My way or the highway

(Image source) It causes chagrin when one can no longer speak one's mind... The general Romanian atmosphere, particularly on Facebook at the moment, makes that very difficult.

Today, I have seen a friend of mine totally slammed for having opinions that dared go against those of someone else. That 'someone else' named her publically on a very aggressive status as a vehicle of pro-Basescu propaganda. You get the gist, I'm sure....

What is it about the average Romanian and his incapacity to listen, debate and discuss without insulting, yelling and using the most appalling language possible? How long has it been this way? The arrogance of 'my way or the highway' is every which way you turn. No matter what you say, what you do, there is always someone there to slap you down, prove you wrong, argue and condemn. Even worse if you are guilty enough to be a foreigner with opinions that concern their country and their politics. Oh whoa...then you're really in for it.

(Image source) I have had e-mails and FB comments that have needed rereading three times as I couldn't believe them the first two. And why? Because I do NOT agree with what is happening in Romania today. I do NOT agree with the riding rough-shod over democracy, over state institutions nor over the constitution. I did not and still do not. And I never will. As I have said many times before, I'll be very happy indeed to see the back of Basescu, but NOT like this. When it is done, it must happen legally, constitutionally and decently. Otherwise, it shouldn't be done at all. And furthermore, I hope he will be replaced by someone who isn't 'Iliescu's puppet', as Neagu Djuvara so pointedly said in an interview recently.

I have been able to have conversations and debates with only TWO people since all this circus began three weeks ago. One of them, Adrian, comments here often. We have opposing views but there's a certain amount of common ground if we look hard enough - my intense dislike for both parties being one of them. He and the second person, Ileana, send me articles to read, videos to watch... I still don't agree, but it is a rich and rare experience to be offered a look into another perspective without the usual belittling and arrogance - and is immensely valuable. We agree to disagree and that's that. No respect is lost and there is no haranguing.

But for the rest, I don't think I have ever seen such hatred, such foul language on FB in my life. I can only speak for the English where the 'c...' word has come up three times today. It is a word that makes me feel physically sick and especially when used by a foreigner. Why can't people be abusive in their own language and leave others alone? It seems, to me, to make it all the more repugnant. The 'f...' word too, though I'm not a prude, is another one. To see it once or twice, fine. But repeatedly? There are other adjectives one could use to underline a point. Such expletives do NOT make he/she using them any cleverer or any more admirable - au contraire.

For only the second time in three years on FB, I struck someone off my list yesterday. It took a while and I have to say I was sorry to do it, but eventually, I just couldn't bear the continual mocking abuse any longer. Being called a 'Basescu mercenary' was the final straw.

Why oh why are the majority (and I say that to imply there are exceptions to the rule - but only a minority) of Romanians incapable of civil discussion? Why must they consider that if Ion Popescu doesn't see things from their point of view then he's a cretin and that what he posts or writes is 'propaganda'? Surely, at this crucial time, people should be pulling together? But no.

(Image source) Continuing to insist they are right while Angela Merkel, Joseph Daul and just about every piece of foreign press are wrong has become really quite silly. True, Romanian eyes and western eyes see things in a whole myriad of different shades. Democracy to a Romanian is not the same as democracy anywhere else. Why do they vote for criminal mayors ("well, because he stole less than the other one did" or "he gave us firewood while the other one gave us nothing at all"), why do they allow convicted criminals to vote for the impeachment of a president ("because others did more damage") or why is it okay to plagiarise ("well, because everyone does it" - incidentally, the Ethics board just ruled Ponta did NOT plagiarise his thesis). What?!?  What the EU have asked Ponta to do seems perfectly justified to me. But to them? How dare foreigners tell us what to do. Brings to mind a fabulous article brimming with common sense written by Sam just the other day (and you should see some of the comments he got in response. I rest my case)...

With regards to Romanian politics, well, I've had it. I've had it with the lies, the BS, the abuse, the manipulation. I've had it with the nasty e-mails, the digs and the sabotage of efforts made by people trying to help (however small that help may have been) but ended up serving other people's purposes. I've had it up to the eye-teeth and I have decided to keep well away from it all until the results of the referendum on July 29th. That'll come as a great relief to those who don't agree with me and who have written to tell me it's a shame I write anything at all.

I cannot tell you what a disappointment it is to see those I thought intelligent, cultured and sensible behaving as they are right now. I understand the passion, but I cannot understand the cruel treatment of others, the venom nor the vitriolic statements that seem to pour from their finger tips onto the keyboard and into their screens without any concern whatsoever for the hurt they may cause. It's the other person's fault anyway coz they're an idiot and deserve it. Right? Frankly, I'm past caring about being accused of having self interest or taking payment for going to a protest or being pro-PDL. I'm talking about others who have been subjected to nastiness they really don't deserve. No civility. No decency. No respect.

