"Free Bird"

by Megan Lindburg

Second Place Winner, 1102, USF Bullitzer Prize in First-Year Composition

Abstract

Today, unfortunately, there are many "terrorist" societies around the globe. Some are viewed as "freedom fighters," others as heartless killers. The Basque are considered, by many, to be a "terrorist" nation fighting to regain their freedom. The term "regain" is used in the sense that these people were once a free society with their own form of government that was then stripped from them, forcing them to be under the rule of others. It is for this reason, as well as the mistreatment of the people, and the challenging of their way of life that they were forced into the "terrorist" way of life.

The Basque have been around for a very long time. They are considered to be one of the oldest surviving nations in the world. They had always been independent from Spain, under the agreement that they would still honor the King as their "constitutional monarch." This agreement was broken by the Spanish monarchy and thus the Basque were forced to find a way to retaliate. Some of the more radical Basque developed the ETA (Freedom for the Basque Country), which became labeled as a terrorist type of response. The Basque are not a violent people. Their government is a democracy, and they believe strongly in the equality of their people. They hold the family to be very sacred and the rights of individuals to be absolute law. Overall, they had never presented a threat to anyone or anything until their freedom was taken from them. As a result, many have come to question whether their acts of terrorism have in fact evolved from the loss of their freedom.

Free Bird

By Megan Lindburg

In the heights of the Pyrenees dwell a people long oppressed by the two countries they inhabit (de Barandiaran 96). These people are called the Basque. They have lived in this region for longer than time itself and are "one of the oldest peoples in existence" (de Aguirre 491). The Basque have recently entered the world stage due to a "terrorist" group know as the ETA: "Euskadi ta Askatasuna, Freedom for the Basque country" (Sullivan 33). The Basque are a "terrorist" society because they have been mistreated as a people and forced to live under a foreign government which has threatened their way of life.

Throughout the long history of the Basque, the people had their own set of laws, ideas, and values. These people are thought to have survived because, as de Aguirre states, "Basque thought has never changed" (491). He means that while the rest of the world evolved, the Basque remained the same. They never sought to expand their territorial claims or to push their beliefs upon others. Unfortunately, the world surrounding them did. The Basque region is primarily located in Spain. The monarchs of Spain used to recognize the Basque as having their own constitution. The Kings agreed not to meddle in the affairs of the Basque and they in turn honored the King as their "constitutional monarch" as opposed to their "absolute monarch" (de Aguirre 493). This understanding was broken in "1936 when the Spanish monarchy suppressed Basque sovereignty" (de Aguirre 495). This was a highly unjust action. These people had never stepped outside of their agreement, nor had they inflicted any type of harm on anyone. There are many reasons as to why this may have occurred. The Spanish monarchy could have seen the Basque as a potential threat because they were unwilling to succumb to the absolute rule of Spain. It also could have been the result of a feeling of discrimination against the Basque because they are so very different from the surrounding peoples. They are different in the sense that they have their own language, known as Euskera, which is thought, by some, to have been spoken in the Garden of Eden (de Aguirre 492). Sullivan claims that Euskera "is not Indo-European and has no apparent connection with any other language" (2). In any case, it was not right for the monarchy to mistreat the Basque peoples for being independent and living the way they had always lived. In recognition of this incident, the Basque began to fight for the re-establishment of their independence. Thus, a group was formed by the name of ETA, which committed acts of "terrorism" across the country.

The Basque believe strongly in a democratic form of government. Their government, however, was also stripped from them with the removal of their sovereignty. This was a further attack on the Basque "as a people." They had only ever upheld the equality of each individual within their nation. In today’s world, it is believed, by many, that a democracy is the only form of government that will not go to war with any form of itself. Therefore, it seems beneficial to allow the Basque to be a democracy as they had always been. McCall states that the Basque are "one of the most heavily documented ‘government-in-exile’ movements of the twentieth century" (163). To have this freedom taken away without probable cause only succeeded in angering them further. As with any group of people who are persecuted, a subgroup (ETA) of radical nationalists arose within the Basque. These nationalists are considered by MacClancy to be the Basque "popular army whose gunmen are [the nation’s] best sons" (17). The ETA has taken matters into its own hands in terms of getting the Basque’s sovereignty back. They demand what they want by bombing public areas and shooting the Spanish police. If someone is suspected of being an informant of the opposing side, they will shoot to kill (MacClancy 17). Though this was the wrong action to take against the Spanish government (because they are harming civilians, too) the ETA is a radical group and cannot be viewed as the image of all Basque peoples.

The overall culture and lifestyle of the Basque people has also been challenged by the Spanish government. The culture of these people centers about the family. Their law firmly states that no one can be taken from their home for crime or any other reason (de Aguirre 494). The home is very sacred to the Basque people because it resembles the oneness of their society and their spirituality. Law also states that no man may be accused of a crime and tried for it by anyone but the Basque themselves. They have a very specific procedure that they follow in dealing with their criminals. It is forbidden to "torture or threat of torture, either direct or indirect" any one of their people no matter where they are in the world (de Aguirre 494). The Basque view this as an intolerable act that cannot and will not be allowed. They consider it to be inhuman, as opposed to the rest of the world, which views it as a means to acquire needed information. The lifestyles of these peaceful peoples were that of an almost perfect society. They treat each other in fairness and they persecute no one. They keep their religious beliefs separate from their governmental affairs. In doing so, no one is oppressed. They do not discriminate against anyone or anything. They are just trying to be and live the way that they always have. If this had not been taken away from them, perhaps they would not have a radical nationalist group "terrorizing" Spain. There are other means by which they could redeem their independence as opposed to "terror." They have tried many options and, as of today, they have not yet succeeded in this endeavor. One is compelled to feel a sense of compassion toward the loss of such a great peoples’ freedom and way of life. Thankfully, they have not yet given up. They maintain these values and customs within their boundaries until one day their sovereignty is returned to them.

