How could Europe tackle terrorism and extremism.

On May the 22nd Europe suffered yet another terrorist attack, this time in Manchester, the U.K.

In this incident, 22 mainly young people lost their lives, while attending a pop concert by American singer Ariana Grande.

It happened just over one month after the attack in Stockholm, the Swedish capital, which left 5 people dead.

After France, Belgium, Russia and Germany, this is the latest terror attack which takes place on European soil. But it is becoming evident that it most likely won't be the last.

Our continent is increasingly finding itself as a target for such atrocities, so we must prepare to protect our citizens and way of life. 

Clearly one country can not achieve this on its own. We have open borders, free movement of people and multicultural societies. If we want to maintain and safeguard those values, then we must respond to this challenge united and cooperating with each other closely. 

The creation of a European Intelligence Agency is an ongoing debate and many prominent EU political figures,have in the past called for its creation. A European FBI if you like, would coordinate our efforts, speed up the exchanging of information and intelligence, helping to prevent terrorism in our continent.

It was November 2015, when the leader of the European Liberals, Guy Verhofstadt told MEPs that the creation of a European intelligence agency, as well as a corps of European border and coast guards, is more urgent than ever.

At a debate in Brussels, the Belgian politician focused on the situation in Syria and the fact that France had broken new ground by activating article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Verhofstadt stated that the activation of article 42.7, necessarily implies the creation of a European coalition that other states can contribute to. (Euractiv)

Just a few months later and the Belgian and European capital Brussels, was under attack in March 2016. Consequently, the EU Commission's President Jean-Claude Juncker stated that better cooperation of member states’ secret services was needed, to respond to the challenge of terrorism.

Juncker spoke alongside French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who visited Brussels in the aftermath the terrorist attacks in Brussels.

“It becomes more and more obvious that we must reflect over the better cooperation between our respective secret services,” he said in French.(Euractiv)

Another year has passed and we still haven't managed to make considerable progress on this plan, while the victims are increasing. 

The terrorists are getting more organised and are acting on a transnational basis, being able to high-jack trucks in one country, while attacking a neighboring one. They can also receive instructions from terrorist groups in the Middle East and elsewhere. We need to act soon.

If national governments cannot cooperate with each other effectively, due to communication breakdown, mistrust or red-tape, then a pan-European body could speed up the process by coordination.

The one thing that Europe must not do, is abandon its values or what it has achieved so far. The Schengen Agreement, the free movement of people or goods, our multicultural cities and open societies, must not be sacrificed for the sake of any extremist.

We should stick together and do not allow them to spread hatred, fear and divisions among us. We must not scapegoat our Muslim communities for the attacks, or turn against them. On the contrary, we should ask them to join the fight against extremism, including not isolating them. 

It is coming to a point that the Muslim communities across Europe must cooperate, unite and be the front runners in the fight against terrorism in our continent. If we turn against them, we will only increase their discontent and radicalization, perpetuating the condition and its outcome; terror attacks. If they feel unwanted, it is unlikely that they will chose to cooperate.

If any member of the Muslim community knows that someone is suspicious of extremist views, they should report them to the authorities. Eject any extremists from their circles, mosques, social groups and expel them. They must become more vocal and openly condemning such actions, encouraging their youths to embrace their lives in Europe and integrate themselves in our societies.

Our governments on the other hand, must find out what pushes European born Muslim young men, to reject all the benefits our countries can offer them, choosing to murder people and ultimately dying themselves. Have our immigration laws or integration process failed them, or is our culture simply not appealing to them?

Europe needs a debate on its future and to re-imagine itself as a society. We will either chose to enter the future divided, suspicious and scared, raising borders and barriers, alienating and scapegoating minorities, or we will chose to further cooperate, coordinate, unite and streamline our efforts in creating a peaceful, prosperous and safe continent for all its inhabitants. 

If Russia is a threat, why isn't Europe playing its game on intelligence?

