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| Nadia Yassine, 07-06-2006 |
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| “After the earthquake that had destroyed the three quarters of Lisbon, the wise of the country found no efficient way to prevent total destruction better than giving to the people a beautiful auto-da-fé. It was decided by the University of Coïmbre that the show of a few persons burnt at the stake slowly, in great ceremony, was an infallible secret to stop the earth from shaking.” |
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| Thus begins a chapter from “Candide” written by Voltaire, who denounces the immoderation and absurdity of the cause-and-effect links established by some superstitious authorities. The “auto-da-fé” describes ridicule that …kills, as four sentenced persons will die and “Cunégonde, the gem of girls, had her belly opened up.” |
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| A Moroccan adage that translated the same phenomenon says: “the minaret has collapsed, do hang the barber”. The Makhzen in a state of feverish modernization has stricken adages on the ground too. It is with blows with clubs and sabre-rattling that they plan to modernize this adage that nobody understands no more, anyway. From now on, the meaning of the adage will be better defined. In the modern Moroccan language, it will become: “Morocco is falling apart, stop the visions of the Justice and Spirituality Movement.” |
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| Nobody will find fault with this noble action that consists in giving new adages to the Moroccan popular culture. |
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| The Makhzen, for lack of giving a real alternative, has given us a new code of personal status which is more a fictional law than anything else. Thanks to it, for instance, the little Bedouins have fallen back in the traps of traditional marriage. |
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| The Makhzen has given us new security forces that remind us of the story of those people who went to meet with their cruel ruler to complain about his elephant that wrecked their crops. Once in front of him, they were so terrorized that they asked him a female elephant for his elephant. I am certainly not alluding to the recruitment of women in the police forces. I would even say that it would have been a good thing if the Makhzen’s heart was in it. If only the female chromosomes of our policewomen could urge them to feel sympathy for the citizens and stop the policemen from fleecing them not for road security reasons, but for the security of their own future that is uncertain (well, it’s just a figure of speech). After all, the Titanic has not spared the female element. Run for your life!!! |
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| The Makhzen has given us women imams. Again I have nothing against recruiting women as imams even though it is the product of pure demagogy. After the Parliament where they have invited women to take legislative naps, now they invite women to sing lullabies of official Islam to consciences, after the latter (the consciences ) had been well prepared by soporific effects that have lasted for long centuries now. |
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| The Makhzen has showered us with its favours and donations. As they are also not easily put off, that will give a continuation to our records in international reports. As we are falling part all over, it is “fair enough” to keep at least our place of choice in the Guinness of ridicule. That’s why the regime has declared war on our visions.After the war of beaches, time is now for the war of dreams. |
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| It’s a pity that Voltaire did not have a premonitory dream concerning this hilarious situation. The “auto-da-fé” would have been even funnier. Though the outcome would have certainly been the same as it is a logical outcome in a cause-and-effect situation that is illogical… Voltaire says that despite the auto-da-fé “on the same day the earth shook again with a terrible crash.” Which goes to show that history repeats itself… |
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