2008
Too Unpolitical?
In Berlin, opposite the monument for the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, there is another monument, just across the road, for the gays and lesbians killed in the Nazi-regime because of their sexual orientation. It is a granite cube incorporating a video screen showing a film of two guys kissing (the film is supposed to be changed at certain intervals, alternating gay + lesbian couples).
A few days ago this monument has been defaced, the screen knocked in.
The political echo is huge. There was a demonstration against homophobia, headed by our capital’s openly gay mayor, Klaus Wowereit.
Who are those people doing things like that? Our politicians seem to have a ready answer: “Young males with migration background.” Isn’t that beating or explaining homophobia with racism? I can easily see a young German female neo-nazi doing something like that or an elderly conservative freaking out at the sight of two guys kissing.
A very stale taste remains. There is still a lot to be done, a lot of awareness to be raised. Today I feel like I am leaning back too comfortably in my upper middle class chair, in my lower management position, with a cheery secretary and open-minded, university educated colleagues who wouldn’t even dream of discriminating against homosexuals in surroundings where competence is all that counts. There is still so much violence, intolerance and – most and worst of all – ignorance out there.
“…open-minded, university educated colleagues who wouldn’t even dream of discriminating against homosexuals in surroundings where competence is all that counts.”
I worked at a university for quite some time. I’d say that it’s not that they “wouldn’t dream of discriminating,” its that their form of discrimination against others is more subtle and hidden from view. I agree that with education tends to come more open minds and less prejudice…but education also teaches you how to be more covert.
Working at a university, I saw, above all else…classism/elitism.
I appreciate your point though…you can’t attempt to promote tolerance and openness with a spirit of discrimination toward another group. What a stupid thing for that man to say about the vandals.
Juls last blog post..J.Lo has great booty, little brain.