The CIA’s conclusion that Russia intervened to swing last November’s presidential election in favor of Donald Trump, may be hard to swallow for some.

This investigation, may also have implications for the integrity of Britain’s Brexit referendum last June. 

Additionally, it could determine how upcoming elections in France and Germany may be vulnerable to Russian manipulation. (The Guardian)

Such reports, if they are truthful, would make anyone question the stability and solidity of every Western democracy. Imagine if the politics and electoral outcome of a country such as USA, can be influenced by apparently a coordinated group of hackers and internet trolls, or the funding of another country like Russia.

Such possibility, shatters really the validity of our elections, referendums and the very political system that we are so very proud of in Europe; democracy.

But are such conclusions real, or is it an attempt of the Western elites to discredit the undesirable electoral outcome, influencing their countries' public opinion by using Russia as a "boogeyman"?

Or perhaps they wish to place the blame for their failures on the usual scapegoat. Russia, just as the USSR, still serves as the reason why we need to spend millions for protection, defense mechanisms, military spending and so on.

During the past we needed a powerful alliance like NATO, to protect ourselves from the Soviet threat. So if Russia is launching a cyber-war on us, then why isn't Europe today developing its own cyber-defense system?

Each state in Europe has obviously its own intelligence agency, but when faced with well organized "attacks" by countries like Russia, China or even our own very allies like the USA, perhaps we could coordinate our resources better. 

A truly united and strong European continent, could pose many challenges and act as a threat to other potential global players. Therefore, if what these reports are claiming is true and our elections are being targeted by Russia or any of our competitors, we will have to defend ourselves.

Nevertheless this defense towards such attacks, should not necessarily be us hacking or interfering with our competitors' elections or internal affairs. Rather informing our own citizens about the reality of the situation.

The EU should get its own group of "trolls", which instead of spreading lies and false news, they should do the opposite. Spread facts and information. 

There are plenty of pro-EU enthusiasts, bloggers, journalists, campaigners and civic society groups from across the block, that can be employed to promote better knowledge of what the EU does, or how it works.

Debunking any myths, could be our best line of defense, preferably before the alleged foreign "trolls" are able to infiltrate our social media to spread their agenda or lies. 

However we have to understand that the biggest "enemy", is not Russia or any other "power" outside the EU. Our worse enemy is our own governments, plus that of our allies such as the USA. 

It is them who fail us with their disastrous policies, corruption, nationalism, conservative nation centered politics, while serving the vested interests of a handful of upper class from within our countries, or the powerful Western elites.

They haven't grasped that people are fed up with their neo-liberal agenda, paying for the banks, the euro and to support this outdated capitalist system, which is in urgent need of reforms.

Our leaders on both side of the Atlantic, have ignored the needs or voices of the ordinary citizens for too long, yet now it is Putin's trolls and agents that are posing a major threat to our democracy. 

Even if there is some truth in this, we will have to do some serious soul-searching first, to find why people are turning against our political and economic system or establishment, the EU, its role and achievements. 

We can not blame others, before we fix the cracks in our political structure. We also need to realize that our own media can also be biased, serving the interests of equally destructive for our societies agendas, coming from within our countries or group of allies.

Assuming that Europe is serious about succeeding and moving forward, becoming a major player in the globe, then our national governments should stop standing in the way for starters. We either move forward with this project or we do not. 

If our governments are sabotaging the EU itself, often siding with Russia, the US or any other global power to serve their own interests, then they can not blame anyone else for interfering. 

It is them that become a threat to democracy and our political system, our values and the future of our future generations. 

People are unaware or ignorant about their national or European politics and reality, because the truth has been purposely twisted or withheld from them for too long, by their entrusted governments and leaders. It is no wonder then that they are easily manipulated by the "trolls" of Russia or any other infiltrator.

The EU has an increasing number of supporters and followers, willing to work and share their knowledge and enthusiasm with their fellow citizens. This is a valuable pool of existing resource, that is unexploited. 

