http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VYXECtjOos&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
The evil ideology
Nazism and Hitler wasn't born out of nothing, even if it may seem so when we talk about it today. Nazism was born out of a nascent anti-Semitism that slowly grew in Europe after the first world war. With anti-Semitism followed the concept of race and the image that there was a master race, who deserved so much better than the fate they got after the First World War. A scapegoat was needed and it was very easy to dust off and develop the old anti-Semitism that became the most powerful weapon of Hitler and the Nazis. Hitler won his power through "democratic" elections before the coup and before the dictatorship was a fact. Meanwhile anti-Semitism deepened in Europe to the degree that all Jews where animalized.
Today we associate Nazism and fascism with the darkest and most evil of the human mind and by the actions that were carried out in its name, especially during the war, but we must never forget how an entire nation, and later an entire continent ended up in its grip. How boundaries and norms constantly moved forward so that they eventually landed beyond all human understanding. How it was a process over time.
The question is, where are we going today? Where is the process in 2014? We can once again see how social norms and values are broadened to accept various forms of discrimination, racism and anti-democratic tendencies in our society's. So-called extremists and fundamentalists are annually moving their positions forward. What was unthinkable 10 years ago is now a reality.
The patterns and the process from the inter-war period is repeated all over Europe, from Greece to the UK and Sweden. There are however two crucial differences, and that is the fact that Europe isn't shattered by war, as it was after the great war and the educational level of the citizens of Europe are generally among the worlds highest. That should limit the momentum of the ideological evil, but when?
Friday, 8 August 2014
"About Europe" is now on Facebook
"About Europe" have joined the rest of the world on Facebook. Please join me and talk about Europe.
Thursday, 7 August 2014
No one should never again need to flee within or from Europe
No one should never again need to flee within or from Europe!
If Europe ever comes in to that horrible situation again that will force people to flee or hide, you and I will be to blame, because we have been given the responsibility from the last 70 year's of unification and democratic development to leave our children and grandchildren a even better Europe to live in.
Democracy and liberty creates true security and prosperity. To guarantee this for all Europeans we must stand united and we must keep on fighting against everyone who challenges our unity, our liberty and our democracy.
Take democracy seriously, or you don't deserve it
The turnout in the European elections was the lowest in the history of the parliament.
Thousands of grassroot activists around Europe was working very hard to turn the negative turnout in the European elections in to a positive, but it didn't give the result that Europe needed.
Their work wasn't only about convincing Europeans to vote, but also to advocate for a better and more democratic Europe.
The small steps that was taken for a better democracy, with the presidential candidates wasn't enough and media across Europe didn't help to promote the democratic development and definitely not the hard work of the pan-european grassroots movement for democracy.
Without naming any names, the national leaders of Europe have a huge responsibility for the low turnout. We must let them know that!
The consequences of the election results, including the low turnout are the so called success of the far-right populists. How this will effect EU policy in the comming years is uncertain, but it will most likely effect the results in comming national elections and give more air under the wings of leaders such as Victor Orban.
And finally, if we the people don't take democracy more seriously, we don't deserve it.
Saturday, 2 August 2014
Human value
Human value can't be valued in euro's and cents. Human value can only be valued as a whole. An individual can't therefore be valued by any other individual or group. This means that we are all created equally.
Human value should however not be confused with human actions. Most actions we make can be, and are valued from a social, individual and economic perspective and thereby land on a plus account or a minus account. This means that we all must carry the consequences of our actions.
Human suffering
Developments in Iraq, Syria and Israel-Palestine is terrible and inhuman. We must be able to stand up against the killings, the violence and the assimilation, regardless of whether the victim or the perpetrator is a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim or a victim of political fundamentalism. If we, who live in security and just follow these horrors on the morning news can't see the human suffering for what it is, human suffering, then what hope is there?
Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Those who say
Those who say that the EU isn't a peace project must of missed their history classes.
Those who say that the EU haven't spread democracy must of been sleeping for the last 35 year's.
Those who say that the EU haven't strengthened the economy in Europe are blinded.
Those who say that the EU isn't about the people never spent time in another member-state.
Those who say that the EU is more bureaucratic then democratic don't want to change that.
