Great moments in history
Some of my favorite moments in history are when people in bad circumstances use their ingenuity to turn things around. For example, at the end of the oppressive Franco dictatorship in Spain, an aging and ailing Generalísimo Franco groomed future King Juan Carlos to be his successor. The people of Spain were chagrined, assuming it would mean another 40 years of right-wing totalitarianism. Was a revolution in order? Maybe, but their wounds from the recent and bloody civil war were still festering, and no revolution happened.
Franco died, Juan Carlos took the throne. Then he promptly assembled Parliament, said, “Hey, guys, how about democracy? I’ll just be a figurehead. Cool?” and Spain belatedly progressed into the 20th century.
That’s hilarious. And from what I can tell, the people of Spain were really psyched about it. People my age grew up in a democracy, so they don’t know the difference, but their parents are still just tickled pink about it. Many times during my travels in Spain has a person of my parents’ generation pointed out a piece of public art or a sexy billboard or even an example of dissenting political activism and said, “You see that? We couldn’t have had that under Franco.” They’re so proud of just being able to say what they want to say and do what they want to do.
Why does this come to mind today? Well, I was reading about Cecilia Fire Thunder, the president of the Oglala Sioux tribe in South Dakota. As as health care professional, Ms. Fire Thunder was incensed when Governor Mike Rounds signed HB 1215 into law and effectively banned almost all abortions. Since her tribe is based on the Pine Ridge Reservation, a sovereign land in which the state laws of South Dakota do not apply, she is working to establish a Planned Parenthood clinic there (source).
A little more research led me to this blog, which contains information about how to donate to Ms. Fire Thunder’s cause, if you’re so inclined.
Regardless of your personal opinion on HB 1215, you have to admire the creativity of someone who turned a situation in which she and her people were getting screwed (land stolen, smallpox transmitted, forced to live on reservations) into an advantage not only for the Oglala Sioux, but for people all over the state.
Somehow, the phrase “people were getting screwed” seems a bit, um, inappropriate in this context?
Ah, Juan Carlos. I’ve been thinking about that era too, but because of the recent ETA news. As you know, I moved to Spain in 1980, just after the restoration of democratic institutions. I was there during the attempted coup in 1981, when members of the Guardia Civil took over the parliament building and demanded… well ,I don’t remember exactly what they demanded, Franco’s resurrection? In any case, it was a scary time, but I remember moments of heroism from that, including the president of parliament refusing to sit down even with a submachinegun in his face, and the television camera operators (the legislature was televised then) quietly continuing to film the events.
Juan Carlos came on TV that day, telling the would be coup leaders that it was over, that the era had ended, and that nothing they could do would change that.
I was very proud then, and have always felt Juan Carlos should have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for what he did during that era.
Another figure from that era is Javier Solana, one of the first leftist politicians to endorse Juan Carlos and his decisions. Solana went on to become Secretary General of NATO and Foreign Minister of the EU, and some say may be in line to head the UN someday.
A heady bit of history back then.
My favorite moments in history include those revalatory jolts that occur while viewing a BBC Britcom, a PBS epic miniseries or feature film and discover that your favorite quirky British celebrity has sold out – and is now sporting, gleaming white, picket fence American horse-teeth.
Thank you, map. You always bring a dose of needed reality. I enjoy your comments because you know how to keep things in check.