Spain under the Catholic Franco was much more of a Catholic state than it is today. Remember, July 3, 2005, the law legalizing same sex marriage took effect. Nowadays, Spain is far removed from its period of glory - in terms of the supremacy of Catholicism and the superiority of its Navy.There is even a Cause for the Canonization for Queen Isabella I, husband and co-monarch with King Ferdinand, of Spain, who ruled in the 15th century. Isabella, the Catholic, pray for us.
MADRID - Madrid's city hall on Monday stripped former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco [a shame! Falling down to modern pressure it seems. Franco was a true Catholic] of his title as honorary mayor and adopted son of the capital, 33 years after his death began the transition to democracy.Councillors of all political colours unanimously voted to remove the titles, as well as medals Madrid conferred on the right-wing general, a spokesman for the council said.
"The capital of Spain is now clean of support for dictators," left-wing Councillor Milagros Hernandez, was quoted as saying on the website of TV news channel CNN+.
The move is the latest in a effort spearheaded by the Socialist government to remove traces of Franco in street names, statues and other symbols glorifying the dictator who gained power after a three-year civil war which ended in 1939 and ruled until his death in 1975.
The removals started under a law passed in 2007 by the government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose grandfather was killed by Franco's forces.
The push reverses an unspoken understanding after Franco's death that his supporters would relinquish power on condition that future democrats would not rake up the past.
Members of the conservative Popular Party have criticised the socialist law for, as they see it, needlessly dragging up the wounds of the past. However, the PP -- which rules the local authority in Madrid -- backed the proposal to strip Franco of the city's honours.
Source: Reuters - Tuesday, June 30. My comments in red
