Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-12-12-Speech-3-261"
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"en.20071212.28.3-261"2
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"Mr President, I would like to take a few seconds over my allotted time merely to direct at those in the back seats, on the right over there, a traditional Castilian saying: ‘
silly words will be met with a deaf ear’. I will now continue my speech in English.
Today, as we have very proudly signed the Charter of the Fundamental Rights of the European Union, it is more than half a century since Europe assisted in the most outrageous crime of xenophobia and racism – the Holocaust.
Millions of people were killed because of their religion, their ethnic background and their political beliefs. Therefore, it is more necessary than ever to bear history in mind by living our present and preparing for the future.
We have to be alert and watchful; beware of the eggs of the snake, as Ingmar Bergman taught us. As Commissioner Frattini has confirmed today, there is a resurgence of violent acts with racist and xenophobic origin in our Member States.
But, to me, what is even more preoccupying is that more and more young people get involved. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that we teach them citizenship and to be aware of what racism is about.
More and more extremist right-wing parties which base their ideology and political practices on intolerance and exclusion are voted into national parliaments. There, they have an excellent platform for their political message of hate. We should be aware of this and try to do things to counteract that as well.
Racism and xenophobia are the most direct violations of the principles of freedom and democracy and our fundamental rights. So the European institutions and we, the Members of Parliament, are obliged to reaffirm our determination to uphold fundamental freedoms and to condemn and combat any manifestation of racism and xenophobia by means of law.
More than ever, zero tolerance is requested to combat racism and xenophobia. More than ever we have to be belligerent in defending our values, using and strengthening the instruments available to the European Union and its Member States.
No single citizen should ever suffer from persecution because of his or her race, religion, gender, social situation, language, nationality or sexual orientation. The eradication of racism and xenophobia, the right to live in peace, is a moral challenge to all democrats, and to defend civil rights is the duty of every democrat."@en1
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