BBC Discovers Authoritarianism Only Bad in Old Spain
The BBC's account of Marina's mother, a 'free spirit' locked up and drugged into a coma in 1960s Spain by the 'Patronato' and the Catholic Church, is indeed a harrowing expose of authoritarian control. Such stories serve as a potent reminder of how states historically suppress dissent and enforce conformity, often through institutions cloaked in moral authority. Yet, the article conveniently
forgets to connect these historical dots to current events, where similar mechanisms of control, albeit perhaps less overtly violent, operate daily. One might wonder if the BBC's editors missed the memo on the present-day suppression of dissent, particularly regarding policies unpopular with powerful states. They are quick to condemn antiquated Francoist tactics. Will they apply the same scrutiny
to governments that jail protesters, silence journalists, or gaslight populations about ongoing atrocities, perhaps funded by the very same Western democracies that now recoil at 1960s Spain? Or is this just another case of 'history is bad, but our present is flawless' narrative conditioning?