by Viktor IVANCIC
What was the goal of that gigantic fluff-project?
"Globus' poll about the Croatian patriotism is the first, symbolic, step on the long path of the search for the contemporary Croatian identity, pride and patriotism."
And what did the results of the "Big Globus poll" indicate?
"Results indicate that Croats are a touchingly patriotic people"!
Since, thanks to Globus' scientific apparatus, that thing has now been empirically tested - namely that Croats are a "movingly patriotic nation" - Letica expressed open outrage that "patriotism, i.e. love towards the homeland, was not included in the new Croatian Constitution as one of the highest values of the constitutional order," although according to many, "it is the highest value of all". Furthermore, Letica denounces as "a scandalous omission" the fact that the writers of the constitution "simply did not think of patriotism", but allows for the possibility that not all enlightened patriots are as benign as he, the scientist working for Europapress holding, is, so that numerous members of the Croatian people "could think that this is a big anti-Croatian swindle or a conspiracy"! And they would definitely be right as, as we already know, they are movingly patriotic and also enlightened.
"Regardless of our understanding of patriotism," researcher Slaven Letica continues, "it is undeniable that during 'brotherhood and unity', when only the proletariat and its vanguard [Communists] had the right to love the homeland, patriotism (for ethnic Croats) was frequently anything but that romantic immersion in feelings, but perhaps exactly that immersion was the stake for heroism and readiness to sacrifice for the homeland."
In connection with that "immersion", actually, "immersion as the stake for heroism", Letica relies on several utmost authorities in the field, such as Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic, whose "views about patriotism and love of state" are the closest to his "humane and theoretical convictions and emotions, but are also close to the 'customs of heart' of an average Croat". The alternative about "globalism as a cure" - which, according to Letica is advocated by philosopher Nenad Miscevic - "is insulting for the Croat people" as "Croats are a nation that waited for its own state for almost a thousand years and earned that state in a bloody war". As we know, during those thousand years, it persistently worked on its own enlightenment. For example, Letica, while together with his people he waited "for our own state" wrote the Fourth Yugoslavia.
However, Slaven Letica's "Big Globus poll" also mentions other scientific authorities and their theories, among other "the concept of the famous American theoretician of the nation Hans C. Anderson, referred to as 'an imaginary community'". How? What? "The concept," says Letica," of the famous American theoretician of the nation Hans C. Anderson, referred to as 'an imaginary community'".(Globus, January 12, 2001, page 24)
Well, here we already face a small problem with the big scientific project of our fluff-sociologist. Namely, the "famous American theoretician", if we want to stick to the scientific truth, is not actually named "Hans C. Anderson". Furthermore, if I am not mistaken, "the famous theoretician Hans C. Anderson" does not exist at all. On the other hand, we have Benedict Anderson, the author of the renowned book "Nation - imaginary community". But let's not rush to the conclusion that this was an accidental omission. It is actually very likely that the "Hans C. Anderson" mentioned in the "Big Globus poll" is actually the famous Hans C. Anderson [famous Danish writer] who, just like Slaven Letica, wrote fairytales for small children. The difference is, of course, inasmuch as Hans C. did not try to represent his works as some scientific polls but unabashedly claimed that they were exactly what they were - fairytales.
Namely, in fairytales, the readers in advance know that everything was made up, unlike in "scientific polls", where everything is truthful, factually proven and empirically tested, just like with certain famous Hanses who are actually famous Benedicts. There is a pretty clear character distinction between those who, with the act of writing, create "fictions" in order to point out the truth, and those who create "the truth" in order to prove fabrications. The latter are proven scum.
In the latest issue of Globus, in the intro into his column "enlightened patriot" Slaven Letica says the following: "General Andrija Raseta is sometimes surpassed in his hatred of the Croatian state by his nephew, journalist of the low circulation tabloid Feral Tribune, Boris Raseta."
What did journalist Boris Raseta do wrong?
Fist of all he sinned against the Republic of Croatia:
"Boris Raseta today, ten years after the creation of the Republic of Croatia as a sovereign and democratic, internationally recognized state, mockingly refers to that state as 'Tudman's Croatia'."
He then sinned against the Republic of Letica:
"Therefore, it is not at all surprising that such a journalist simply boils with unquenchable hatred towards me, who during the nineties created a strategy for the creation and defense of the Croatian state against HIS state (the former Yugoslavia)."
Furthermore, he sinned, against the holy Croatian Army, because of his unsuitable genes and unsuitable family origin:
"Those who know that journalist-liar better than I do have assured me that in the early nineties he was actually a deserter (who kept changing address in order to avoid mobilization for the defense of 'Tudman's Croatia') and that he is a nephew of the Yugoslav People's Army General Andrija Raseta."
Finally, he sinned by accepting his genetic-family origin, instead of decisively and timely denouncing it:
"The inclination to lie, scorn of the Republic of Croatia and cynicism with which his journalistic style reek tell me that he picked up his political views and style from his uncle."
