Über Solingen und die „bewährten“ Ventile

The guests have gone, and with them the hustle and bustle has left the room. After closing time, when everything has been put in order, bars are very quiet and, although hard to imagine, contemplative places. Sometimes there are good moments here to look at your inner dialog with a little distance, as you have previously exhausted yourself on many levels. The events of Solingen and their aftermath continue to have an effect.

Broadly speaking, two directions seem to be visible. At its core, it is about migration policy. This term has become highly charged. To stay with the polemic style: the naïve do-gooders are confronted with the right-wingers, the deniers, the eternal-strugglers with fascist ways of thinking. Certain quotes have become key quotes and infuriate the other side. At the same time, we have become accustomed to our politicians behaving like flags in the wind, which in turn are largely produced by the mainstream media. This has become so normal that it is no longer even noticeable. Negative emotions towards the other side are constantly on the rise. So here is an attempt to take the emotions out of the equation. They are not the best guide and can sometimes be very easily manipulated.

Since the Second World War, part of Europe's self-image has been that we take humanitarian issues very seriously and stand up for the observance of human rights worldwide. In theory. Anyone who upholds this maxim is on the right side. Among other things, this beautiful wish has led us to view certain processes that are very complicated through rose-tinted spectacles in public discourse. The treatment of refugees is a prime example of this. How good did it feel when refugees were welcomed at Munich Central Station in 2016 to applause like stars? How good did it make us feel? A happening - both in terms of media and social media.

We need controlled immigration. Both in the area of skilled workers and in the area of temporary workers. That is one side of the coin. Our perspective. On the other hand, many people flee to Europe out of desperation. They are fleeing from wars and hopeless living situations, and only rarely from natural disasters. Uncontrolled immigration threatens the cohesion of our societies and our security. Without wanting to delve into the realm of statistics here: Quite a few of those who have fled here hold completely different values to us and reject our culture. Quite a few of them also commit serious crimes. Denying this problem and not using our constitutional means will not help to solve it.

At this point, let us broaden our perspective and integrate the historical view. A proxy war between the Soviet Union and the USA began in Afghanistan in 1979. Since then, interventions have taken place in the country, military groups have been equipped and controlled from outside, wild coalitions have attacked the country and left again after 20 years, without having achieved anything. From the point of view of ordinary people, these 40 years have been a catastrophe and brought much suffering. Iraq was attacked in 2003, although it is now undisputed that the reasons for this war of aggression, which violated international law, were fabricated. Many hundreds of thousands of civilians lost their lives. As early as 2015, the Bundeswehr Journal wrote: "The total number of fatalities in the wars and acts of war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan is considerably underestimated by the public." [1] A look at the borders and official languages in Africa and Central and South America reveals that these states have not grown organically. They were established to their disadvantage, to say the least. These are just a few highlights to show that our dominance has not only been achieved through hard work and ingenuity, but that we are actively involved in the misery of others via imperialist policies of various kinds. Even though this is all well known, it seems strangely disparaged. What is striking is that a current look from Venezuela to the African continent to Eastern Europe and the Middle East reveals that geopolitical influence, to use a neutral term, is by no means just a matter of historical events.

Of course, this does not mean that we have to accept that crimes are committed here or that parallel societies are formed. This is not a plea for self-flagellation or a policy of blind tolerance. Rather a reference to the fact that the situation is rather complicated. That a historical awareness and an empathetic attitude towards the suffering of others can prevent us from adopting inhumane attitudes. That we are called upon not to channel our justified anger without reflection.

The temptation to indulge in political actionism at such times is great. There is also the danger of becoming a very unattractive creature.

This is already evident in the fact that the first deportations have now been staged again in the media and exploited politically. Against the background of the tragic situation, this can be described as anything from sad to pathetic. It would be desirable for our politicians to show humility. Not as individuals, but as the representatives they have chosen to be. Humility towards their own people for a dishonest policy. And humility towards the people who suffer from the geopolitical and economic interests of Western countries. Protecting our borders in a healthy way requires maturity and self-reflection on both a social and an individual level. How little of this we possess is also illustrated by the fact that the demand presented here to take historical responsibility into account seems more like a polemic than a matter of course.

In the Western hemisphere, war criminals appear as sought-after speakers, such as the former British prime minister, to name but one. Many actors who have caused and continue to cause much suffering worldwide with their ruthless policies are part of the establishment here. Without justifying their actions in any way, we should make the effort in the current situation not to lose sight of the big picture and to remain as differentiated as possible.