Three thousand refugees now arrive in Europe every day, mainly heading for Germany. It’s hard not to feel uneasy – even fearful – about how German and European politics are going to evolve in reaction, and how this might affect the very future of the EU.
Paris might still be reeling from the 130 deaths in November’s terrorist attack, but now Germany is recoiling from the multiple attacks on women on New Year’s Eve from apparently young Arab men, many new immigrants or asylum seekers.
.... What is being asked of Germany is enormous: it is to their credit that Germany’s leaders accept it – and to the public’s credit that so far it has stood behind them. But the latest poll in Germany for the first time reports a majority in favour of closing Germany’s borders. More Colognes, and that figure will grow further.
Yet this is a common European problem. It would be magnificent if a leading British politician would make the case for sharing Merkel’s objectives, and give her and her people a sense that we are with them – working to the same ends with the same mixture of realism and idealism. I bay at the moon. [2286 comments]
[TOP RATED COMMENT 377 votes] No. Islam and democracy are incompatible, always will be. 'There's no such thing as a democratic muslim', as an imam said.
[2ND 311] It scares me that people with such a naive world view are allowed to express themselves in newspapers.
The Arabs coming over are in no way interested in becoming good Germans. They want to continue with their present cultural identity, just set within the material comfort and security of a western state.
Like water and oil, these two cultures will not mix.
[3RD 295] (more than half the refugees are highly skilled, it’s been said),
"It's been said"
[4TH 278] "The British interest is unambiguous: Merkel must succeed"
No, she must fail and she must be shown to fail, as a lesson for other EU leaders of what not to do.
[5TH 228] The sheer numbers involved here is what is so worrying. Terrorism is orchestrated by a few individuals, and we accept that only a tiny minority are involved. There is no contextualisation that can take place when around a thousand men are involved in these attacks in just one city.
A mass deportation of every lone male asylum seeker that has settled in Cologne in the last three years, is justified and would it make clear to these newly arrived communities that their residency is permitted only with our continued goodwill.
[6TH 228] ".... is cultural coexistence still possible?"
Is there only two cultures in Guardianland? Indian and Chinese migrants, despite facing the same, if not worse, difficulties as Muslim immigrants are now completely, and successful, integrated. Integrated not assimilated.
Why is Muslin Culture in the West failing? Perhaps ask Gaby Hinsliff, she's good with the 'hard questions'.
[7TH 217] “who are inducing such a toxic reaction.”
So it’s a toxic reaction to be opposed to Merkel’s stupidity in sending out an open invitation which has resulted in over a million people (mainly young men) (and goodness knows how many keen to follow) entering the EU in an uncontrolled migration. With large numbers coming from cultures that do not accept liberal, Enlightenment values such as –er--- the equality of women.
And if you think these recent attacks on women are just isolated incidents that can easily be contained perhaps you should consult those in Sweden who are honest enough to talk about the rape statistics there.
[8TH 210] "The German media, police and criminal justice system have been agonisingly slow to respond, perhaps hoping that silence would make the problem go away."
That has already been clarified in the German media: the German police were ordered not to mention any criminality committed by “refugees”, some media follow that line too. There is no perhaps here.
"There will be no talk of noxious multiculturalism, but instead of cultural coexistence in which the host society’s values are paramount."
European values are clearly specified in European legislations. We do not make legal excuses for Christians, Jews or Jehovah witnesses, we do not make legal excuses for people living in poverty. Of course German values should be paramount - anything else would be deviation from German law.
[9TH 208] "Meanwhile the extreme right...."
It's not just the extreme right....it's the majority of people
People who don't recognise the issues that come with mass immigration are in the minority
[10TH 207] Cultures which respect women are welcome to co-exist. Cultures which do not, are not. [Guardian Cif] Read more