If only our national governments allowed the EU to fund its own collective intelligence, comprised by an active civil society but also a European version of FBI or CIA, then nobody would be able to manipulate or influence its elections and internal affairs. 

This could form the backbone of our defense towards "meddling" from the outside, securing the political stability that our continent needs to achieve its goals for the future. 

The more we delay this development, the further we will be weakened by more coordinated and organized cyber campaigns against European unity.

Our countries are small and form easy pickings for bigger players in the globe, comfortably corrupted and manipulated, turned on each other. 

Populism and nationalism can never offer solutions to this problem. Our interests for a future stable and prosperous continent, lie in a more integrated Europe, not a divided one. 

Why do we allow still religion to dominate our morality?

A bright orange bus emblazoned with an anti-transgender message has been forced off the roads in Spain, after activists, trade unions, and Madrid City Council united against it.

The slogan on the bus read: "Boys have penises, girls have vulvas. Do not be fooled."

A Catholic group, Hazte Oir, had planned to take it on a nationwide tour of Spanish cities.

The group said the ban was illegal and that it planned to acquire a new bus.

One message on the side of the banned bus states: "If you are born a man, you are a man. If you are a woman, you will continue to be one."

It is believed to be a response to posters put up in northern Spain by a transgender rights group, which read: "There are girls with penises and boys with vulvas. It's as simple as that." (BBC News)

Well seemingly now, we've got to make sure we obey our biology,or we will offend the ever watchful and self-righteous religious groups. As if that's all that we are; mammals, that need to be identified and categorized by what we carry between our legs upon our birth.

How about finally accepting that we are also sentient beings? That we have a spirit, a soul, that we are also energy and not only flesh, meat and bones. Haven't we humans always separated ourselves from animals, often in such arrogant way that we placed ourselves above all other life, exploiting it, abusing it. 

Because we see ourselves as more than animals, more than any other "God's creations".  In fact religion always made us believe that we are "His" favorite and most perfect one. Yet now ironically, Catholics insist on identifying and categorizing people strictly on our biological anatomy, so I am confused.

Am I a man because I was born with a penis, or because I feel as one? How about what my spirit makes me feel and want, or perhaps I should stick to my anatomy. 

But then what happens to my soul and all the promises of atonement or forgiveness in the afterlife, that religion is promising that I will receive.

When my penis that identified me all my life has rotten and is nothing more than dirt in the ground.

I wonder then if we belong to a sex group because our anatomy says so upon our birth, or because our "soul" urges us to behave in such manner.

If of course what we perceive as "the spirit" exists after all and religion got that right. If they haven't, well then that must force us to change our perception of religion, spirituality and God, shouldn't it?

Science has discovered  in 1991 that the hypothalamus, which controls the release of sex hormones from the pituitary gland, in gay men differs from the hypothalamus in straight men. The third interstitial nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus (INAH3) was found to be more than twice as large in heterosexual men as in homosexual men

It additionally showed that in gay men, neurons in the INAH3 are packed more closely together than in straight men.

Later studies performed in 2008, have shown that the two halves of the brain are more symmetrical in homosexual men and heterosexual women than in heterosexual men and homosexual women.

These studies have also revealed that connections in the amygdala of gay men resemble those of straight women; in gay women, connections in the amygdala resemble those of straight men. The amygdala has many receptors for sex hormones and is associated with the processing of emotions.

Some studies have shown that the corpus callosum – the main connection between the two halves of the brain- has a different structure in gay men than in straight men. However, other studies have found no difference.

Gay women and gay men are more likely to be left-handed or ambidextrous than straight women and straight men, according to a number of different studies.

Some researchers have suggested that this difference in handedness – preference for one hand over the other can be observed in fetuses - is related to differences in the corpus callosum. (Scientific American Blog)

From the above one would think twice before attributing any discriminatory beliefs and misconceptions to "God." Human sexuality is scientifically analysed and from all that we have found so far, there is no evidence of any deity's will, that imposes any morality on our sexual behavior.

