I don’t much appreciate the callsign or slogan, call it what you will, which proclaims that one is  “proud to be Maltese”. Frankly I do not see why I should be proud of something I did not choose but found it chosen for me at birth.

On the other hand, if the call stands say, for pride in the democracy that we would have planted and cultivated in our country – or pride in the economic or social successes achieved by Malta, then that would be more appropriate. It would make sense because it relates to praiseworthy action that has been purposefully undertaken, and which we would have endorsed and strived for.

“Patriotic” values should not just be discarded, even if there are some who consider them to be irrelevant. However, we should be clear regarding the basis on which they are to apply. Nor should the be promoted blindly.

One can understand that they are not at all irrelevant by noting how much bigger national entities than ours have continued to promote them right to the present day. Just consider the practice of giving honour to the flag in the US; it is carried out in schools there as a daily routine.

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VILLA FRERE

That Villa Frere in Guardamanga could end up demolished or hemmed in so that in its place or around it, some other big structure can be built, would be just another shameful and unpardonable deed. Only in this country is it deemed to be one more unimportant incident. Elsewhere, that kind of building would almost automatically, be classified as needing to be conserved and properly maintained.

Here, if it is to be saved, that might happen because a number of concerned citizens rise up in protest and for once their voices prevail.

One may be tempted to exclaim how we cannot go on like this.

Yet, we have been following the same approach for quite likely whole centuries. Otherwise, why would we have so few buildings still standing that date from the Middle Ages? Indeed, the hard clay with which it was customary in the past, to seal roofs against rainwater and damp used to be lifted from the pottery to be found in Punic tombs, among other sources.

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IMPEACHMENT

As designed by the founders of the Amercian republic, the impeachment process by which the President of the US can be removed from office hardly makes sense any more. With the ever growing political polarisation in the country, the outcome of the process increasingly depends on how the power balance in the US Congress has shifted between Republicans and Democrats.             

Actually, it has always been like so but up to a few decades ago, the idea was that as a Republican or as a Democrat, in the end when examining actions by a President that are manifestly illegal or illegitimate, you would vote in line with what was lawful.

One way or another, that is what began to happen when the process to remove President Nixon started rolling in the year 1974. But since that date, matters have changed radically.

It’s not just in Malta that extreme partisanship has managed to undermine institutions. Nor is it fair to attach all the blame exclusively on President Trump. He continued to encourage the rot but it had started well before his time.

Today reaching any judgement about whether very significant actions are justfied or not is seen only as just a partisan exercise.