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Come on, dear 21 year old, we are waiting for you. A new era will begin no later than January 20, when a serious man is sworn in as president of the United States, when the years of lies, threats, mistrust of state institutions, and undermining of democracy have passed. It’s time for a break, “Sleepy Joe” is probably right for it.
But let’s stay in Austria, which this week was shaken as few times before, and where the gaps have already reached considerable proportions. On the cover of the Sonntags-Zeitung this time we have the title “Vienna stays Vienna”, in view of the fact that the city cannot be defeated, even in its diversity. The porters let the refugees stay overnight in their hotels, people with a migrant background became lifeguards. The day after the attack, the Chancellor spoke important words that it was not about religions, but about peace versus war. And the Minister of the Interior played with top-level professional statements. However: not only Vienna will remain Vienna, Austria will also remain Austria, because soon after there was no union anymore, but only opposed each other when it came to the crisis.
Yes, terrible mistakes were made in the run-up to the attack, people looked the other way, couldn’t communicate, dangers were ignored, and in other countries, policy makers would likely have lost their jobs. Yet it is remarkable how much the Austrian dividing lines – right versus left, government versus opposition, interior ministry versus justice ministry, federal government versus the city of Vienna – became immediately visible again. Distrust, bitterness and even hatred towards those who think differently are so great that blaming and serving one’s clientele is more important than solidarity. It goes so far that a former interior minister uses the placement of a wreath for a political message as he is the only one who does not wear a mask.
Yes, Corona and terror have something in common: in both cases you can see how difficult the alliance is so many times postulated. And how much the minute debates displace serious discussions. It was probably no better before. But at least less noisy without social media.
