When everything is racism, nothing is racism anymore. Of course, real racism is then hardly recognizable. When the Governing Mayor of Berlin recently announced that they wanted to increasingly promote vaccinations to people "whom we have not been able to reach so well in German so far", the support of imams, for example, was brought into play and also in connection with the vaccination of a " integration policy question”, she had apparently struck a chord: The Green Youth in Berlin chirped: “That is racist, Ms. Giffey!” “.
But what is problematic about Giffey's statement?
Apparently, quite a few Germans of all educational levels are not so easy to reach when it comes to the topic of corona and vaccination.
And that you have to address certain groups in their own way, in their language, about their culture and religion, is a must for anyone who wants to reach people at all - and has to, just like a politician in a crisis.
There is no doubt that the pandemic also has an integration policy dimension.
There are still parallel worlds here.
The fact that they are already among those who have lived in Germany for a longer period of time does not change that.
The first three waves of the pandemic showed that migrants died more often than Germans.
There are various reasons for this: forms of living together, low income, other jobs. The differences can certainly have their roots in discrimination, for example on the housing market, where racism can play a role. Of course, an already existing unwillingness to integrate can also be expressed during the pandemic, self-chosen social segregation can play a role.
It certainly doesn't depend on nationality. And not only because of the migration background. In Corona times, others have also isolated themselves. Some in a way that leaves the democratic space of discussion and assembly. It is not about the way of dealing with the virus, you can really have different opinions on that. And the argument about measures must certainly not be choked off by blanket bans on assemblies. Fundamental rights can be restricted, but they are not assigned by the state. It's bad when government agencies, even ministers, are no longer aware of this.
But it's also bad when the general rules are ignored.
It's not just about Corona requirements, but also about the foundations that make civilized coexistence and the exchange of arguments possible in the first place: non-violence, the renunciation of threats and insults, in short, the recognition of the democratic rule of law.
You can mean anything.
The state cannot demand confessions, and it should not educate either.
Conversely, no citizen can demand that they be taken seriously if they ignore facts.
A fortiori nobody is persecuted because of it. A vaccination requirement, which has long been in effect in some areas, does not stigmatize anyone. It is a protective measure that can be imposed on those involved or not involved in a wide variety of hazards and natural disasters. Of course, this can be disputed, every state act can also be challenged. And that is what is happening, quite successfully. But no one is being followed. Even those who see themselves as victims should exercise moderation.
Not only is the concept of racism no longer limited, the victim status is also experiencing inflation. Just as a restrictive asylum and immigration policy is not racist per se, so is addressing integration problems. Immigrants are diverse, Germans are too. A blanket rejection of foreigners is indeed anti-constitutional – just like that of Germans. In this case, of course, the unbounded accusation of racism is hardly ever applied, not even in the case of the proverbial “old white man”, although that is actually a classic racist topos. But for some, the perpetrator status is reserved.
It would be good to disarm in general.
Against the background of the fact that some have experienced first-hand what it means to be excluded, betrayed and persecuted by the state and by fellow citizens, careless, serious allegations are out of the question.
They should be limited to real enemies of the constitution.