Dear readers,
The last month was deeply marked by the infamous speech of Nobel prize winner Herta Müller in Belgrade. Perhaps this all derives from her family background, but there is a fundamental flaw in it.
Who’s going to be the judge? Herta? Bono? Those who do that usually become so hated that it’s no wonder there’s a film entitled “Killing Bono” (and it’s from the ‘80s!). How is it possible that a person like Bono tries to do so much good and receives such hatred? Herta is actually giving a free hand to everyone to intervene: Ukraine can launch an attack on Donbass, to “liberate it from imperialist occupation”, Russia can “clear Ukraine of its neo-Nazi pest”, Turkey can attack Kurdistan to “erase the terrorist nests”, Israel can “clear the Arab danger” and Arabs can “push the Zionist entity into the sea”. Well done, Herta, you have just provided justification for all the worst extremists everywhere. Even those in Serbia who think nothing wrong has been done and that Serbia should take Kosovo over militarily. We are all right, right? Wrong! We are all partially right and there is no “Judge Dredd”, passing judgement and acting as executioner at the same time. There is a danger when you think you are so right and righteous. The conflicting narratives in Ulster, Crimea, Donbass, Kosovo, Jerusalem, Nagorno-Karabakh, Catalonia, Bosnia… are far too complicated to be solved by any Judge Dredd. Hitler and ISIS are examples of supreme evil, but don’t go any further. Sit down and talk. Understand the other side. It is not a sign that you are right if you think you are moral. The Holy Inquisition was moral, illuminated, righteous, and believed in violent intervention, but still I prefer those who were burned by the Inquisition.