Christianity swept through the provinces, reaching the higher echelons via the diplomatic core with links to the senate.

The first thing it did was appropriate the Roman Pax symbol, blurring the difference between state and religion. It was soon understood monotheism carried huge benefits in the east where resistance and commercial interests were greatest.

The only pagan cult that remained, Mithras, limited to the military elite, closed in on itself gradually until it actually went underground.

Jien nahseb li kieku xi strajk sar u xi protesta saret ukoll, apparti affarijiet ohra.

Allura nghid jien, il-poplu Malti sar daqshekk passiv, jew minghand il-Labour jaccetta kollox u jghid ‘hey, it’s not as bad as it could be’?

Remember history, Roman philosophers considered Christianity as a phenomenon associated with the uneducated and lower class. And look what happened.

That discrimination bind them together and made them stronger, even if that didn’t change anything for the majority it was very useful for their leaders.

Populist governments do the same (South America offers some good examples).

The PN has to consider an strategy to reach and involve all kinds of people, the cost of being and elite is that you are always a minority. If people feels divided and discriminated they will identify themselves with Labour, even if they do not get anything from them.

Information is the key and even in this circumstances the democratic system provides ways of controlling abuses that have to be implemented before is too late.

What do you mean by ‘no arguments left’? They never had any in the first place.

It was first always a question of principles with him. Sale of passports is wrong and should have been emphasized from the very beginning.

The very important fact that this scheme (which we now know is the cornerstone of Labour’s roadmap) was not included in their electoral programme, should also have been the second main objection.

Look what happened now. All of a sudden the EU is good and has given its blessing, according to Labour.

Rather than disappointed, I feel angry at the many gullible people who are also inevitably selfish. On one hand you have a prospective Labour MEP candidate fanning the flames against a one-size-fits-all EU (Alfred Sant) and on the other hand you have the likes of Owen Bonnici parading EU blessings for the citizenship scheme.

X’cuc hu Macchiavelli. kemm ghad irridu nibku.

I was so appalled at his behaviour during that meeting that on returning home I sent him an email giving vent to my feelings, in which I called him a liar.

I also remember from that meeting his minions and hangers-on scuttling after him like whipped dogs, the look of fear and alarm in their faces. And these were grown men.

If only more people would open their eyes and minds to see this man for what he is, but I think for a lot of them it would be like asking them to change their religion.

History will judge Joseph Muscat and I just hope I don’t have to say again “I told you so!”. It would be nice to be proved wrong.

Besides “insufferable,” “autocratic” and “totalitarian,” I think the government’s behaviour is worrying and cause for serious concern.

The government needs to be reminded that a modern democracy is not just the rule by the majority as determined in free general elections – even though I am not sure how free the last general elections have been without knowing the precise involvement of Henley & Something, and now that Anglu Farrugia is no longer in a position to go to the Police Head Quarters with a list of corrupt practices, it is going to be hard to know this.

A modern democracy respects the freedom of speech of all, and arguments are countered with arguments.

The more I see the government, with all its consultants, advisors, experts, special envoys – some of them holding two, three or four such positions, and paid accordingly – resorting to insults, intimidation, harassment, attempts to shut up any opposition, the more I am convinced that it has no arguments left and that it is loosing reason.

The government lot are looking more and more like cornered rats. And the true colours of the rats are coming out. And they are turning out to be more than 50 shades of grey.