Işın Ertürk writes: 'Germany' in the shadow of fear: Isn't it time to talk about the facts?

Germany, which is inching toward an economic crisis and witnessing the unstoppable rise of a party that is open to all shades of the fascist right—such as the AfD (Alternative for Germany)—while becoming increasingly mainstream, faces a security problem that cannot be ignored. The government in Berlin and its leader, Friedrich Merz, are trying to capitalize on this.

Very strange things are happening in this “geoeconomic hegemon” of Europe, which is currently cracking. Especially things that closely concern lower-income groups…

What, you ask?

Since the wave of migration from the Islamic world in 2015, violence, sexual harassment, and stabbing incidents in streets, train stations, and parks have become part of people's subconscious, rather than just news. For women, young girls, and families in particular, this fear has become an invisible foundation of life. Daily life flows with an involuntary unease, with the feeling of, “What if something happens to me?”

THE WRONG PERSON IS TELLING THE TRUTHS

Opposition leader Merz is certain that there is a security problem in German cities. He couldn't have missed it. But he is also determined to use it. He emphasizes that those who object to him regarding the situation in cities and on the streets should ask their daughters about the situation on the streets.

Is it possible to agree with Friedrich Merz's political rhetoric? It is certainly impossible to trust his style of politics or the understanding he represents. But it cannot be denied that what he said in the “Stadtbild” (Cityscape) debate touches on a true fact, even if it came from the wrong mouth. The person stating the truth may be wrong, but the truth is still there. And talking about this truth should not mean being in the same picture as right-wing populists.

Writing this article is not easy, because I know that if you touch on such topics, you are quickly positioned in places you never wanted to be.

However, staying silent does not eliminate the problem. On the contrary, it creates space for populism to grow. I understand the young people who take to the streets today saying, “Wir sind alle Stadtbild!” (We are all part of the cityscape!). Their reaction is a reflex against the rise of the far right. But as long as these slogans are not transcended, the real problems will always remain invisible. Because yes, what is being said is true, but the demands are incomplete.

If it is truly said that “We are all part of the cityscape!”, then there must be concrete demands… A legal system where those involved in sexual assault, violence, harassment, and stabbing cases can be released after a few days cannot rebuild a sense of security. Heavier penalties for these crimes, faster judicial processes, and necessary mechanisms to isolate those who commit crimes from society must be established.

Security is not provided only by the number of police, but by the functioning of justice.

GERMANY'S SECULAR AND LIBERTARIAN ARMOR IS BEING PIERCED

However, the issue is not just crime. We are experiencing a deeper fracture.

Germany's secular fabric is shaking. Yes, Germany is not a laicist country, but it is a secular one. This secularism has been like an invisible armor protecting the individual's freedom, faith, and way of life until today. Now that armor is thinning. People are now paying attention to their clothing because they are afraid on the street, choosing not to go out after a certain hour in the evening, and organizing their lifestyles according to fear, which means “a silent retreat of freedoms beyond the security issue.”

If a segment of society determines how women should dress and when they should go out by spreading fear, then not only security but the essence of secular life is under threat there. Germany's multicultural structure, libertarian lifestyle, and secular identity are all being worn down in the shadow of this fear.

SUPPRESSING CONCERNS WITH THE FEAR OF “RACISM”

Undoubtedly, it is impossible to judge anyone based on their skin color, origin, or religion. But it is unacceptable to suppress anyone's security concerns out of fear of being found “close to racism.” True courage must lie in striking the right balance between these two extremes.

Germany may still be a colorful, libertarian, and democratic country, but for this, it is necessary to hit the brakes, redefine secular values, put on the table how important laicism is—as distinct from secularism—and develop both legal and social reflexes against every element that disturbs the peace of society.

No one should have the right to turn the worldly values, accustomed lifestyles, freedoms, and security of millions of people in this country into a religious straitjacket.

THE REAL ISSUE IS NOT THE “NATIONALITY” OF THE CRIME BUT THE “RESPONSIBILITY”

Today, we must talk not about the “nationality of the crime” but about its “responsibility.” Because Germany's future lies not in marginalization or silence, but in the determination of justice and the defense of worldly values, equality, and freedom.

The “Stadtbild” (Cityscape) debate actually boils down to a single question: Is Germany losing its freedoms and security, or its common sense?

There are unusual cracking sounds coming from Berlin. The projection of this cracking on the streets could change many things. After all, we know how and with what excuses this country was dragged into 1933-1945.

News Source: 12punto