It can be concluded that the Basque are a "terrorist" society because they have been mistreated as a people, a foreign government was forced upon them, and their way of life was challenged. Their situation could be compared to that of a wild bird put in a cage. This bird knows the taste of freedom and has since had it torn away. Now all that is left are the cold bars through which this bird must view the world knowing that open skies lie just beyond the cage. The bird has the choice of becoming bitter and striking back or accepting its fate. The Basque have chosen to fight back, some in a way that is unbecoming to their society; but people often go to the extreme in anger. There is still the hope that one day soon, the Basque will be recognized for their history and what they stand for. Maybe then they will be set free and the acts of "terror" will come to an end.

Works Cited

de Aguirre, Jose Antonio. "Basque Thought at the Present Moment." Journal of Educational Sociology 18.8 (1945): 491-96. JSTOR. Tampa Lib., U of South Florida. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://www.jstor.org>.

de Barandiaran, J. M. "82. On the Conservation of the Basque Peoples." Man 46 (1946): 96-97. JSTOR. Tampa Lib., U of South Florida. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://www.jstor.org>.

McCall, Grant. "American Anthropological Interest and Prospects in Basque Studies." Current Anthropology 11.2 (1970): 161-64. JSTOR. Tampa Lib., U of South Florida. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://www.jstor.org>.

MacClancy, Jeremy. "The Culture of Radical Basque Nationalism." Anthropology Today 4.5 (1988): 17-19. JSTOR. Tampa Lib., U of South Florida. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://www.jstor.org>.

Sullivan, John. ETA and Basque Nationalism: The Fight for Euskadi 1890-1986. New York: Routledge, 1988.

Annotated Bibliography

de Aguirre, Jose Antonio. "Basque Thought at the Present Moment." Journal of Educational Sociology 18.8 (1945): 491-96. JSTOR. Tampa Lib., U of South Florida. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://www.jstor.org>.

Aguirre’s article on the Basque peoples "at the present moment" gives a good overview of the history of their beliefs and actions. He begins by stating that "the Basques are one of the oldest peoples in existence." Then he continues to enforce this point as he gives further descriptions of their struggles. He also provides details about their customs as a people. This article is very beneficial in making an argument because it provides a wide range of pertinent information. It also contains a lot of key facts not found in other sources and a sense of understanding and compassion for where these people come from.

de Barandiaran, J. M. "82. On the Conservation of the Basque Peoples." Man 46 (1946): 96-97. JSTOR. Tampa Lib., U of South Florida. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://www.jstor.org>.

Barandiaran’s article describes the location of the Basques and their culture. He discusses the language of the people and how important it is. He also talks about their political structure and how they are perceived by the rest of the world. He touches briefly on the beliefs of the Basque as well. This article is helpful in forming an argument because it contains a lot of valuable information that is useful for choosing a side on the issue. He also sums up his article by giving his beliefs regarding the Basque and what should be done about them. This provides support that will be useful in arguing one side of the argument.

McCall’s article also is very descriptive of the location of the Basque peoples. He gives an estimate as to how many persons are considered to be Basque. He calls the Basque a "peasant people." He talks about the Basque on a world scale, but also addresses their domestic traits as well. His article is useful in developing an argument because he has a different idea about the complexity of the Basque. Thus, he provides yet another point of view on the issue and what should be done about it. He goes into great detail about some Basque characteristics, which provide evidence in supporting an argument.

MacClancy, Jeremy. "The Culture of Radical Basque Nationalism." Anthropology Today 4.5 (1988): 17-19. JSTOR. Tampa Lib., U of South Florida. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://www.jstor.org>.

MacClancy’s article takes a completely different stance on the Basque. He describes their militaristic aspects. He also refers to them as the Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA) or "Freedom for the Basque Country" and seems to look at them as more of a terrorist group than a people. He uses a lot of their terminology and provides informative definitions. The Basque are referred to in terms of their activity and recent events. This article is useful in developing an argument because it focuses on another side of the issue and it looks at the Basque from a different perspective. It provides a twist in the way in which the Basque are perceived.

Sullivan, John. ETA and Basque Nationalism: The Fight for Euskadi 1890-1986. New York: Routledge, 1988.

Sullivan’s book offers a vast amount of information on the Basque. He covers the history in great detail and explains the reasons as to why they have become what they are. He also differentiates between the ETA and the Basque people. He offers an in-depth perception of the life of the Basque peoples. This book is helpful in developing an argument because it offers a lot of the information on the Basque and the ETA in great detail. It also explains the reasoning behind the actions taken by the ETA, thus providing evidence to support a strong and knowledgeable argument.