Just a quick rant here... I'm not sure how much the refugee situation in Europe is a news item elsewhere, but it has displaced almost every other topic in our news. My rant is, that the refugee crisis brings out the worst in some (I hope not too many!) of my German countrymen. The xenophobia and sheer hatred, but also stupidity and violence, of some here is almost beyond belief. It is true that an influx of several hundred thousand people from a foreign culture is a problematic situation, but I believe most of these people are fleeing from horrible civil wars and desperate poverty, and have taken upon themselves incredible hardship to get here. We should set aside petty egotism and open our hearts to them. I'm saddened by attacks on refugee shelters and on refugees and feel ashamed of my country. At the same time, many good and bighearted people have welcomed the refugees and are generous with their money, time, and resources. I hope goodness wins in the end.
Also, by way of a post script, I'm saddened by the anti-immigrant slant of the Republican campaign for the nomination, particularly the positions voiced by the unlikely front runner Donald Trump. Statements to the effect that most Mexican immigrants are rapists and basically the scum of the earth, and that he intends to build a wall and/or deport them all are to my mind ridiculously wrong, offensive and inhuman. Again, I hope better people prevail.
