SENSE OF SAFETY
MIROSŁAW PIOTROWSKI
Outside the European Parliament in Brussels I got into a taxi. After a few minutes we had to stop, because in the very middle of the street there was a car with turned on engine, blocking traffic in both directions. Flickering lights did not bring any results, so the taxi driver, nearly brushing against other cars and a curb, miraculously pushed his way through. Passing by the unlucky vehicle I saw four swarthy men sitting inside. The car windows were lowered, their arms were hanging up the armpits. They were very pleased and very self-confident. To the slight horn warning, they began shouting loudly and threatening with fists. The scared taxi-driver quickly pressed the accelerator pedal and drove off. This is only one of many trivial episodes which compose a mosaic of the city called ‘the heart of Europe’. The event took place in a district considered as one of the most dangerous ones, so why should one be scared here? Recently, Molenbeek has been considered as the worst district. However, when the Brussells police commandeered and transported weapon and racket launchers from there by two lorries, there was probably idyll there. Once a month the European Parliament moves to Strasburg. Here, similarly as in Brussels there are familiar views. In the streets there are patroles of soldiers with heavy weapon prepared to shoot. Entrance to the historic city centre is blocked by barriers. One can get to the Cathedral Square on foot, after controlling one’s luggage first. In France the emergency state has been submitted again. Although other EU countries prolong the time of control on borders successively, dangerous criminals and terrorists, like the assassin from the lorry in Berlin, are freely travelling in countries of Europe. Even traditional German solidity fails more and more often in the sphere of safety. Proper authorities are reminded today that, indeed after the unlucky New Year’s Eve in Cologne last year, over thousand people were interrogated who were suspected of sexual molesting women, only two of them were sentenced. Such a state emboldens culprits and worries potential victims. It is not the first time when the subjective lack of sense of safety has been identified with the actual state. It often happens that questions asked to politicians about causes and adequate remedies meet with an avalanche of invectives and accusations of populism. Facing terrorism and real danger more and more people are rejecting political correctness and are likely to support those who call things by name and declare radical solutions in a fight for safety. And mentioning the fight, but from the previous century, in our neighbouring western countries one of editorial offices cannot catch up with the pace of editing the book ‘My Fight’ that is ‘Mein Kampf’ by Adolf Hitler. Soon its sale may reach a record number of a hundred thousand copies. There is no point referring to this parallel but it may be worth beginning historical reflection?
AA
„Niedziela” 04/2017