Remember Hanau

Six years ago, a German citizen of clear far right orientation killed nine people with migration roots in the city of Hanau. Muffled by the ongoing pandemics and lockdowns, the details of this terrible attack largerly remained confined to the knowledge of survivors and some opinion makers aware of the far right risks in Germany. 

Each year, including yesterday, silent ceremonies were held in the memory of the victims and more social media awareness regarding those tragic events were trending. There are initiatives creates by relatives of the victims and opinion makers aimed to keep talking about Hanau. 

But while listening the audiobook version of the testimony written by one of the survivors, Said Etris Hashemi - whose brother was murdered in the shisha bar the terrorist attacked -, read by Mathias Keller, I just realized that the danger of a similar attack, repeated over and over again doesn´t belong to the past.

From the police officers actively participating to far-right chats to racial profiling and the incoherences of the police proceedings, the leniency towards the father of the terrorist, who keeps threatening inhabitants of Hanau with migration background and the lack of awareness about the weapon purchase, all those details are threatening. 

Sometimes, it is the attitude that may encourage terrorist to keep up with their plans. Hashemi, whose parents arrived to Germany from Afghanistan, outlines that migrants are also part of this country. Which they definitely are, the majority accepts it or not. They are taking care of people in old care homes, they prepare the meals or bring the ready made meals to your door, are cleaning your offices or teaching your children. They deserve the same safety it is granted to the majority, the same right to live and thrive.

This book is a warning but also shows the motivation and determination to stay and do not dispair. The more stories are share, the better, because these stories can provide reasons to be united and keep fighting against evil. Extremism, of all sorts, no matter where it arises, is evil for humanity.

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Should One Answer Hate Comments?

Once newspapers entered the online world, humans of all kind, enjoying the priviledge of anonymity invaded the space. Some of them believers in the dirt there were spreading, others just unable to separate their minds from their education and family background. In the age of print, they were there too, but reaching their destination was harder: they had to write an actual letter and send it by post. The power of the Internet is the momentum.

The German journalist and writer Hasnain Kazim had it all, from a very early age. And he decided to collect all the hate letters in a book, where he also shows his answers.

The main question is: Should One Answer Hate Comments? Isn't it that by answering them one is offering credibility to such approaches?

Kazim's hilarious yet smart answer to his trolls are worth reading it. Maybe at the end of the exchange some changed their mind, but some minds may be so damaged that there's nothing to do. His 'penpals' are contesting his belonging to the 'German people', hate foreigners, accuse him of Islamisation or on the other end, being an enemy of Islam. It's hard to make everyone happy nowadays.

Kazim's contagious humour let you forget what realities many are living in Germany nowadays. Their Germany is obsessed with origins, against foreigners of all kinds, unaware of the tragedies of its past mistakes. A scary landscape, you don't want to do anything with. But if you live there as a foreigner you will be forced to think at least twice.

It's worth sometimes answering hate mails, but there is so much to do against those worrisome trends.