I think that Europe is living through a turning point in its development, just as the whole world is getting through a turning point and a period of democratization. I assume that the forthcoming elections in Europe, not only in Austria but also in France, Belgium, Italy and Germany, will cause a wave of wrath and pressure. People are going to give vent to their rage on long-standing parties at the polling stations.
Immigration flood to spell end of Europe? — RT The quote above from an interview with Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of the Austrian far right “Freedom Party” (why of course, in The Netherlands, we have inaugurated the “Freedom Parties” trend, which is the name of Geert Wilders’ movement; now all of these European copycats following on his footsteps).
What I wanted to point out is that in spite of all the disgust I experience towards these political ideas, this guy is right about one thing: nothing good is coming in Europe in the near future. The elections across the continent that he mentions in this interview are grounds for concern. All of these countries are being swept by a growing xenophobia, anti immigrant rhetoric and blatant racism. And I mentioned yesterday how there is a lack of acknowledgement from a majority of people that indeed, we live in an increasingly racist environment. This, I am afraid, is a massive institutional failure of European education. And sincerely, part of my fears amid the current situation is that I have no idea how it can be reverted. Meanwhile, people die, people are attacked in streets, people are sent to camps where they experience inhuman living conditions. So, my desperation is not based on some abstract ideal of improvement but in a very concrete anxiety because people are suffering the consequences of this racism right now.
And in spite of all my activism, in spite of what I write, what I speak of in political debates, etc, we seem to go nowhere. And for many, there is no time to wait. It gives me little hope to think that maybe “the next generation will be better”. What about the lives we are losing right now?
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