"Reading various topics on here, there seems to be a great animosity towards the 'emmets',"

Could you point out these various topics, I've not noticed them?

there does seem to be varying opinions on the legitimacy/existence of the CRA/CNLA/An Gof etc.

A creation of the State simply to blacken the Cornish Movement. Period.

The EU: Again, seems to be alot of anti-EU sentiment in Cornwall, yet they've given millions in Objective One funding and to Combined Universities Cornwall. Seems like they're only trying to help but being met with hostility…?

The Cornish have had no say in it's distribution. It's doled out from England for the English. Eg: The Eden Project.

"Not to sound arsey but what is wrong with the Eden Project?"

This may help..

DiFontaine said:  -  5:30 pm October 28, 2009

Afternoon all, I'm new to this forum, although I've been reading a few topics before registering. My name is Tom and I'm a student at Falmouth Uni.

I'm really interested in the Free Cornwall movement. But I have a few questions, things that don't really 'add up' to me and other general clarifications on issues/topics/people.

Ok so I'll start with tourism. Reading various topics on here, there seems to be a great animosity towards the 'emmets', why? It must bring a hell of a lot of money to the economy, dissuading them from coming will cause Cornwall to be even more deprived, surely?! I can appreciate they clog up the roads having worked at tourist attractions for the last two summers and can be massively ignorant/rude/stupid but I've found those instances to be relatively isolated.

Students: Seems to be differing opinions on students. Some are fairly anti, I've personally had some grief from locals and the graffiti at the train station in Penryn only reinforces that. Having said that I have also made a few mates with some locals who are excellent people and there does seem to be varying opinions on the legitimacy/existence of the CRA/CNLA/An Gof etc. Despite some of the anti-student sentiment, myself and a lot of my mates, try to go to independent places for fruit&veg, petrol, clothes etc. We contribute massively to the money being spent during the winter.

The EU: Again, seems to be alot of anti-EU sentiment in Cornwall, yet they've given millions in Objective One funding and to Combined Universities Cornwall. Seems like they're only trying to help but being met with hostility…?

'Terror' groups: Have any of these actually existed? Seems to be massively differing opinions. Either way do the actions attributed to these groups represent the feelings of the majority of those wanting a more independent Cornwall?

I think that'll do for now, I'm trying to stimulate debate and also try to understand a little better, not cause arguments or stir shit!

Thanks for reading, and replying…..

Welcome to C24. Tom.

I would like, first, to clear out of the way that you seem, imho, to have started this thread from a particularly unsubstantiated perspective. I have been involved in Cornish Rights activities for 50 plus years, and esoteric phrases such as 'Cornish Independence', and 'Free Cornwall Movement' are, in essence, externally driven – usually by the media – and/or very shallow thinking!  

I apologise, if that does not reflect where you are coming from, but a part of that perception should be the ability to be able to qualify tangible examples of the truth of such statements. In other words: The Reason Why such expressions may be considered to have some legitimacy and examples to prove it. I can only think of examples of graffiti and the occasional passing remark, having no particular relationship with, or to, what is actually going on within our Cornish Duchy, nor representative of any bona fide organisation. They are phrases that, in truth, divert attention away from the real issues of officially generated, publicly acquiesced to, Cornish Rights abuses.

As a consequence of your preconceptions, therefore, you pose the wrong questions:

• Tourism: The problem with tourism is that it is the 'soft option' and does not generate real jobs.  Nothing to do with emmets other than as an inconvenience measure of its narrow subjective successes, and – THE problem! – a self-perpetuating generator of cheap labour.
• Students: You have provided your own example of balance and I would suggest that there is nothing different going on in Cornwall than in any other part of the world, or UK - other than, hopefully, a real Cornish Dimension.
• the EU: Again, EU sentiment is probably no different to anywhere else, except that those having an enlightened interest in Cornwall's future see it in a very positive light. We might well, and do, take exception to Cornish funding being handled by external agencies and their misrepresentation of Cornish values.
• Terror Groups: Do you actually, genuinely, perceive Cornwall as a place gripped by terror?

TGG – For the (Real) Reason Why!