Nous sommes le
7 Pluviôse, An 214
I grew up in a world where Afrikaner nationalism was the most powerful force around, with its heroes, its statesmen, its poets. Now it is no more, dissolved in a swamp of money-grubbing, sports, and trivia.
The apparent victory now of Hamas in the Palestinian elections may well signal the end of Israel as a nation--not today, not next year, perhaps, but one of these days. And it's safe to say, probably, that there'll never be a Palestinian nation.
Even big nations like Russia and France--which used to call itself la grande nation--are now desperately worried about their identities.
King Farouk of Egypt reputedly once said mournfully, "Soon there will only be five kings left--the kings of spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs, and England."
But will there in fact ever be another king of England?
The time of nations is over.
0 comments:
Post a Comment