In the continuation of the article Slaven Letica describes the criminal character of Yugoslav People's Army General Andrija Raseta, from which movingly patriotic and enlightened readers of Globus should conclude that "his nephew" Boris Raseta, "a journalist of the low circulation tabloid Feral Tribune, is a true heir of his "uncle".
A question: why is it actually superfluous to prove such things? An answer: because Slaven letica is a piece of thrash. To make sure there are no misunderstandings regarding the legal side of this statement, here is another slowed-down replay: Slaven Letica is a piece of human, moral, and intellectual thrash.
Now I already hear as the choir of God-fearing Croat spiritual authorities growls in the background, mumbles that I have stooped impermissibly low, that I have violated all the ethical, professional, and debating standards, the infamous measure of the Croatian civic taste and comfort, otherwise touchingly enlightened, that I have even touched the very bottom at which Slaven Letica has been picking and collecting dregs for years... And indeed, that whole story about one quasi-scientific patriotic prophet, "enlightened patriot" and theoretician of the "third emotional path", the demented story regarding his fairytales and campaigns against unpatriotic individuals, could be further polished, adorned by additional metaphors, and colorful comparisons, but essentially, Slaven Letica is a piece of ordinary thrash.
Slaven Letica based his whole public oeuvre in the past decade on the same shameless pattern, starting with the moment he was appointed for Tudman's advisor for special war issues - pull damaging information from the biographies of the branded individuals, including their medical records, insolently process and forge them, and then deliver to the hungry mob charges of grand treason and genetically predetermined hatred of the Croatian state. The rest would be finished by the "touchingly enlightened" mob.
That was the case with the "witches from Rio", for example Dubravka Ugresic, that was the case with "traitorous artists", such as Mira Furlan, that was the case with "Croat ghouls and demons", such as Lordan Zafranovic. And, interestingly enough, most of "enemies of the people" that had the misfortune of being the object of Slaven Letica's scientific thoroughness and his zealous polishing of guillotine or of scaffolding live abroad until today. Probably because they are "deserters from the military" and consequently "keep moving from one place to another in order to avoid the call to defend the homeland", instead of, just like Slaven Letica's son, going to an American university, at the front line, based on strict father's orders, and thereby enriching the "enlightenment" of their own "patriotism".
The consciousness of the "emotional third path" and "enlightened patriotism" has been created on that basis. This basis has recently been finalized and shaped theoretically and empirically by our fluff-sociologist (expert for the "customs of heart") after a whole decade of practice. The basis is as follows: claim that someone is "a nephew of Yugoslav People's Army General Andrija Raseta", even though he is not that, then imply that he is consequently a criminal who hates Croatia because of the necessary influence of "the life with his uncle", even though he is not actually his uncle; all of that will be considered to be absolutely ordinary, just as any subsequent attack on the said individual; if on the other hand you say that the creator of that sick lie, only one in a long series of similar lies of the same author, is ordinary moral and intellectual thrash, that will definitely alert sensitive sensors of numerous Croat spiritual greats.
Besides, this obscure debate has recently become a national trend. Last week, Slobodna Dalmacija wrote about an unsuccessful attempt of Slobodanka Postic to return to her own apartment (from which she had been forcibly evicted eight years earlier) under the indicative headline: "Family of Missing Defender of Vukovar Bothered by Secretary of YPA General Raseta!" The fact that Slobodanka Postic was never a secretary but earned for living as a teacher and in that miserable life never even met "YPA General Andrija Raseta", would probably be explained away by Slaven Letica as the result of "inclination towards lying and scorn of the Republic of Croatia", which is totally understandable considering that the said teacher was the secretary of General Raseta whom she never met and if scientific explanations were needed, theoretician Hans C. Anderson who is actually Benedict Anderson would be quoted. The only important thing is not to be a Serb!
This is the only knowledge necessary for nurturing of "enlightened patriotism", for marching on the "emotional third path", for collective "search for the contemporary Croatian identity and pride" that will result in the discovery "of the heroism and readiness to sacrifice for the homeland".
Considering the general state of mind, clearly depicted in the "Big Globus poll" it is too hopeful to hope that Letica's long lasting chauvinist farce, together with its creator, will in the near future end up where it belongs - in the rubbish bin. Although that would be very convenient and practical - a suitable bunker is the best post for the defense of the homeland.
P.S. I nearly forgot. Letica's column in the last issue of Globus is ostensibly dedicated to the affair regarding the transcripts from the office of the president of the state and as an aside mentions that "the spirit of General Andrija Raseta" rules on Pantovcak. I contribute the following quote in hope that it will spur further discussion:
"I gave a lot of money to Slaven Letica. The codeword for foreign currency was 'hard boiled eggs', while the codeword for dinars was 'soft boiled eggs'. He sold me transcripts and other state secrets. Some of the fees were as high as $750. I do not want to mention other witnesses."
The quote belongs to Marinko Bozic, the source is Slobodni Tjednik, the issue published on January 8, 1993.
Namely, every age has its "uncle".