Kenji Shinmei

Do you know something about Spain's situation? Do you think Spain should give more independence (or total independence) to these countries? I'm Catalan, and I don't really feel Spanish. I mean, I've got my own traditions, my own language and my own culture... For example, I haven't been able to support Spain's football team, because I don't feel I can be part of the Spanish supporters. I've got lots of friends from Madrid, but I feel they are different... Can somebody understand this kind of feeling? By the way, of course, I think that ETA shouldn't exist, because Catalonia and the Basque Country haven't got the need of killing people, because we got the basic rights when Franco died, and now we don't live bad. But, what about the dialoge? Do these countries deserve to be independent in this way?

People from the rest of Spain always say we have the same rights, we are like them, but I don't think so. Every human being has the same rights, but there are lots of cultures which are subordinated to a bigger and stronger culture. I've met many people that have been aggressive to me only because I'm Catalan. And many people, for example, say Catalan people can't be Spanish teachers because our pronunciation is weird. So, are we really like people from the rest of Spain or it's just demagoguery?

I live very happy being a part of Spain, because although there have been LOTS of years of repression against Catalan and Basque culture and language, from 1978 we have the rights to use and learn our language and to spread our culture. It's not possible in countries like France, which has almost killed all the languages which are not French. It's really disgusting. Tibet's now comparable with Catalonia or the Basque Country from 1940 to 1975, because of the aggressiveness of his present "owner".

Now I'd like to hear your opinions!