Is Catalan provincial?

1. There are good initiatives that, at times, backfire due to minor details, a lack of sensitivity, or some communication breakdown. At Barcelona City Hall, we've had a recent and absurd example of this. The Women's Race (Cursa de les Dones) has been a success for years. After more than twenty editions through the city streets, participation continues to grow, and the money raised for worthy, noble, and charitable causes also increases. Anything done to stop gender violence or to promote breast cancer research is always welcome. The 36,000 women who ran the nearly eight kilometers this year did so wearing a pink t-shirt with the slogan only in Spanish: "Carrera de la Mujer" (Women's Race). You put it on, you run, and a year will have passed, despite the linguistic discomfort that some participants pointed out on social media on race day itself. That spark on Sunday ignited a firestorm throughout the week, and finally, the explosion reached the City Council. David Escudé, the Councilor for Sports, put his foot in it when questioned about the language on the team's jerseys. His response was even worse than the slogan's infamous fritter. Escudé gave his opinion, arguing: "Translating certain things—and I, who will obviously defend the use of Catalan everywhere—translating certain things... We could reach a point of being provincial." The adjective is offensive, misguided, and inappropriate. This justification is a serious blunder by the PSC (Socialist Party of Catalonia), especially since the Barcelona City Council has joined the National Pact for the Catalan Language and has launched the Catalan Language Office, "a municipal service created to promote, standardize, and encourage the use of the Catalan language in all areas of civic life." All areas? You can't preach salt and sell vinegar. Claiming to support one cause and doing the opposite is a thorn in the side that Collboni, in the minority, cannot afford. Escudé perhaps should have acknowledged the mistake and simply stated what he initially said: "Next year, the shirt will say 'Women's Race.'" It would have been better to admit the blunder, announce the correction for 2026, and leave it at that. (Mark:)I'm so sorry, I made a mistake, it won't happen again"

2. Since we're on the subject of the emeritus king... This man has lived as he pleased his entire life, but he's finally reaching the end of his rope. Spain is celebrating 50 years of the monarchy, and he, the former king, hasn't been able to attend the celebration. Do you need any clearer proof of how far this Bourbon has come? The big party is organized, the big day arrives, and the main attraction can't be invited. Out of shame. Because he's an outcast. Because he's become incredibly wealthy, to a degree only Pilar Eyre suspects. Because he's repeatedly defrauded the tax authorities while wearing the crown. Because he's committed ten tax offenses, two counts of bribery, and one count of money laundering. The Public Prosecutor's Office has proven all of this. But since the king had inviolability, like a lifeline, he's managed to evade it. However, just in case he was afraid that justice might pursue him, he fled into exile. This womanizer has now published his memoirs in French. (Those he dictated to Carlos Herrera, in Spanish, he ultimately decided not to publish.) We didn't have to wait for the translation to learn that Juan Carlos is playing the victim, to discover that he has a grudge against Queen Letizia, that he's disappointed by how his son abandoned him, and, worst of all, that he defends Franco. He speaks tenderly, whitewashes him, and justifies him. It's already understood that he gave him the position as a gift,by the grace of God"But glorifying a bloodthirsty dictator in any other country would be a crime."