We have to start liberating ourselves from anachronistic ideologies, religious beliefs and conservative mentalities regarding our sexuality. The reason being that they are simply misplaced. They are founded upon lies and false information.

Humans are not animals to mate just for procreation and even if they were, they are plenty examples of animals having sex just for fun. Homosexuality is not unknown among animals either, especially the most "developed ones," such as chimpanzees and dolphins.

Our sexuality is not just black or white, rather it covers all "shades of grey" in between. So why do we insist on stereotyping, discriminating against, excluding and even violently reacting towards individuals that do not fit our "respectable" and "acceptable" sexual orientations?

I doubt that anyone would respond in such manner towards a person with disabilities, which was also born with his or her condition. Trans-gendered individuals may look less normal in their appearance, but are as "natural" in their behavior as someone who was born with a disability due a brain structural "difference".

If what the above study applies for gay individuals, such findings must make a stronger case for trans-gendered people, which often express the feeling of being the wrong sex trapped in the wrong body. Science explains it all, so why do we allow religion to spread bigotry and hatred towards our fellow human beings?

Especially when apparently our faith is here to spread love and acceptance for everyone. Not to mention that it has totally failed to deal with humanity's most basic need for love and sexual intercourse, let alone prove that its representatives know exactly what "God's" will is on such matters.

If they promise people life after death but treat them as sheep that possess genitals only to procreate and to identify or categorize themselves, then we have the following oxymoron; do sheep really care about life after death, their soul, forgiveness and paradise. And if they don't, then do they need religion after all?

Before I close, I must confess that myself often find transgender individuals as "weird," or "creepy,"too. Because I was equally raised in such manner to find discomfort in everything "different". But as I get older, you know what I find even more "creepy"?

People who suppress their true self or sexuality, choosing to remain celibate in order to please some imaginary version of "God". Or those who stay in sexless, loveless marriages out of convenience, or to abide with societal stereotypes and conform with them.

They are far more "twisted" than any gay or transgender individual, simple because they are the ones who go against their true nature. And I do not believe that they should be the ones who must set the rules for everyone else. 

Can Europe afford to copy Japan on immigration?

As Europe becomes increasingly xenophobic and populist, perhaps we need an open debate on our options on immigration.

People are unaware of the numbers, figures, conditions, reasons, policies and benefits that immigration relies upon and understandably they fear it.

But have Europeans actually engaged and got to know anyone from their country's immigrant community? Just to try and share their concerns with them and see how they are coping in their society, or what do they have to contribute.

More essentially, do we understand why Europe's leaders have chosen apparently the multiculturalism option, rather trying to keep Europe ethnically "European"?

Apart from our continent's colonial legacy, Europe became multicultural because it chose to follow USA in its financial and social policies. After WW2 the European economy was in tatters and so it was forced to copy the American model, that based its economic boom on immigrants from all over the world, including Europe.

One by one, eventually most European nations adopted this model and for many years it proved acceptable and successful. Until the aftermath of the EU 2004 big-bang expansion to the East, combined with the euro-zone and refugee crisis that is.

Now that things got tough, Europeans are reconsidering. But what could be an alternative to multiculturalism? Well another rich, industrialized nation with a complete opposite approach of that of Europe's is Japan.

Currently the country's immigrant population counts for about 1.75% of the total population, when compared with the average 10% that most Western European countries are experiencing.

Nevertheless Japan is also under pressure to accept more immigrants as workforce shrinks. Ageing population and prediction of 8 million fewer workers by 2030 spurs calls for government to accept migrants and refugees. (The Guardian)

The debate of whether the country should loosen its immigration laws is becoming more vocal. Shigeru Ishiba, who is in charge of revitalizing regional economies, stated in 2015 that since Japan’s population is in decline, the government should promote policies that accept immigrants into Japan. “It is wrong thinking that foreigners must not come to Japan," he claimed.

