It is fair to say that Cllr Siân Caiach does not have a huge fan base in County Hall, but she is always worth listening to, whether you agree with what she says or not.
Earlier today Cllr Caiach wrote the following comment in response to the piece in English about this Saturday's Rally in Carmarthen. It deserves to be reproduced in its own right.
For the record, the Rally on Saturday is intended to be a positive, affirming event. Although the County Council and the Welsh Government can expect to come in for criticism, don't expect to hear much whinging. Equally, in just one and a half hours and with some 20 speakers getting a minute each, don't expect it to be a debate about detailed proposals on the future of the language.
Anyone interested in ideas and details of some of the work already going on should take a look at Cymdeithas yr Iaith's Maniffesto Byw and the new Cynghrair Cymunedau Cymraeg, as well as Mudiad Dyfodol i'r Iaith.
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The sad fact is that without a proper national economy the Welsh Language is likely to be in trouble in a recession. In County Hall Plaid and other nationalist leaning councillors have been effectively sidelined by being bought off by concessions in Welsh education, much needed, but undermined themselves by supporting for the past decade a policy of building homes for incomers, commuters, second home owners and retirees, while not putting in the infrstructure for jobs for young people.
This has led to an unfortunate rise in English speakers [many deliberately imported] and loss of Welsh speakers [discouraged from staying by no employment].
As long as we allow ourselves to be a marginal and unimportant area of the UK this will not change. Only real political change will save the language, and there is no point in politely asking the puppets of the British state to save it, whether in County Council, Assembly or Westminster. They are all in it together, and not on our side, however profuse the crocodile tears.
It's not just about the ease or otherwise of learning Welsh, irritating snooty Welsh speakers and poor funding. Its about real nation building. A Welsh speaker may or may not be committed to that and there have been many willing to take the easy life. Possibly, often the same irritating people who destroy the self confidence of learners efforts in Welsh by correcting, rather than replying.
The language has been more difficult to destroy than the economy and infrastructure of the geographical nation of Wales,but can't survive for ever living on fresh air.
On Saturday I want to hear some real proposals for how we, ourselves can forge the changes, not just whingeing about how awful it is and asking someone else, somewhere else to save us.
Cllr Sian Caiach
Thursday, January 17, 2013
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