From: simonl@daimi.aau.dk (Simon Laub) Subject: The European Union . Keywords: Maastricht, Referendums , The new cult=religion Message-ID: <1992Jul2.222841.18532@daimi.aau.dk> Date: 2 Jul 92 22:28:41 GMT The European Union ---- I dont like the black and white picture so many try to press down onto the EC Unification process. I dont like , that a person (like myself) that sees the Maastricht treaty as a poor basis for European Union is immediately labeled eurohater . Actually come to think of it. I voted for the treaty at the danish referendum ... but considering that this is a key- document in the lives of 340 million people I find it vague, without values ,without real perspective ... Nothing to be proud of as an European. Then comes along all the people , that want to be trendy,hip or whatever ... and to them you are not allowed to criticize one single thing , if the word 'european' is somehow involved . Europe is for these people some sort of a new religion to follow and they are as strong believers as any faithfull has ever been . It would be extremely nice , if it was possible to talk in a relaxed atmosphere. The danish referendum is not the end of the world, neither the french nor the Irish. Take the results and then continue slowly from then on ... I see no problem. The problem layes elsewhere in the current European agenda. Let me mention freedom of speech. If you criticize 'the European Project' you are fast moving away from the establishment and becoming pariah (even poor me. I utter one critical word and immediately receive a bunch of hate mail from (mostly) Europeans .. the fanmail is from Americans ... but then ,they have always been more favourable towards freedom ). But lets have another e.g. Recently the 12 EC heads of state met in Portugal in a palace build for the occasion by the Portuguese government costing 1.5 billion dollars. The style of the palace reminds me of one mr. Ceaucesco of Bucarest,Rumania . And the style of black limousines speeding through a poor country side with EC-european leaders hidden behind curtains reminds me of communist Russia . But no, these are our chaps , so they are good chaps working for the benefit of the people , angry people write me. And I wonder what these people would have said in Honeckers DDR . A United Europe ( which I favor ) should be build on free and independent people . They should not surrender their freedom to some "higher" course as out of some Rousseau-textbook gone mad. I find it aggravating that the focus of attention is not on what can be done to make the life of an ordinary worker in Dresden better or a schoolteacher in Firenze ... Instead the show is for politicians and bureaucrats , who after a university degree or two and twenty years service in the "system" has no respect for ordinary people anymore. And then about america , why does the true eurobelievers always hold so little respect for America ? Today I read , that the EC plans a trade war with the US , dumping the prizes on steal . For the very,very,very small minority of us , who actually likes the US ,this is always sad reading . Why cannot the EC be at peace with itself and surroundings ? Some of us thinks that its a way of getting rid of internal pressure , by finding outside enemies ..... and that is not very charming at all ! Where are the signs that Europeans have learned to live as free people in peace with each other and the US and the rest of the world. Sometimes they are hard to see and thats very,very sad indeed. Simon Laub. Ps. As new technology makes it easier to travel from one end to another of europe. As television crosses boarders and as all european countries realize , that it is easier to sell goods to each other , than Tasmania . European Unity should come easy with time. And if the EC wants something to to do meanwhile . Why not organize first aid to Somalia . Expand the programes to make european industry more competitive etc. etc. P.Ps. Latest opionpoll in germany made by ARD july 2. based on 39000 voters in Germany says : Pro Maastricht : 24 percent, Contra : 76 percent. But as usual it is ended with the usual "besserwisser". If only the voters knew more about Maastricht then they would come to love it.