Malta may well and truly be one of the few true democracies in the world where the people of the nation are divided.
It would be an anthropologist’s dream, but to us, the common citizens, it is a daily nightmare that we have learned to live with and cope with throughout the year. At least, at Christmastime, we put aside our differences and revert to family, love, jolliness and celebration – as one people.
If one were to look at Malta, we would see that we are divided on pretty much everything. Let us take a few topics… the big hot potato is of course politics, but we are a petty people. The latest issue to divide us is divorce, but there are so many other issues… rival band clubs, football teams, hunting… for goodness’ sake, we even argue about who has the better TV or mobile service.
The real culprits are of course our politicians. They breed contempt and intolerance into us at every opportunity… it is simple… dive and rule. One only needs to read Machiavelli’s The Prince to see what we are getting at.
If there are rival factions breeding intolerance, contempt and fear into people, they stay strong and in control. Members of political parties (and leaders) tell us they are all for conciliation and unity, but the truth is very far from it.
Do we remember the phrase “There is something wrong with their DNA”? Do we remember the phrase “Labour supporters are sick”?… this all stokes up the passions of people and it turns them into the intolerant bunch that we are. The political media (party-owned and subsidised) are also a blight on our society… we ask, how on earth can we get an objective picture of what is going on where on one channel (newspaper, TV or radio), we live in a utopia and on the other we live in hell on earth?
We have been in election mode since Labour got a new leader… the PL smelt blood as GonziPN floundered and we are almost tempted to say, we can understand why. And that is how bad we have become. Which democratic country in the world goes into election mode four years before a poll is due to be held?
The truth of the matter is that we are the biggest fools of all. Politics is our sport of choice; but do we really have to be so shortsighted and blind to allow it to lead to shootings, family breakups, dissolved friendships and a divided nation? Shame on us. Shame on the politicians too, but (and again this is how bad we have become), we expect nothing less from them.
Perhaps the one cloud with a silver lining lies in the fact that the huge hike in utility bills (accompanied by botched government plans and the perennial empty talk from Labour) has united us to some degree. The people are united against the way the billing and pricing was handled and they know that PL promises to reduce them are a load of Hooey. On that front we have united, but on others we are so far apart. The tainted blogosphere has produced a mirror image of ourselves, an image we are not often fond of taking a look at. Yes, we are the biggest fools of all.
There is a very clever economic argument that a duopoly can lead to a worse deal for consumers than a monopoly does. We truly believe that the argument can apply to our political system. It has become an absolute joke. In 2010, Nazzjonalist and Laburist are being used as insults. How sad. Shame on all of us. With that, we end and we hope that all our readers, whatever creed, colour or political allegiance, have enjoyed a peaceful and joyful Christmas.