# Expat gets tribute



## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Veteran militant socialist...



> La veterana militante socialista de Estepona, Mary Elizabeth Page, ha recibido un homenaje de sus compañeros de partido en Estepona “como reconocimiento a toda una vida dedicada a la defensa de los valores socialistas. Mary es un espejo en el que todos debemos mirarnos”, aseguró la portavoz del grupo municipal socialista, Manuela Benítez.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I was quite overcome....can't say lost for words of course but deeply moved...
I said in my usual dire Spanish that I felt proud and humble to be honoured by a party which had such a brave and tragic history, especially as there were in our Party older members whose grandparents and parents even had been persecuted, publicly humiliated or worse by the Franquistas.

How lucky I am to have been able to continue doing my bit for what I believe in and to have met such decent people....and some good friends.


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> I was quite overcome....can't say lost for words of course but deeply moved...
> I said in my usual dire Spanish that I felt proud and humble to be honoured by a party which had such a brave and tragic history, especially as there were in our Party older members whose grandparents and parents even had been persecuted, publicly humiliated or worse by the Franquistas.
> 
> How lucky I am to have been able to continue doing my bit for what I believe in and to have met such decent people....and some good friends.


It is Because you are worth it!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

fergie said:


> It is Because you are worth it!


Aw...how nice of you to say that

When I first became politically active as a student I naively thought I could make the world a better place. Alas, many decades later, it's in a much worse state..
One thing I've learned is to distrust ideology and all who think they have the one true faith...

One of the older local PSOE members told me how his grandfather was arrested when 'los Moros' captured Estepona in 1937. His grandmother, along with other 'red' women, had her head shaven, was made to drink castor oil and paraded through the streets.
He isn't the only militante whose family suffered in this way.

So..much humility required, methinks..


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Simon....I find it odd to be described as a 'socialist', even more so a 'militante'....
PSOE like most European Labour Parties is a social democratic Party. It abandoned its Marxist socialist orientation after the transition. Alca once helpfully explained that 'socialista' merely means 'member of PSOE' whereas a true socialist is an izquierda.
Most of my UK friends and colleagues who read that piece on FB will be amazed to see me described as a socialist.
Indeed I was once in my comparative youth but for a long time now I've been very much a pragmatist in the small c conservative English tradition.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Many congratulations Mary


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Many congratulations Mary


Thankyou xx


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Congratulations comrade 
Note with a small c ........


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

felicidades compañera  

I have to say I find it hard to think of myself as a 'militante', but I can honestly say that becoming involved with our local PSOE has changed my life!


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## Navas (Sep 2, 2012)

I'm so glad I popped into the forum today. Many congratulations, Mary!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Navas said:


> I'm so glad I popped into the forum today. Many congratulations, Mary!


Hello! How nice to 'see' you again
Hope you're here to stay, you were missed!


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