Your beloved Europe! (remembering history)

Submitted by Memo (United States), Apr 18, 2006 at 03:17

This is for Mr. Johanson and folks who think the same way:

I know that the average European considers Europe as a continent that represents a culture that eminated from Greek philosophy, illuminated by Christianity and perfected by Reneissance; a culture self-contained, self-sufficient. Also, I know they consider themselves as a people split into nice, pure segments formed by well defined races and nations, all coming sharing similar genes, being "white". Thats why people like Ms. Johanson can not tolerate their beloved culture to be diluted by other "backward" cultures like Mid-eastern or African. They can not tolerate to see brown, black or yellow faces around themselves which seem to degrade their national identity, or simply their race.

But is it a accurate view of Europe? Are Europeans really so different from their neighbors east? Lets check the facts.
1) Huns (Turks from Central Asia) swept through Europe from east, settling in Hungary and forming the Hungarian nation by mixing with the local people
2) Mongols (not Turks this time) invaded Europe from east and left their genes everywhere.
3) Arabs founded the most advanced civilization of their time in todays Spain and Portugal. Their advances in science and arts has become the insiration for the renessaince which we all admire. They left their books, libraries, univeristies, public buildings behind together with their genes when they were forced out after 500 years of rule in the west of Europe. (By the way, if Spanish conquistadors would have spared a few books from Andalusia, we would have been 200 years ahead of our time in sciences). After they left, Europe plunged into dark ages once more.
4) Ottoman Turks ruled east Europe for 400 years. EU countries (and some candidates) such as Greece, Romania, parts of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia etc. were all part of Turkey until 100 years ago. In other words, east Europe was called Turkey while west Europe was being called Arabia.
5) Today, there are 2 million Turks in Germany, many Arabs in France, surely many Arab decendents in Spain, several million Muslims in Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria. Many Pakistanis in Britain.
6) Islam, despite all the negative media attention, is by far the fastest growing religion in Europe. Many "white" Europeans are chosing Islam and culturally fusing east with west.

So, based on these facts, let me ask again. Are we really that different? What is it you are afraid of? You are wish to stop something that happened many times through the histrory, that is, mingling of cultures and people. And together with globalisation, this trend is even faster today.

If you seriously think Europe can be immune from this effect, I say you are dellusional.

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