This is my shot at making an active contribution to the political discourse in Europe. I recorded it as a video, but you’ll find the whole text below. I only start to dabble in more political topics over the last couple months, so making this video was a challenge. But if it makes a positive impact on one person I am happy I did it.

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The Letter

Dear People and Leaders of Europe and the European Union, it’s time to wake up.

It’s time to fight for the future of this unique and wonderful anomaly called Europe. A place that, regardless of diverse cultures crammed together in a small geographical area and centuries of conflict, has found a way to unite.

A Europe that has found unity in a way no one else ever has.

I grew up — believing in democracy.

Believing that every vote and every voice matters.

I choose to believe that to this day, my voice can matter, so I’ll give it my best to make it heard.

The European Union is a symbol of democracy in this world. It’s a symbol that all our differences and our past can be overcome, and together we can achieve what was thought to be impossible. We have become stronger than the sum of our parts.

I grew up in a time of change in Europe. One currency across borders. Borders between countries that opened up and did not feel like borders anymore. Traveling across different cultures, landscapes, unique cities, and places became easier than ever before.

It all became part of my identity. And I am sure it became part of the identity of most young Europeans.

So, if I see horrible things happening in another country in Europe, I don’t feel like this shouldn’t bother me, because it does. Because it’s happening in our Europe.

If some wannabe dictator is chipping away at the freedom of speech, the right to assemble, or greatly undermines judicial independence, then this is something that impacts me… even if I personally don’t feel the repercussions yet.

I believe what I’ve said so far, and what I am about to say, is not a weird fringe belief or anything like that. I trust it’s the opinion of many people living within Europe and the European Union.

I know it’s the belief of people who are willing to stand up to their leaders after questionable elections, clinging to European Values as a beacon of hope. There are people fighting to become part of the European Union. They are demonstrating weeks on end for the values the EU stands for. Because they know exactly how it feels to live in a country that is run by power-hungry thieves and liars.

They know how it feels to have your voice drowned out and your vote tossed aside. So they are going out on the streets, fighting for the rights we are taking for granted.

We shouldn’t take it for granted… because we grew up in a Europe that brought us safety, quality of life, freedom… all the things that are not a given in this world.

But now, it’s time for us to wake up and appreciate this safe bubble we are in, because there are people working tirelessly to burst it. The same kind of power-hungry people, working tirelessly on dividing us for their own personal gains and goals. Working on undermining a working democracy for the sake of power.

They are not afraid of lying and trying to bend laws to their breaking point, so they can eventually create the rules for a reality they want to live in. A reality that takes Europe back in time to when we were all separated, on our own, and weaker than we are now.

We need to stop believing and hoping that things will turn out fine. Because they won’t… if we don’t start to call out all this destructive and divisive behavior for what it is.

• It’s time we call out lies for what they are… lies.
• It’s time we call out racists & sexists for who they are…
• It’s time we call out discrimination and oppression for what it is…

Running rigged elections, grabbing all possible power, while drowning out critical voices is oppression.

And while we all as people can make our voices heard, it’s up to our leaders to take a stand.

I expect our leaders to have us and our future generations in mind. I expect our leaders to do absolutely everything to make our world sustainable and every day better than the day before. I expect our leaders to truly lead, and not just try to preserve the status quo and do the bare minimum needed to be re-elected.

But the most important thing:

I expect our leaders to simply do what is right. What is the human and decent thing to do. That includes being honest at all times, even when mistakes were made. Own those mistakes and do better.

Stop giving those who seek to undermine democratic institutions room on the stage. They should not have the opportunity to disguise their hateful agenda as a contribution to the wider discourse.

Because they’ll end that same discourse as soon as they get the chance.

I mean, there are parties who group together in the European Union as a means to basically sabotage the whole system and break it apart. They don’t want to make anything better. They are not constructive, but purely destructive.

I want our leaders to stand for something again. If they say they’ll not collaborate with right-wing parties in Europe, I want to be able to believe them. It’s not okay to turn around at the next opportunity and do exactly that, just because it’s easier.

We should not tolerate that.

I understand politics is complicated, and I don’t even attempt to imply I understand all the nuances of it. But it’s absurd to me that concepts of:

• Tolerance,
• Caring for each other,
• Thinking ahead on topics of economy and climate change at the same time,
• Just being a decent human being

are seen as radical left topics. They are not!!!!

Doing the right thing should be our baseline! Doing the right thing should be at the center of who we are in Europe. Even if it’s challenging!

Thinking ahead—having put peace and unity above borders—is what has even allowed us to play a role in this world today. A role we should be willing to play for the long term. A role that means taking the side of what is right!

It’s absolutely not taking the side of an oppressor who starts wars for personal gain. It’s. Not the side of a Russian dictator, bringing death and destruction to Europe

On the contrary, it should be us doing everything to become independent of the oppressor and supporting those being attacked and in need of our help. Even if it’s inconvenient for us and requires change. Even if it requires us to defend the innocent.

But it’s better to experience inconvenience now than to sit there in the future and wish we had done more.

Now is the time to do more!

• Support the parties and organizations working to uphold European values.
• Make your concerns heard by contacting your representatives.
• Go out and speak up.
• Find ways to drive change, even if it starts small.
• Stand up for what is right.

It will be worth it.