However, this law is merely the tip of the iceberg. The bill is important in that it heralds a new era that will be shaped by the part of the iceberg still under water. It introduces substantial restrictions on spouses coming from non-EU countries, including Turkey, and aims to drastically limit interactions between the Turkish and German communities. Turks will not be admitted in Germany so easily for permanent residence. Turkish associations -- quite rightly -- stress that even Great Britain did not implement such a policy on its colonies. Turks are considering boycotting the Adaptation Summit scheduled for discussion of the new bill and take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if it is ratified. Let us take a look at the provisions of the bill:
Above all, the new bill requires spouses coming from Turkey be competent in German. This will apply to the holders of either a Turkish or a German passport. The wording “for the citizens of non-EU and non-developed countries” in the bill implies this requirement. Therefore, the provision does not apply to the citizens of Japan or Canada. On the other hand, citizens of countries such as Turkey, Morocco, Africa, India and Vietnam have to comply with the bill, which also bans migration of the spouse to Germany if the partner living in Germany is unable to declare sufficient funds and income.
Those who seek German citizenship will have to take a very difficult exam. He or she has to be able to speak German well. Those who have been living in Germany for a long time will be subjected to adaptation training. Those who do not will have to pay a fine of 1,000 euros. The age limit for those who come to Germany for permanent residence will be reduced from 18 to 16. In addition German doctors and teachers will be able to blackmail Turks by saying “This person cannot speak German, and this person has adaption problems.” If the incoming spouse is suspected of entering a forced marriage, the foreign spouse will be deported. The immigration police will have the power to deport. The age limit to be eligible for migration to Germany through marriage will be increased from 16 to 18.
Of course, the discussion is not all about the new bill that sparked reaction and protest -- there are deep-seated problems. I made mention of the extreme rightist group that opposes the construction of a mosque in Cologne in my Tuesday column. Recent news refers to the existence of an alliance between neo-Nazis and Jewish groups. It is interesting that Jewish Vice Mayor of the City of Cologne Joerg Uckerman leads the alliance. His mentor is Jewish writer Ralph Giordano. The Daily Telegraph reported Uckerman is a member of a movement that has merged Jewish intellectuals and neo-Nazis.
It is strange that Jews, who were subjected to the Nazi genocide in Germany, now cooperate with their murderers. There is a strong intellectual group committed to the opposition of racism and xenophobia in Germany. They represent the conscience of this country and are trying to warn that Germany and all of Europe is being dragged to the brink of madness. However, Jewish Orienalists like Bernard Lewis are trying to rationalize and justify this madness by asserting that Western civilization is being threatened by the Muslim world. Lewis alleges that Islam threatens the West through terrorism and migration. He proposes two major alternatives regarding this threat: A military invasion starting from the beginning of the 21st century of the US into Muslim countries, and closing the doors of Europe to Muslims. It is scary to see the imprints of these alternatives in the new bill.
