Monthly Archives: January 2010

Summary and Commentary
Crossland remarks on comments made from a conservative governor who was responding to an incident of an assault of a elderly pensioner, by two alleged “foreign youths.” Conservatives demanded a so-called ‘crackdown’ on “criminal foreigners.” This article does a good job of providing in depth analysis of the problem of widespread xenophobia within political discourse and its impact in the obstruction of integration. Crossland highlights the conservative trend of “Brutal Populism” which invites xenophobic political rhetoric to appeal to its conservative base. What was remarkable in as the article notes, “Little attention was given in the press to an assault by 15 far-right youths on an Afghan family of five in the Berlin district of Lichtenberg on New Year’s Eve. The Afghans were setting off fireworks when the gang attacked them with sticks, but managed to escape into their apartment to ring in a happy New Year in Germany.”

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Summary and Commentary
The caption to this article read, “A 19-year-old Angolan man in Berlin narrowly escaped death Sunday after he was pushed off a train platform in Berlin by a 20-year-old woman who reportedly called him a “shit nigger.” The article only comments that this appears to be related to the string of violence against foreigners that began in the 90s immediately following the Mauerfall. Though the article is simple reportage of the incident and contains no commentary besides the simple suggestion that this hate crime was part of a larger xenophobic trend somehow normalizes the event while marginalizing it from the general population at large. What does it mean to respond to egregious violence by simply stating that this is just another one of those things that resulted from the fall of the wall, like higher taxes and the dissolution of social programs? Just something to think about.
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Summary and Commentary
This article likens the immigration problem in Europe to the immigration hysteria of the U.S, so much as to call Spain the “California of Europe.” The fear of African invasion has even prompted discussion about the possible erecting of a wall between the two neighboring continents, more specifically between Spain and Morocco and the spending of obscene amounts of money to prohibit what appears to some to be the universal human right of mobility. The article reports that, “More than €40 million in EU funding has gone to Morocco to finance efforts to keep immigrants from reaching Spain.” Perhaps Europeans take for granted their new ability to travel and work freely within the EU.

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Summary and Commentary
Europe has demonstrated its ability to work together in united force. The EU debated for two years on a law that would make immigrant detention and deportation more consistent within the EU. Der Spiegel reports that, “In exceptional cases, illegal immigrants could be held for a maximum of 18 months, but most would be sent back to their country of origin after six.” Der Spiegel also states that, “The compromise deal would also entail a seven-day period for illegal immigrants to voluntarily return to their home countries.” Despite the fact that, as a French satirical reports, Police who escort immigrants back to their countries of origin would be eligible for frequent flier miles, and the fact that Europe has demonstrated its unity in action, I see no particular benefit for the communities that are impacted by such legislature. Perhaps speedy return, will allow potential immigrants time to devise with a better plan not to get caught.
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Summary and Commentary:
The Spiegel online interviewed Christopher Caldwell, author of a recent book on Islam in Europe, who argued, according to Spiegel Online that, “taboos and wishful thinking prevent an honest discussion of the issue.” Caldwell suggested in the interview that Islamic discourse in Europe has been shaped primarily by fear and framed by extremist views from both the right and the left. One the one hand, according to Caldwell, there are those who would frame the Islamic debate in terms of invasion and a trampling over on European culture and values, the they’re taking over mentality, and on the other hand there are those who voice that any concern over Islam is simply racism. Caldwell also argues that the debate has been closed for many and that open discussions are needed in Europe. Nonetheless, while arguably trying to complicate European discourse on Islam, Caldwell misinterprets or rather buys one of the central fears that has been perpetuated by the Anti-Islamic groups, the fear of Welfare abuse, which is often used to trigger or ignite anti-Islamic rhetoric. He explains French reluctance to pay taxes to support what he calls “state subsidy for religion” which not only misinterprets, the position of many recent immigrants with Islamic backgrounds but simplifies what he initially claims to be a complex problem and re-circulates one of the central lines within the anti Islamic debate.
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This article reports the tragic tale of what people from the undeveloped and underdeveloped world must go to because of failed economic plans and the inefficiency of development programs. Skilled labor is forced to go elsewhere in order to survive because industries in their native countries have been neglected. Continue reading →