I wonder to what extent we can maintain this split

Submitted by Atanas Shinikov (Bulgaria), Nov 14, 2015 at 15:53

Hi Daniel,

A thoughtful and provocative comment on the sickening Paris atrocity that we followed through the whole Sabbath today. Wondering yet, while going through it: if we maintain such a difference between the 'Establishment' on one hand (going 'left'), and the public sentiments, on the other (leaning to the 'right'), does that not mean that we artficially deepen the split, that is, miss to note that it is the public sentiment that has the power to affect Establishment in the long run (through debates, sentiments, expertise, and ultimately: elections), as long as he West still has all the characteristic features of a democracy. Having said that, I would be curious to know more on your view on this undoubtedly existing relation between the public and the 'Establishment' with regards to Islam, an example of which might be provided by Orban himself, being brought and sustained due to nationalistic sentiments of the Hungarian public (that has proven to tend into an Antisemitic directions as well, if I might afford the generalization; I myself still under the impression of the witnessed nationalistic demonstrations in front of the synagogue there some years ago seen by me). In that aspect, do you foresee the public sentiments in Europe in the long run prevailing to the far right, and thereby brinigng to power to the 'Establishment'] fractions [that Germany has always feared since the WWII, and we need to admit, have always been lurking under the surface?

As you see, the questions for me lies within the domain of the relation of the present events to the fate of European Jews, and Israel, rather than isolatedly within the Muslim public case that we all [including Bulgaria, where I reside, as well] seem to struggle with more hotly than before.

Thanks,

A.

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