Monday, 28 July 2014
Hungary can't go both ways
Hungary's PM Orban have ever since his party Fidez came into power with a impressive 2/3 majority in the parliament, shown the rest of Europe that he don't have a problem with compromising on democracy, rule of law and freedom of press.
After the latest national election, Orban could secure the 2/3 majority, this have made him confident and clearer with his vision for Hungary.
In a resent speech Orban was very clear that he wants to build a "illiberal state" on nationalistic grounds. What he means with "illiberal" is clear, he wants to dismantle democracy and democratic values. Orban even goes as far as naming Russia and China as models on how to organize a nation.
It gets really scary when his 2/3 majority means that he actually has the power to change the Hungarian constitution.
Orban is without a doubt leading Hungary away from the modern, democratic Europe and towards a system, not for the people but for the state. Towards the dark ages of the 20th century.
It's time for the rest of the EU to make a stand on Hungary. Orban can't go in this direction and at the same time think that Hungary can stay in the union.
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Israel and Palestine
You can't criticise one side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without doing the same to the other side. If you don't, I dear to say that you are a hypocrite with ulterior motives. You don't need to be particularly, historically well-informed to understand that both sides are lost in a maze, in total darkness.
The killings have been going on for over a lifetime and will continue to do so until the international community are ready to assume full responsibility for the security of the people living in Israel and Palestine. History demands that the international community takes this responsibility.
The Gaza conflict puts us at the end of the road.
Monday, 14 July 2014
EU's democratic legitimacy
The EU's democratic legitimacy comes from the fact that the union was formed on voluntary treatys between European citizens, represented by their democratically elected gouverments. The treatys are based on common democratic values, common needs and our common challenges in the modern world.
There is no national state that can match those facts! The so-called nations have very seldom been formed by mutual desire and mutual agreement. No, most nations was born thru military power games, assimilation of people and by other interests that have very little to do with the common good.
Very few nations have remained constant since their formation. Democracy in Europe's nations have developed in different paste during the last 150 years, but with this democratic development the idea of a united Europe have been realized and the construction is still ongoing.
Monday, 7 July 2014
Free movement campaign | New Europeans
All Europeans must stand up for our freedom of movement. Our most important liberty is under attack by No 10. and other national leaders.
Sign this petition in support for our freedom of movement.
Saturday, 28 June 2014
Cameron needs a war with Europe
Cameron talks about battles and wars when he is talking about his European polices. A shameful and desperate tactic as Cameron is trying to keep focus away from the division in the UK and the serious political problems they need to face.
Cameron is displaying his shortcomings in both UK and EU politics. There is no doubt that Cameron have weakened both the kingdom and especially the British people. Ironically, it seems that Europe and European democracy have grown more united and alot stronger by Cameron's efforts to dismantle the same.
Cameron wanted a war against the people of Europe, he got global humiliation. The betrayal is against the British people.
Friday, 27 June 2014
Thursday, 26 June 2014
I don't want to hear the term "EU gouverments" ever again
I don't want to hear the term "EU gouverments" ever again. Everyone with some common sense can hear how crazy it sound when EU policymaking are discussed. How can the people of Europe identify them self with "gouverments", all with its own agenda? Europe has a agenda of its own that need the people's attention asp...
Tuesday, 24 June 2014
Sunday, 22 June 2014
What distinguishes the European flag from national flags?
It is in my opinion, a big symbolic difference.
The national flags represents national unity and even uniformity. It can symbolise historical military victories and in some cases the memory of old empires. Its symbolism is based on a romantic view of national unity and the conservative, "way of things". In a modern liberal democracy, its values don't really exist, because individuals desire for personal freedom and independence don't allow it.
The European flag represents something else, such as reconciliation and transparency between the people of Europe. It symbolises unity in diversity, in the new post-nationalist world order. The flag don't require your 100% loyalty, instead it creates conditions for diversity on both individual level and in a cultural aspect. A unity of democratic values!
The unity and diversity that the European flag represents should be highlighted much more in our society and in such a way that it brings out the meaning of why Europe share this flag.
The best part of Europe's flag is that it never will set against any European national flag, just compliment them.
