Europe, victim of populist, racist radicalism
Every democratic European citizen should stand up against the rising xenophobia in their countries.If they keep silent now, they will end up paying the penalty in the future
We are outraged by some EU member states' partial attitude toward Turkey's constitutional referendum, which is due to be held on April 16.
After Germany imposed de facto restrictions on travel, political expression and communication on Turkish politicians supporting the constitutional amendment package, the Netherlands also succumbed to the same collective lunacy.
The Dutch government had police stop Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya from entering the country by land last Saturday and hindered her for hours.
The Netherlands, which even failed to provide the minimum diplomatic courtesy to a female minister, displayed no different an attitude to its Turkish citizens with Dutch passports.
They set mounted policemen against Turkish-origin Dutch citizens who were peacefully protesting against the violence inflicted on the Turkish minister. They made K9 dogs bite civilians who were knocked out with police truncheons.
People are contemplating the rational cause of this violence, which is reminiscent of Nazi Germany's practices dating back 80 years ago.
The first apparent cause is that the ruling liberals want to curb the rise of racist leader Geert Wilders before the elections in the country, with populist attitudes like this. So to achieve this, they have not hesitated to violate universal liberal principles.
This pragmatic attitude, however, will first serve the European fascistic bloc, represented by Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen in France.
In fact, this competition for votes between liberals and greens, who go so far as to defend assimilation under the mask of integration when it comes to Turkey, on the one hand, and racist parties, on the other, breaks the marginality of fascism.
This attitude consolidates the approach that racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia are reasonable enough to be advocated by central parties.
Therefore, it is obvious that this game, which has been initiated by leftist, liberal and green politics in the Netherlands and around Europe "against fascism" will have more dangerous consequences than a racist election victory.
This is because nobody prefers the replica when there is the original. It would not be surprising if the electorate applauds while the ghost of fascism, which is legitimized even by liberals and leftists, haunts Europe once again.
Opinion polls on the Dutch elections reveal that the incomprehensible fascist rhetoric and practices of the current Dutch government boosts Wilders's legitimacy and popularity among young voters as well as increasing votes in favor of him.
All European democratic citizens, especially Germans and the Dutch, should speak up against this collective madness from their politicians.
They should warn their organizations, governments and EU institutions to stop this trend.
And they should be in solidarity with their Turkish brothers, who are symbols of multiculturalism and an antidote to populism and fascism in Europe.
Otherwise, when fascists "come for themselves," as it happened in Germany 80 years ago, they will pay the penalty for their silence and will have nobody to embrace them.
After Germany imposed de facto restrictions on travel, political expression and communication on Turkish politicians supporting the constitutional amendment package, the Netherlands also succumbed to the same collective lunacy.
The Dutch government had police stop Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya from entering the country by land last Saturday and hindered her for hours.
The Netherlands, which even failed to provide the minimum diplomatic courtesy to a female minister, displayed no different an attitude to its Turkish citizens with Dutch passports.
They set mounted policemen against Turkish-origin Dutch citizens who were peacefully protesting against the violence inflicted on the Turkish minister. They made K9 dogs bite civilians who were knocked out with police truncheons.
People are contemplating the rational cause of this violence, which is reminiscent of Nazi Germany's practices dating back 80 years ago.
The first apparent cause is that the ruling liberals want to curb the rise of racist leader Geert Wilders before the elections in the country, with populist attitudes like this. So to achieve this, they have not hesitated to violate universal liberal principles.
This pragmatic attitude, however, will first serve the European fascistic bloc, represented by Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen in France.
In fact, this competition for votes between liberals and greens, who go so far as to defend assimilation under the mask of integration when it comes to Turkey, on the one hand, and racist parties, on the other, breaks the marginality of fascism.
This attitude consolidates the approach that racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia are reasonable enough to be advocated by central parties.
Therefore, it is obvious that this game, which has been initiated by leftist, liberal and green politics in the Netherlands and around Europe "against fascism" will have more dangerous consequences than a racist election victory.
This is because nobody prefers the replica when there is the original. It would not be surprising if the electorate applauds while the ghost of fascism, which is legitimized even by liberals and leftists, haunts Europe once again.
Opinion polls on the Dutch elections reveal that the incomprehensible fascist rhetoric and practices of the current Dutch government boosts Wilders's legitimacy and popularity among young voters as well as increasing votes in favor of him.
All European democratic citizens, especially Germans and the Dutch, should speak up against this collective madness from their politicians.
They should warn their organizations, governments and EU institutions to stop this trend.
And they should be in solidarity with their Turkish brothers, who are symbols of multiculturalism and an antidote to populism and fascism in Europe.
Otherwise, when fascists "come for themselves," as it happened in Germany 80 years ago, they will pay the penalty for their silence and will have nobody to embrace them.