MaltaToday previous editions

MT 22 January 2017

Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/776046

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 16 of 55

one particular place that's your home. We are territorial creatures so we protect where we live and when we don't like it, we move. I think if you are visiting somewhere else you should be respectful of your surround- ings, if you live there full time whether you are a citizen or not I think you have the right to criticise, because those are your sur- roundings. German, resident of Berlin (lived in Malta for six years) If we had to be honest, I think everyone is a bit proud of their native country. But even I used to be very critical about Berlin my- self... I always wanted to get away to a more sunny, happy place. People just want to get out of their rut. It's very easy to always criti- cise the place you live in since that's where you get all the negative news from. Once you are settled in a new place and make it your home you start nagging about this and that again too. I probably do get offended if the person who criticises Germany is not using facts or makes a general remark that includes all Germans, e.g., Germans are all Nazis, or we all wear Lederhosen (although this is fun- ny!). If someone critiques something which is true, such as, Germany is so bureaucrat- ic... I would agree with it. However, if someone bashes Malta I feel sad too.. but only if it's a generalisation. If someone bashes the Maltese government for not doing anything about the environment, or the bird hunting issue… I would have to agree. I once had a Maltese boyfriend whose brother was a hunter. I never judged him for it but I could never agree with his hobby. I think we get defensive because it's a feel- ing of protecting what's dear to you… home is where the heart is, but that should not make us blind to an open discussion. The way I see it, if you live in a new coun- try, and make it your home and pay taxes, I think you should have the right to have your voice heard. I don't like people myself that totally complain about everything. I always made a point when I lived in Malta to respect (as much as I understood) the culture. You can't ignore the cultural aspect, otherwise why did you leave your country in the first place? Don't expect everyone around you to change for you. But you can always set a good e x a m p l e and lead. You can g i v e i d e a s and con- s t r u c t i v e criticism. Don't piss people off un- necessarily but be always respectful about the way you speak about someone's home coun- try. Having said this, when I lived in Malta there were several things that bugged me too, but overall I was happy and the positive out- weighed the negative. Maltese, resident of Norway for 5 years I have never openly criticised Norway. I think it is rude and dis- respectful to do so. And I question the reason for doing so. I would have to be really frus- trated to vent out loud. You do have the right to complain like everyone else, but you have to adapt to the culture, too. People here don't complain that much. What I have done is comment on things which I find strange – and am usually met with silence. Norwegians are hyper patriotic, so you have to be extra-careful when pointing out things that you dislike. A friend of mine once asked why Norwegian women are so openly promiscuous and the reply was 'be- cause we are not hypocrites'. You can't ar- gue with that. There is a popular book The Social Guide book to Norwegians which says that you should never criticise anything Norwegians are proud of. I don't think anyone would be happy if you criticised the royal family. They are very well-loved. However, I do feel that one day I will write something about racism in Norway. There is a fine line between being patriotic and racist and I have been at the receiving end of what I could call an 'unwel- coming' attitude. It would be an insight, rather than criti- cism. I feel that because I chose to live here, if I criticised anything I would be told "why don't you leave. No one is forcing you to stay." I don't even complain about the weath- er. It occurred to me to- day when a colleague said "I want summer". I don't even dare to say that. I hate it when someone bashes Malta, the same way I would feel if anyone criti- cised members of my family. It's an automatic reac- tion. I can do it in pri- vate but I don't want to know if you feel the same way. I try to give reasons for things, but there is only so much that you can justify the things we all hate about Mal- ta, such as the litter, traffic jams, dog poo on pavements and noise levels. Yes it is both over- protective and hyper- sensitive. I think it reflects one's character. Scottish, resident of Malta for 8 years There is possibly noth- ing people can say about Scotland that I haven't said myself. After all, I am living in Malta. I can get a wee bit protective when it comes to (leader of Scottish National Party) Nicola Sturgeon and Independence and I sup- pose I get most ticked off when people say that they couldn't survive without England. I don't like the Maltese haters, who just complain day in day out. If you truly hate a place, why live there? After all, in life, there are choices. On the other hand, I get so mad when peo- ple say that you have to respect the 'host' country, put up and shut up. There are ways of saying things politely. You should hear my neighbours when it comes to Malta. They are relentless in some things, but maybe because they are Maltese they are allowed to? I wouldn't have achieved what I have, if I had 'put up and shut up'. Should I have left Malta when I realised, and left it to someone else? I don't think anyone else would have taken on the task of fighting discrimina- tion in the rental sector, even when it affects Maltese just as much. Words are just so easy, but ac- tion takes effort. Polite and respectful costs nothing, but I don't believe in biting my tongue. More so when it's important to me. I think con- structive criticism is brilliant, and I would never criticise for the sake of criticism. Maltese-Canadian, resident of Malta for 11 years I don't get offend- ed in the slightest when someone criticises Can- ada and if the criticism is ac- curate. I'll join in. If it's not, I'll correct them or possibly laugh at the error. What is there to get offended about any- way? I'm not the country. I'm just a person who happens to have been born there. Almost my entire family in Canada is Maltese, on my fa- ther's side. Grand- parents, half a doz- en aunts and uncles, and a good percentage of their spouses, and lots of cousins of course. I grew up eating a lot of pastizzi. I'd like to remind everyone how many left Malta in the past for economic reasons. So the way I feel about good honest criticism about Malta is the exact same way I do about bashing Canada or any place else, including all of planet Earth. Bashing is one thing, accurate criti- cism is another. One is silly, and the other useful. I actually think the idea of patriotism is stupid. I'm not the country. I didn't write the laws or create the language or raise some land out of the sea. This is not the same as taking pride in where you live in the sense that you will do what you can to main- tain it or make it better, but that's just being a good human. It is not the same as appreci- ation of what is good about a place. Nation- alism is just a good excuse to hate someone else and pretend there is some huge differ- ence between people. Most people didn't get to choose their native language, religion, or culture. It's just something they were born into. Even so, people for the most part just want to eat, work, smile, enjoy a sunny day, love their children and watch them grow, and hopefully have some good company along the way. Being respectful and not criticising are not at all the same thing. Understanding, ac- cepting, and adapting to a culture is a good thing, and certainly something you should do. Good criticism though is how things that need to be improved get attention. In fact it's a civic duty. Standing silent and doing noth- ing is to accept it. So, which is which? All a person can do is call it as they see it. Certain- ly though, and it's a strange thing in Malta, it makes no sense to be angry at a foreigner for saying exactly the same things that many Maltese do. British-Maltese, resident of Malta for 14 years, now back in UK Generally I do my best to ignore people when they criticise the UK. I put it down to them having a bad day...! However if I get caught off-guard, usually unfair remarks that 'tarnish all with the same brush' about ignorance and bad education are what get to me the most. When someone bashes Malta I just don't give them the time of day really. There are positives and negatives in everything, and someone bashing something says more about them than anything else I think. I think when we get offended it's more of a feeling of being over protective. If we live where we live by choice, then we've decided to do so for a reason... if someone is offend- ing that location then it's up to me/us to convince them otherwise, and perhaps see reason? On the other hand, it's quite elitist to think that only the people born in the country have the right to complain about it. I would be re- spectful of a country's law and constructs, but if I had a gripe I would communicate it in a civil manner and stand up for myself. 17 News maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 JANUARY 2017 Nationalism is just a good excuse to have someone else and pretend there is some huge difference between people Flower of Scotland: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with a proud independence supporter

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of MaltaToday previous editions - MT 22 January 2017