Response to a Comment from Americymru

Interesting interview! I was interested especially in what Carwyn had to say about the Senedd. I was working with the infamous Barbara Martin of New Orleans back in the day when the the Senedd was a mere dream and Barbara was schlepping Dafydd Wigley all over the US. It's hard to believe it's been nearly 10 years already. To me, as an American, the Senedd is a beacon for Welsh democracy, a Welsh democracy those of us who worked with the now defunct Plaid Cymru North America Branch longed to see in our adopted or actual ancestral homeland. I can still remember sitting up all night to send out the email newsletter (I was the Newsletter Editor, that was my function back then) telling our members who had email (it was still a rather novel concept at the time) what had happened during the election. When the final votes were tallied, I sent out the "Victory" email. To be sure, the Senedd has a long way to go, but in fewer than ten short years, it's come a fair distance. I'm so proud of what the Senedd has accomplished that I can overlook some of its gaffs. I'm still hopeful that it will take a harder stand on homes for native Welsh folks (Sorry guys, I do support the motives of Cymuned...) and for the language. Then again, we must remember it's the job of the Senedd to represent all Wales, Cymry Cymraeg and English speaking Welsh alike. Sitting over here in the balmy summer of Upstate New York and looking back, the transformation that Wales has experienced since the 1950's is amazing: from a politically integral part of England to colony, to client state and now to a fledgling democracy trying to "devolve" (what a demeaning term, thanks so much to Whitehall) fully from the UK.

When I was a boy they said two things over and over: 1) The Welsh language will be dead soon. 2) Wales will never be free.

The first is surely a joke of the past now. I will die in world where Welsh is spoken. And, more and more, it looks like one day before I die, Wales will take its place in Europe...