"I will fight until the last drop of my blood for your right to disagree with me. If you are able to do the same, it means we will begin to learn what democracy is," said Ion Ratiu, a man who spent a great deal of his life fighting for the afore-mentioned democracy. It seems that in Romania today, no one is prepared to fight for the rights of anyone to disagree with them except for that famous and unfortunate 10% (on both sides)... The majority then, as a result, will NEVER learn what true democracy is - and they do not deserve to learn it, for the effort it takes to shut up and listen is way beyond them. They do not deserve it any more than they deserve the beautiful patrimony they continue to destroy whether it be the wonders of somewhere naturally breath-taking such as Rosia Montana or a palace or a villa, a statue or a fountain, nor the history they continue to distort on purpose or via some kind of strange amnaesia.

The country of my heart is sadly inhabited - and by a majority of barbarians who speak mitocanesc. My sadness lies with the minority who have to stomach that every day of their lives. No small wonder so many of them shut off and live with tunnel vision. Now, at last, I get it.

Comments

[Carmen]

Dear Sarah,

For a long time I was of the opinion that Romanians are all talk and no action. The problem is when they talk about things they do not know, do not care to learn and refuse to hear from, and be taught by others. Were the "şapte ani de acasă" erased completely? Some time ago, Romanians liked to say about themselves that "were born poets"; then it was football everyone knew about. Lately - unfortunately - it's politics everyone seems to consider themselves wise about. I am sorry you were hurt and abused by morons; however, I no longer think they are a minority. Sad as it is, you are lucky to be far away from it. I hope you do not stop SPEAKING and taking a stand against falsity, rudeness, cheating, tabula rasa minds and the like. Irrespective of potential opinion differences, you still have friends here

[Becca]

Shalom,



Well,Romanians are a quiet and peaceful nation but in the same time they vibrate on a low level of emotions and when they do that they never reason anymore.This is how Basescu won his elections-he spoke to the people on an emotional level and this is how Ponta and his party are doing the same game.You must remember that hate is a very strong feeling especially combined with other frustrations such as famine and poverty and in those circumstances the only missing piece to the puzzle is to point you finger to the guilty one.Doesn't matter that the arguments are hilarious or paranoid

they only want a victim.

[Doina V.]

Va rog nu va mai necajiti. Pentru multi, aceste manifestari ale publicului romanesc sunt de inteles numai daca tinem cont ca multi au acum ordinator dar nu si bunul simt de a se gindi inainte de a scrie ceva. Vad si ei la tv cum se exprima jurnalistii care dau tonul: majoritatea sunt neciopliti, dela coada vacii si pe deasupra aroganti si cred ca le stiu pe toate. De fapt asta este in general problema romanului - fudulia il omoara si asta nu de acum.

Inca ceva de care trebuie sa tineti seama, deoarece vad ca v-a afectat asa de mult badarania unora pentru care aveati un oarecare respect. Romanii sunt suspiciosi de felul lor si ma intreb daca nu este si din cauza faptului ca au fost sub comunism peste doua generatii. Vrei sa faci bine, se intreaba in ce scop vrei sa te implici, ce interese ascunse ai..Mi s-a intimplat si m-am invatat minte. Persoana de mai sus are dreptate cind scrie: "fiecare pasare pe limba ei piere". Romanii trebuie lasati in pace, in mocirla lor, sa se bata intre ei, daca asa le vrea "muschiul lor".. Va rog nu va mai consumati energia incercind sa-i intelegeti. Majoritatea sunt pleava - exact ce vedeti la tv, sau pe fb. Nu va dati inima la ciini- v-o spun cu toata sinceritatea deoarece citesc de ani de zile blogul Dvs. chiar daca n-am comentat des.

O zi senina va doresc din toata inima.

[Cristina]

Sorry, dear Roxana. Romanians are not only mad. they are rude, the essence of mitocani or badarani with a marginal education. Yes, they are proud, but it is "fudulia prostului" and, sorry to say it, the frustration they built is due to the fact they were and still are easily manipulated by "care da ceva". I'll never foget the reason why a villager would vote of candidate X rather than Y: because X was giving away something (such as 1 kilo of flour), while the other one was not. I also noticed that Romanians consider themselves "smecheri" = I know better, I survived the Ceausescu era.. It will take a long, long time for Romanians to be able to respectfully disagree with a different point of view and if you only watch very little TV today, you can see how jouranlists shout at each other rather than debate. I totally understand Sarah's indignation and my advice to her is" leave Romanians alone, "in zeama lor". After all, "fiecare pasare pe limba ei piere".. Why should she get a heartache or a headache? They are not worth her aggravation.

[sairj]

Dear Roxana,



I don't care really who hates me or not, but I DO care when I see friends of mine treated with such venom. That is horrible. Truly horrible. It is unnecessary and totally unfair...



I feel rather like I've been sitting in a theatre watching all this unfold on the stage in front of me. It started out as a comedy and then a farce and now it's... well, now it's gone so black I'm not sure what it is, except that the script is lousy...



Thank you for your kind comment, Roxana, and for visiting as always.