Political rhetoric and debate
Political rhetoric and debate. That was the the somewhat deadpanned title of their first meeting, or 'session' as
Ainsley had called it. But, gathered they were, chairs in place, drinks nearby, jukebox behaving well and being silent,
and so Guy stood up.
"We start with an anecdote. An event central to the initiation of the Thirty Years' War in Bohemia.
Under Emperor Rudolph II - one of the Habsburg's - Prague became the capital of Bohemia. It flourished artistically, intellectually and
spiritually. The man was praised amongst the citizens, but was a bloody lousy ruler otherwise. A poor debater and an awful negotiator,
he lost part of his empire to his brother Mathias in 1608. Three years later Mathias became the new ruler and settled in Vienna instead. The man was a bastard and all freedoms that Prague had gained were reversed, including the freedom of religion. People weren't amused.
Some members of the Bohemian aristocracy effectively revolted following the 1617 election of Ferdinand - Duke of Styria and annoyingly Catholic - as King of Bohemia. In 1617, Roman Catholic officials ordered the cessation of construction of some Protestant chapels on land which the Catholic clergy claimed belonged to them. Protestants, who claimed that it was Royal land and thus available for their own use, interpreted this as a violation of the right of freedom of religious expression as granted in the Letter of Majesty issued by Emperor Rudolf II in 1609. They feared that the fiercely Catholic Ferdinand would revoke the Protestant rights altogether once he came to the throne.
At Prague Castle on May 23, 1618, an assembly of Protestants tried - and by that I mean accused in a fit of rage and anger - two Imperial
governors for violating the Letter of Majesty, found them guilty, and threw tm out of the high windows of the Palace. Some say to their
deaths, some say onto a pile of horse shit, some say both.
The event later became known as the second Fensterstrurz, or Defenestration. It happened before on the 30th of July 1419. It seems
the Bohemian character has found something lyrical in the act and turned it into a cultural sport.
Underlying to this is, of course, the revolt, the rebellion to the limitation of freedom, the unsatisfactory outcome of decisions and
events happening years before and so on. Never does one singular event lead to one other, no matter how much it seems so. No country, no man is an island." He looked side-ways at Ainsley. America was the exception and his look was the only indication to that sentiment.
"This, however, is an island. In the literal sense. Now, I a not suggesting chucking anyone out of any high window. But; can our home situations then be translated to terms of the island? In any way? And should they be? Can we learn from our origins, the situations and the history of our roots, or are they impeding us in creating an effective Island system?
Discuss."
And there it was. The start. The possibly hopeless start. But it was there.
((Gathering style Discussion group in the rec room. Tag everyone and anyone and discuss!))
Ainsley had called it. But, gathered they were, chairs in place, drinks nearby, jukebox behaving well and being silent,
and so Guy stood up.
"We start with an anecdote. An event central to the initiation of the Thirty Years' War in Bohemia.
Under Emperor Rudolph II - one of the Habsburg's - Prague became the capital of Bohemia. It flourished artistically, intellectually and
spiritually. The man was praised amongst the citizens, but was a bloody lousy ruler otherwise. A poor debater and an awful negotiator,
he lost part of his empire to his brother Mathias in 1608. Three years later Mathias became the new ruler and settled in Vienna instead. The man was a bastard and all freedoms that Prague had gained were reversed, including the freedom of religion. People weren't amused.
Some members of the Bohemian aristocracy effectively revolted following the 1617 election of Ferdinand - Duke of Styria and annoyingly Catholic - as King of Bohemia. In 1617, Roman Catholic officials ordered the cessation of construction of some Protestant chapels on land which the Catholic clergy claimed belonged to them. Protestants, who claimed that it was Royal land and thus available for their own use, interpreted this as a violation of the right of freedom of religious expression as granted in the Letter of Majesty issued by Emperor Rudolf II in 1609. They feared that the fiercely Catholic Ferdinand would revoke the Protestant rights altogether once he came to the throne.
At Prague Castle on May 23, 1618, an assembly of Protestants tried - and by that I mean accused in a fit of rage and anger - two Imperial
governors for violating the Letter of Majesty, found them guilty, and threw tm out of the high windows of the Palace. Some say to their
deaths, some say onto a pile of horse shit, some say both.
The event later became known as the second Fensterstrurz, or Defenestration. It happened before on the 30th of July 1419. It seems
the Bohemian character has found something lyrical in the act and turned it into a cultural sport.
Underlying to this is, of course, the revolt, the rebellion to the limitation of freedom, the unsatisfactory outcome of decisions and
events happening years before and so on. Never does one singular event lead to one other, no matter how much it seems so. No country, no man is an island." He looked side-ways at Ainsley. America was the exception and his look was the only indication to that sentiment.
"This, however, is an island. In the literal sense. Now, I a not suggesting chucking anyone out of any high window. But; can our home situations then be translated to terms of the island? In any way? And should they be? Can we learn from our origins, the situations and the history of our roots, or are they impeding us in creating an effective Island system?
Discuss."
And there it was. The start. The possibly hopeless start. But it was there.
((Gathering style Discussion group in the rec room. Tag everyone and anyone and discuss!))