It was June 2009 when I was planning to visit Munich with a bunch of friends.

Almost on the eve of the trip my friend, Sarah, was still anxiously waiting for her residence permit to be issued, so that she may travel abroad. Although Sarah is 25 years old, born in Greece from Nigerian parents she still doesn’t have the right to get Greek citizenship. Besides that she is forced to pay 900 euro in order to continue living in Greece.

Immigration issues in their lightest version some would say. According to UNITED for Intercultural Action (European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees) 13250 refugee deaths throughout Fortress Europe have been documented from January 1993 until April 2009!

However it is not only the governments’ unwillingness to contribute to the smooth integration of immigrants in a country. As I communicate with lots of people it is with sadness that more and more I meet people harboring strong feelings of nationalism. Is it just a Greek phenomenon? On the contrary: growing xenophobia in France has forwarded the cause of the anti-immigrant National Front Party. In Germany, refugees have been constant targets of violent attacks. Blacks and Asians are not spared from racist brutality in the UK. Elsewhere in Europe, intolerance to people of different ethnic and cultural origins has created tensions in the continent. So, why millions of people have to constantly endure unfair discrimination six decades after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?


Parents - Good Associates?

Really, what kind of association are parents to their children? The motto is, “If you are second, you might as well be last!” Many children are reared in a climate of permissiveness, so they are actually being trained in selfishness, haughtiness and pride. Pride then can cause a person to be prone to feelings of superiority or disdain towards the less educated or the materially poor. It may make him a propaganda follower elevating his national or ethnic group.

Studies have shown that children as young as three years old can develop racial biases, which they pick up from the attitudes, words, and gestures of others! Bingo! You’ve managed to raise a child full of harmful insecurities!


Nationalism – Bad ism

Ivo Duchacek, a political science professor, observed in his book Conflict and Cooperation Among Nations: “As a result of nationalism people think as Americans, Russians, Chinese, Egyptians, or Peruvians first, and as human beings second – if at all.” (Is there somehow any space for that damned four-lettered word called…LOVE???)


Racism – Even worse ism

Yes indeed: racists believe that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others! It is rather shocking knowing that there are still people out there who believe in such falsehoods and fallacies. Moreover, their ultimate superiority would never let them work as cleaners (although starving), or admit the possibility of getting beaten at their own game by “this” useless and incapable foreign football team (although going back home ashamed to death from the heavy defeat that followed).

So many experiences, knowledge, views, aspects lost. They are losing the chance to learn about the beauty of different races and cultures, to find out what “these foreigners” are really like by getting to know some of them personally. They deliberately keep on remaining dipped into their misleading stereotypes.


Religion playing a rather confusing role

The book The Nature of Prejudice says: “Abominations inevitably result when men use their religion to justify [selfish pursuits] and ethnic self-interest. It is then that religion and prejudice merge.” What is especially striking, the same book observes, is how readily many religious people “seem to slip from piety into prejudice.” It reminds me of racially exclusive churches, sectarian hatred and violence, and acts of terror inspired by religion. Isn’t a true religion supposed to promote love towards all, even towards those who may want to hurt me and be open to people of all kinds, regardless of nationality, skin color, gender, income, or social status?


Rescue Plan

So what do we do? Maybe a good start would be to acknowledge that none of us is above developing prejudices. The book Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination says: “Perhaps the most important conclusion to emerge from prejudice research are these: (1) no one capable of human thought and speech is immune from harboring prejudice, (2) it often takes deliberate effort and awareness to reduce prejudice, and (3) with sufficient motivation, it can be done.”

It can be done!!!

Education has been described as “the most powerful tool” in the fight against prejudice. The right education can, for example, expose the root causes of prejudice, enable us to examine our own attitudes more objectively and help us deal wisely with prejudice when we are victims. Education upon principles regarded from many as granted or outworn, such as kindness, humility, compassion, forgiveness, impartiality and especially upon that four-lettered word which is not so complex a meaning after all…

Sarah fortunately finished with the bureaucracy on time and managed to join us in Munich. And there is no better thing from a multiethnic group of youngsters - free from bad isms - traveling to see the world…