Unconvenient truth
These days there is much contradictory to be read or to be heard in the news. Such as the question, whether the Revolution in the Arab World should be hailed or feared in the West. It has been a while that the revolting youth movement has widened its sphere of influence. Protests are reaching from Tunisia via Egypt to Spain, Greece, Chile and lately also to London and Israel. And again it is the governments – and that not only in the Arab World -, which are hopelessly overstrained by the reality of the streets. As long as the crowd has enough to eat and cooperates the power game seems to be easy. As soon as the frustration over the inequity in their countries becomes overwhelming, the West also takes up rigorous measures – as could have been witnessed in Great Britain recently.
Recently the London-based artist Wolfgang Tillmans summarized the misjudgement of reality by the government and its effects in the German weekly newspaper “DIE ZEIT” (volume no. 34 of August 18, 2011, page 41): “Germany is well on the way to there (prejudgement and lack of chances for people with a migration background), as muslim youth is demonized and prejudged, whereas the real danger to the country, the spreading right-wing extremist ideas are being played down and ignored.”
“No Panic!” is the title of an article one week later of the same newspaper (volume no. 35 of August 25th, 2011, page 43) which pleads for “more trust in the Arabic Revolution” and introduces four new books on the subject. I wonder why nobody poses the evident question where from the West takes the chutzpa to discuss whether the uprise of some Arabic people is (morally) legal or not? Is it not that according to democratic rules every country and its population is free to protest (peacefully) against unwanted elites? Did the West expect the Tunisian, Egyptian and Lybian Youth to ask for permission in the run-up?
All these experts of the Arabic society, politics and religion that sprang up like mushrooms seem to have one thing in common, they spread the news people want to hear: there is danger ahead coming anew from Islamism, be aware of it! How undifferentiated it is! Is that supposed to be good journalism or even worse, a scientific examination of what is going on in North Africa?
When protests started back in December 2010 and it become apparent that they were not be understood as flash in the pan there were hardly any region as surprised as the “Think Tanks” and experts of the West. And suddenly explicitely those experts should be able to predict in short time what the development will be looking like in the “revolutionized” states? I do not get that, just the same as the winner posturing of the NATO right after the ‘succesful’ conclusion of the military mission in Lybia. Nothing had happened for month and there were rumours that Lybia could become another Iraq or Afghanistan. But as soon as luck tips over (“Corriger la fortune”), the one with the big mouthes (Sarkozy and the like) chant their “we were convinced from the start that this is the right way”. When will this brainwashing of the people finally end? Seldomely a triumph was less appropriate than now true to the saying “modesty is a virtue but it won’t get you far!”
Absolutely uncalled-for the “ZEIT” chants in its volume no. 35 (page 4) “A German disgrace” and joins the voices coming from the NATO-states which supported the mission in Lybia and new from the start that everything would turn out fine. Although the same newspaper also reported critically on the topic “Koalition der Willigen”. Does one try to float with the tide?
To add insult to injury the same issue (page 6) reproduced an interview with Thilo Sarazzin. Even fools should know by now that this guy produces nothing but senseless and little funded paroles (“I rather fear, that the majority of these countries will turn into islamist regimes”). Is it really necessary to give such a guy a panel in a famous newspaper? If that is meant as a sign of differentiated reporting, it just failed in my eyes.
I might repeat myself but I am not tired of it yet: Give the development in Tunisia, Egypt and Lybia time. The revolts are fres, the experience of the people with democratic structures are little up to non-existent. Sure they might make some wrong decisions. However: is that not another reason to support the people’s struggle for freedom, equality and self-determination and to be patient and to be lenient (not naive) towards them?