“It is necessary for the government to implement policies that do not cause any discomfort for us or for immigrants in terms of language, customs and other areas,” he continued.

Taro Kono, the minister for administrative reform and head of the national police agency, said that relaxing immigration laws could help President Abe reach his target of boosting GDP from the current 491 trillion yen to 600 trillion yen (5 trillion US dollars) by the end of the decade. (The Guardian)
Some might still think that Japan is a very brave country that stands up for its culture and people, trying viciously to safeguard its way of life. And they will be right. Yet they are not aware fully about the country's economic model, or its citizens' working ethos.

Japan has a welfare system that in some ways makes even the new, dismantled American system seem a model of generosity.

Applicants in Japan are obliged to get help first from their families, and a poor person physically able to work is not eligible for help -- whether or not the person actually has a job.

From some perspectives, this system has worked brilliantly. The country's already strong family ties have been strengthened, and the main safety net is the family rather than the Government. The number of Japanese in the basic welfare program has declined sharply over the last half century, as people became better off and built up savings.

Today only 0.7 percent of the population receives benefits -- compared with the 4.8 percent of Americans who get grants from Aid to Families With Dependent Children or the 9.7 percent who receive food stamps. About 2.3 percent of Americans receive grants through the Supplemental Security Income program, which serves the elderly, blind and disabled.

To be sure, Japan's welfare system operates in a very different milieu from America's. Only 1 percent of Japanese births are to unwed mothers. That compares with a percentage that keeps climbing in the United States and has now reached 30 percent.

Japan also has a far lower percentage of drug addicts than the United States has, a much lower unemployment rate, a much more egalitarian distribution of wealth, a greater sense of family obligation and an abiding sense of shame that colors almost every aspect of life. (New York Times).

Europeans love their social benefits and they fight for them. As result, our economies need cheap labor which results in higher immigration numbers. Would Europeans accept to work longer with little benefits, to see fewer migrants entering their homelands and safeguarding their culture like the Japanese?

Perhaps we should give them the choice. We could either review our immigration policies and harmonize them across the EU, but we will need a strong leadership to make all member states agree. Or we could leave the governments of each member state decide their own, as it is done at the moment and seems to be accepted with most citizens.

The only problem is, that often EU migrants end up paying the price for each member state's irresponsible immigration policies. Each nation chooses the wrong ones, or implements them for the wrong amount of time, creating divisions among native or EU citizens, versus non-EU migrants. It is an unfair situation for all at the moment, but that is not the immigrants' fault.

Since there can not be single market without the free movement of people, then immigration from within EU is essential to maintain. It supports the "goose that lays the golden egg" for our continent and gives it relatively a competitive edge. No other region has managed to establish the biggest and such a successful market in the globe.

Most EU member states-especially the new ones, could be learning from the mistakes of other countries not repeating them. Sadly, this often is not the case.

In reality our governments are looking to import labor, to be literally exploited by doing the jobs that we don't want, with less money. Because in many cases, these people entered Europe because companies wanted them to come and so they pressurized our governments to change their immigration policies.

Yet when they go bust or they decide to move to another cheaper labor marker, these people are left in limbo, unwanted and with no job. They end up in ghettos, becoming a perfect scapegoat for any populist government.

This should not be the case. We need clear cut, fair and fully functioning, ideally harmonized immigration policies across Europe. For the simple reason that if we should keep our internal borders open, one country's messy decisions on the issue, will inevitably become everybody's problem.

Europe should be looking collectively for the type of migrants it needs, by establishing EU immigration offices abroad, in the countries it seeks to attract migrants from. Essentially before they enter a boat to arrive illegally.

