Spectres of the past

December 23, 2004

Malignancy and the ugliness of public discourse in Serbia are bringing us back to the times preceding the criminal wars, which have brought misery to all nations in our region, including the Serb nation. Unfortunately, the writings of lowbrow papers, which cater to the basest passions of their readers and satisfy similar needs of their owners are not meeting any resistance from state bodies which are bound to suppress incitement to racial and national hatred. Vicious and hateful items in the press have become “normal” – they are even interpreted by some as a manifestation of “free speech”.Each and every citizen of Serbia must be amazed by the statements of some representatives of the highest legislative body in Serbia belonging to various political parties, published on 22 December 2004 in the same paper which had initiated the newest campaign against non – Serbs. Members of Parliament condoned there the disqualification of public figures because of their national origin or religious affiliation. Some of them approved intrusions into private life and publication of untrue “facts”, going as far as to condone political assassinations and incitements to new murders; others pretended “not to notice” the latter. Such parliamentarians qualify all those drawing public attention to these sick and dangerous phenomena as “enemies of Serbdom”. As an excuse for their flirtation with vice and crime they refer to the worst examples in other countries. Serbdom was once “defended” in such a manner – the representatives of the people should look around them and see the miserable situation in which Serbs, in Serbia and outside Serbia, have found themselves thereafter.