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Gerry, you look really pleased with yourself in that photo, holding that bunch of red carnations that someone gave you. Do you think those flowers were given to you as an expression of love and support? Will you put them in water to remind yourself of the 'kindness,' of the Portuguese person who thrust them into your hand? Well, Gerry, you don't know your Portuguese history or the significance of those flowers.
Let me tell you a little bit about 'The Carnation Revolution,' and those flowers you are obviously treasuring.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-carnation-revolution.htm
"In the early hours of 25 April 1974, the Carnation Revolution began in the Portuguese city of Lisbon. The military forces quickly overwhelmed the government, sparking spontaneous demonstrations in the street, in which civilians ran out to mingle with the soldiers, despite orders to stay inside. At the time, carnations were flooding the famous central flower market of Lisbon, and many citizens put them into the gun barrels of the soldiers, inspiring the name “Carnation Revolution” to describe this event in Portuguese history."
The red carnation has become a lasting symbol of that revolution and Portugal's freedom from a fascist dictatorship. Gerry, red carnations stand for the values of the revolution: freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, unions, political parties, free elections, equality for women, etc. The red carnations were brought by the supporters of Gonçalo Amaral and those fighting for freedom of expression.
(Thanks to Carolina on the MM forum for some of the above information.)
That's what you were given, Gerry, and that's what you're holding in the photo: the symbol of freedom of expression in Portugal. Portugal is a democratic state, with a formal constitution, into which is written the right to freedom of expression. May the court in Lisbon uphold the right of Dr Amaral to speak about and to publish the opinions, which were not his alone, but those of the investigating teams, that included English police officers.
Carnations in December.
"Everyone shall possess the right to freely express and publicise his thoughts in words, images or by any other means, as well as the right to inform others, inform himself and be informed without hindrance or discrimination 2.Exercise of the said rights shall not be hindered or limited by any type or form of censorship Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Article 37.º"
