Untitled

Freundschaft
This wall was painted in 2011 by kids to honor the reunification of Germany in 1989.
I took this picture yesterday, again not knowing we would wake up to horror in Europe. Last night a syrian asylum seeker who had been denied asylum injured 12 people in Ansbach.

If I was still living in Panama, my reaction would have been anger to blame the mistakes of the governments all of them. Now I am more tolerant, maybe it is the hair, the life or maybe the German kindness, possibly a mix of factors. This is my home now, at least for now Germany has made me feel welcome in every possible way, office workers are diligent & courteous, people in the street are friendly, my family all of them from Hamburg to Baden have welcomed me and shared love all over.

This is not a violent society like in the American continent, violence is the exception not the norm.
I am afraid that the german kindness can turn into hate and xenophobia because they feel betrayed by their government or by the massive flood of refugees due to bad decisions just like it happened in Panama when the illegal & legal inmigration due to the crisis in Venezuela started. Panama’s situation and Germany’s situation are entirely different, this is the first time a syrian commits a terror attack and no one in Panama has tried to blow up anybody; but my point is governments taking actions regarding people when they are not prepared for it is a source of social tension and as a consequence makes people vulnerable, that is something that both countries have in common.

If the reaction of turning xenophobic, vigilant and hateful of the people of Panama to the behavior and actions of a lot of Venezuelan  immigrants (arrogant, disrespectful, etc etc), off course not all of them are like that, but the bad ones have made  their mark; a few years back panamanians were completely welcoming to the venezuelans but after repeated offenses from one group to the other many panamanians are wary of foreigners now, if this change of heart of panamanians is any indicator of our human nature and predisposition for reacting negatively, I am very afraid for Germany.

I was so uncomfortable in Panama because very often you heard in the street foreigners hating on Panamanians and vice-versa, it was exhausting. I hope Germans do not change, but it seems they are already changing by voting for hate parties such as AfD or supporting hate groups like Pegida.

Let us remember how hard the world has struggled for unity and globalization, do not let hate destroy it.
Hate does not have nationality boundaries first a possibly afgan teen with an Ax, then a german with a gun, now a syrian with a bomb; they all have in common being people who commited terrible crimes.
Do not pray for Germany, engage for the world, join political movements, volunteer organizations, travel, talk to others and make your government accountable.
I hope for a successful recovery of the victims of these attacks and my condolences to the victim’s families.
Politicians decide, but the people sheds the blood. Sorry for the “activist” post but it felt wrong not addressing this.