Nation-Building and Contested Identities - MEK

RÃZVAN PÂRÂIANURomanians are facing nowadays a creature without any face, a piece ofplasma snaking soundless from the West, very close to the ground. It isthe new man, Homo Europaeus, who has Romanian features. Made in theEuropean genetic laboratories, under the strict surveillance of the UnitedStates and Great Britain, the new man does not have anymore whatwe call a country. 50For a better understanding of what Homo Europaeus means, Popescu portrayedhim in a very relevant manner. Europe is in an advanced stage ofdecomposition. National pride and the lack of patriotism are predominant.The army is no longer a national army and, therefore, it lost its prestige.The deficit of patriotism parallels another deficit. Religiosity is alsolacking in Homo Europaeus. Of course, without the holy triangle State –Army – Church, not only the nation is endangered, but even humankindis under threat: “An entire series of notions, still living notions for manyRomanians, are in an advanced stage of decomposition in Europe: state,nation, national army, the fight for your country, religion, national churchand historical past.” 51More than that, being less national, Europe is about to become lessdemocratic, because nation means the people: “The supranational institutionsare so strong compared to [European] states, not to mention thepeoples, that it is imaginable that in the near future voting will be excludedfrom the democratic procedures, the election of high officials beingbased on drawing lots, like in ancient Athens.” 52 To have a complete picture,Popescu states that the European conspiracy was directed by theUnited States and Great Britain. In these countries, the popular trust inthe army is intact, the cult of nation, of banner and of national anthem isstill alive. Protestantism is still the same powerful religion. Since theBritish-American conspiracy of Europeanism is not so tangible for ordinarypeople, it needs to be related to other more suggestive dangers: Hungarianrevisionism.Faced with this sinister European interference, Romania is ready torevolt against these horrors. “I am defending my poverty, my needs, and mykin,” as Eminescu, the national poet, put it in a famous poem, depictingthe confrontation between Mircea the Brave, a fourteenth century Wallachianprince, and the Ottoman Sultan Beyazit I. The European ideologyis helpless in face of Romanian poverty, a proud poverty. This povertyis an obstacle for the formation of the “new man.” Once again, the newEuropean man is similar to the communist new man because it affects thenational heritage. Poor societies are much stronger in defending theirnational identity because it is the last thing they are left with. 53 Denationalization,ethnic autonomy, demilitarization, facultative military service,110