometime in the future. I, like many others, am proud of my heritage. I hold prejudices against Germans, Italians and the Irish, but that is not to say that I can’t have friends in any of these countries. Indeed conversations abroad include plenty of friendly banter that can only be regarded as a healthy respect for the other’s opinions.
Like many others, what I do object to is to have my freedoms restricted by bureaucratic incompetence, which imposes regulations of little relevance that have been instigated by unelected, failed politicians all in the furtherance of some idealistic nonsense I am unable to question. These bureaucrats live in luxury with inflated salaries and fat, unjustifiable allowances at our expense. Small wonder the people have said: “Non.” The present failure in Europe stems from a muddle that is entirely the fault of such people, who are motivated solely by their own self interest. Until the mechanics of the administration is resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, it will not achieve much support from the populace and consequently will ultimately fail.
Let’s make the system more accountable. Let’s make it democratic. Let’s trim the wastage. Let’s make people believe in the system of government which is there solely for their benefit. Let the makers of the European constitution look to the ‘founding fathers’ across the water, who some two hundred or so years ago built the United States of American using a system of checks and balances that has remained valid, with a few additions, ever since it’s conception. Whatever our prejudices maybe against the latter country, there’s no denying the success that nation has had since building its institutions of government, which respects the individual’s rights and privileges. That success, I venture to suggest, would have been seriously compromised or even prevented, but for the ability of everyone over there to feel their own worth and value, for it uses the principle of argument to determine progress rather than its suppression. Only when we adopt a similar concept here will any referendum in Europe produce an emphatic “Yes.”
James Heath, Paphos
Yours faithfully,
James Heath
