Among all the reactions to the Christmas speech by Spain's king Felipe, there are some that stand out in particular due to the intellectual vacuousness of those who present them. They are exemplified by the statements made by Salvador Illa, organizational secretary of the Catalan Socialists (PSC), who considers that those of us who criticize the discourse of Felipe VI are in another world. Illa obviously sings the praises of the king's words and has every right to do, continuing the tradition of his predecessors in the role who every year gave the same opinion of the king's Christmas Eve address. First those by one king, Juan Carles I, and subsequently those of the next, his son Felipe. But from here to saying that we critics are in another world there is an abyss.
Unless, of course, what he really means to say is that all the institutions of Catalonia are in another world together, along with the majority of Catalan society and that he, come what may, is stubbornly remaining in the imaginary world, which is his world, small though it might be. Catalan public television did not broadcast this year's speech on its flagship channel TV3, relegating the address to its 24-hour news channel, where last year it had a very poor 0.9% audience share. When this year's audience figures come out we'll see if there is much difference or if, on the other hand, that ridiculous level has been maintained.
And it's not that strange to wonder: in what world would he situate those who are today behind bars enduring unjust preventative prison, and those who are in exile? And the thousands of people who on Christmas Day gathered at Lledoners prison and sang Christmas carols to the prisoners for hours? And for some of the leading radio broadcasters in the country who took part in a special seven-hour programme in homage to the prisoners? And the football players, doctors, singers, chefs, actors, and so on, who also took part? For Illa they must also belong to another world.
If it was a choice between a world as small as the one which suspended the autonomy of Catalonia with article 155 and the other inhabited by those who defend democracy, the ballot box, freedom and justice, it seems that there wouldn't be much argument.