Written by Kyriaki Papayatzoglou<\/p>\n\n
The recent statements made by Panagiotis Paraskevopoulos, PASOK MP for Lesbos, in a television interview are not simply “a different opinion.” They are a dangerous example of public discourse that reproduces fear, stigmatisation and exclusion \u2013 especially when uttered by an elected representative of Greek society. <\/p>\n\n
The generalization that “immigrants must be expelled” and that “everyone is a refugee,” the targeting of Muslim populations as a potential threat and their association with extremism and violence, is not political analysis. It is a reproduction of stereotypes that have been used throughout history to legitimize discrimination, dehumanization, and social exclusion. <\/p>\n\n
When a member of parliament talks about people saying “we don’t know what they are,” he is not just talking about immigrants. He is undermining the very concept of human rights, which are based precisely on the fact that no one needs to “prove” their humanity. <\/p>\n\n
Even more worrying is Mr. Paraskevaidis’ insistence on openly homophobic and transphobic rhetoric. Invoking “normality,” God, or a one-dimensional “Greek Christian civilization” to exclude LGBTQI+ people from marriage equality is not an expression of faith or tradition. It is a political choice of exclusion. <\/p>\n\n
Equality is not a “benefit” or a privilege. It is a constitutional principle and the foundation of a democratic society. And democracy is not threatened by love between two people, but by institutional tolerance of discourse that divides citizens into “normal” and “others.” <\/p>\n\n
The most worrying thing is not that these views exist. It is that they are expressed without any restraint by a man who legislates for all of us \u2013 including immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQI+ citizens and their families. <\/p>\n\n
Inclusion is not a “fad” or an imported ideology. It is the answer to fear. And the more public figures choose to invest in division, the greater our responsibility to defend a society where no one is left behind. <\/p>\n\n
Silence is not neutrality. It is complicity. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Written by Kyriaki Papayatzoglou The recent statements made by Panagiotis Paraskevopoulos, PASOK MP for Lesbos, in a television interview are not simply “a different opinion.” They are a dangerous example of public discourse that reproduces fear, stigmatisation and exclusion \u2013 especially when uttered by an elected representative of Greek society. The generalization that “immigrants must […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7179,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[166,69],"tags":[220,294,224],"class_list":{"0":"post-8187","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-opinions-en","8":"category-pride-lgbtq-en","9":"tag-diversity-en","10":"tag-diversity-charter-greece-en","11":"tag-inclusion"},"yoast_head":"\n