Seyran Ates: For a new and different immigration policy

[Mimi]

Over the last two weeks I read two books by the Turkish-German lawyer Seyran Ates. The first one was her autobioraphy, a portrait of a fascinating woman, the second one her intense plea for a new integration policy in Germany - or better: She asks German politicians to develop concepts for immigrantion and to fianlly accept that Germany has been a country of immigration for over fourty years now.

Integration is an issue important for my every life as so many of my students come from all over the world and from different cultures and religions - causing a wide range of different problems in every day school life.

If you want to read more, here are some interesting links in English:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/magazine/27immigrant-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

http://www.signandsight.com/features/937.html

http://www.signandsight.com/features/352.html

http://www.redemptionblues.com/?p=280

And best of all: Seyran will come to my school to hold a lecture for the students on Wednesday this week.

MIMI

[Darlene]

Over the last two weeks I read two books by the Turkish-German lawyer Seyran Ates. The first one was her autobioraphy, a portrait of a fascinating woman, the second one her intense plea for a new integration policy in Germany - or better: She asks German politicians to develop concepts for immigrantion and to fianlly accept that Germany has been a country of immigration for over fourty years now.

Integration is an issue important for my every life as so many of my students come from all over the world and from different cultures and religions - causing a wide range of different problems in every day school life.



Hello Mimi, I really found the link you e-mailed me to the audio link (http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=17847605&m=18289911) of Seyran Ates speaking very interesting. I know that immigration and Integration are important issues for all countries or at least in The United States and apparently in Germany. This very courageous lady shows us the importance of "understanding" and "in taking a stand" in present day society. Anything that makes us take a look at ourselves and challenges us to be introspective helps to enhance the human condition.

Thanks for the info.
Darlene

[Mimi]

I met Seyran in person last Wednesday and I'm still impressed. We liked each other from the very first moment. Together with another colleague we are planning a project for students and teachers at our school. There are so many problems which make school life so difficult for both sides, immigrants and native Germans, students and teachers. About half of my students are children of immigrants, about half of them are Muslim.
And I very often experienced what Seyran describes: If I treat an immigrant like a native German, expecting him or her to respect the German constitution and laws I will be called a racist by my left wing fellow Germans and a Nazi by many immigrants.
But should I tolerate the violence of Muslim men towards their wives and daughters! I say NO, I never will. I won't close my eyes like many others do. Many Germans tell me: We have to accept that there are differences between our Western culture and Islam - I know - and they include a different role of women. But that cannot mean to tolerate violence, to tolerate that they keep their girls away from school. In my eyes we have a serious human rights problem here.
Like the American Constitution the German Grundgesetz (our constitution) says that all men are born free and equal and that discrimination of any kind is a crime. And I'm grateful that women like Seyran speek up. She's not the only one and I'm on her side.
But do you know what people say: Some Germans accuse her of not being "a real Muslim" because she does not act like, because lives a free life and many in the Muslim community hate her for what she says and that means that there is a real danger for her of being attacked or even killed. - Well, Seyran was almost killed in a gun attack in 1984 when she was only 21 and in 2006 she had to close down her practice as a lawyer in Berlin because husbands of the women she advocated threatened to kill her. Fortunately things have calmed down a bit and she can work as a lawyer again.

Mimi