Finally, we should stop terrorizing the native population by scapegoating certain ethnic or religious groups. Recently Heinz Christian Strache, the head of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, has called for a ban on all Muslim symbols, warning that Islam is a threat to Europe. (New Europe)

If that is what Europeans will decide then fine. But will they also ban Muslim doctors, waiters, nurses, small shop keepers that save lives, attend patients, and are staying up late in the convenience stores during Christian holidays, so Europeans can find things that forgot and ran out of, at any time? 

If yes, then maybe we should limit immigration from Islamic nations. But we can not encourage people to come over here to fill jobs that we need, yet don't allow them to practice their religion. Unless of course we want them to be forcibly converted or live in the shadows of our society as pariahs.

However oppression breeds resistance,clashes and a divided society full of hatred and inequality. There is no reason why we should see our capitals' streets, ending up like many of those in America when we can prevent it, by being fair, open and honest. 

Dear Nationalists.

As Europe -and in fact the whole world- is increasingly gripped by successive waves of populism and nationalism, one can not be indifferent any longer.

I observe nationalistic people boast about their history, their country's economy, a very successful popular individual that comes from their country, their culture and lifestyle.

"Proud to be Irish, Greek, American, British" or whatever else is often used by people as a boastful expression for something they haven't achieved.

Or the recent "make America great again" and "taking back control," for Britain or any other euro-skeptic movement across the continent. " Greece for the Greeks, France for the French" and there is no space for anyone outside our tribe.

So all the above make me wonder; what are you so proud off? Your history may be part of your heritage and should be commemorated undoubtedly. But it wasn't you who achieved all these greatness, it was your ancestors, often numerous generations back.

Your national sports team winning, or one great athlete, actor, musician, artist or scientist excelling in international competitions or becoming successful, should not be making anyone "proud" apart from their nearest and dearest.

Except maybe your national sports team winning, which should give you some joy and satisfaction, there is little reason for such tribalism. Because that is exactly what it is; every nation uniting behind their "warriors" that beat and dominate over another tribe's. A bit primitive I think, the demonstration of such passionate emotion over a game.

Your country's economy is the result of successful financial policy decisions, that have been adopted often by previous generations. But not just that. Certain countries in favorable alliances. political blocks or geographic locations have positioned themselves as "elite" nations that have an advantage over other nations which less luck in their connections and "friendships".

So to be "proud" over often pure luck, is a bit daft. Finally, a nation's culture is often created by the constant mixing and influencing by other cultures from nearby nations, but also from countries far away since we live in a globalized world.

In an ever changing and hopefully uniting humanity, what should actually make a nation proud? Shouldn't be any development, policy or decision that positively influences and affects not only the citizens of this certain country, but also acts as a beacon that kick-starts a positive change for all human kind across the world?

Like when Ireland approved by popular vote to give same-sex couples, full and equal rights on marriage. That can stand as a beaming example, that could positively influence other nations to follow suit, extending equal rights for all LGBT individuals across the world.

Sweden is another case on its human rights activism and how it reacted on the refugee crisis that affects recently Europe. And not just this particular time.

Similarly, how many Greek islanders reacted to the scores of refugees being washed on their homeland's shores, the compassion and humanity they demonstrated, that is something that makes me proud as a Greek personally.

The above examples are just a few. Yet sadly, they do come fewer and fewer in our modern society. People need to be proud for something, to place themselves above others or other nations.

Well why can't these reasons be about the ways that your country stood as an example, pushing humanity ahead, modernizing and positively contributing in our collective global heritage currently, not just about its past achievements.

A bit of healthy competition acts as good motivation, but ultimately the goal should be focused on the greater good of the human kind.

If we keep looking back we can never move forward. If strive to look down on others, we can never be equal and develop together-or at all. If we only try to better ourselves, we leave many others behind. And this is not the way that humanity should be looking into the future, there is no benefit to live in an extremely unequal world.

We are making history as we speak. All of us, with our choices and policies we adopt, with how we treat other nations, minorities in our country and abroad. If we show our worse self towards everyone else outside our "tribe," what will future generations be "proud" of us after all?