An ominous breeze is beginning to spread in all corners of our republic. It is a breeze of tension and hatred. This tension and hatred is spreading between Roma and Ukrainians. It is something that is difficult to understand, because it seems that most Roma do not even know why they should hate Ukrainians. They miss the essence of the created and artificially induced hostility. This hatred makes no sense and is reaching a dangerous level, when the Roma themselves will not even know why they actually hate Ukrainians.

An example of how things could be different is the situation in Ústí nad Labem. In this city, since the beginning of March 2022, two Roma organizations, the Czechoslovak Roma Union and Romano Jasnica, have been taking care of the largest group. These organizations are trying to create bridges, not walls, between Roma and Ukrainians. And their efforts are successful. In the entire time they have been taking care of this group, we have not noticed a single problem here.

On the contrary, the Czechoslovak Roma Union and Romano Jasnica organize many joint Roma-Ukrainian workshops, performances, trips and joint evenings. There were so many that it is impossible to count. It is an example of how two different groups can live side by side in peace and harmony.

However, there is a problem here. And this problem is on the side of Roma individuals who have been bribed and fooled by anti-government groups and the fifth column of our country. It is sad to see how these individuals are manipulated and influenced by individual slogans that they hear without critical thinking. They take everything they are told as if it were the truth. One of the most important things we must remember is that we must not ignore this irrefutable fact. This will help us to maintain a broad view of the world and not remain anchored in our current state, if it is inconvenient or unpleasant. Many times it is easy to turn our backs on problems or situations that seem unpleasant or unbearable to us.

However, we must learn to face these irrefutable facts and learn from them, rather than ignoring or avoiding them. Ignoring problems or turning a blind eye to unpleasant situations will not help us grow and develop as individuals. In fact, it can lead to bigger problems in the future, because these irrefutable facts will remain unresolved and may eventually become even bigger and more difficult to solve.

Furthermore, if we learn to face irrefutable facts and accept them for what they really are, we can gain valuable lessons and insights that might otherwise escape us. This can strengthen us as individuals and help us to face future challenges and obstacles with greater confidence and determination.

It is certainly very painful, very sad to watch these individuals being manipulated. How they are dragged away from their own beliefs and values ​​and how they are influenced by the single slogans they hear without any effort at critical thinking. In many cases, they seem to take everything they are told as if it were the truth.

This is something that hurts us all very much as a society. It is something that hurts us because we know that this is not the way society should be run. Thoughts, ideas and opinions should be the result of deep and critical thinking, not something that has been forced upon an individual without them having the opportunity to think about what they have been told and whether it is true or not.

So how do we deal with this problem? It is something that we need to address as a society because if we don’t, we risk this problem becoming endemic, which would have far-reaching consequences for all of us. We need to find ways to enlighten these individuals and encourage them to think critically about what they are being told, so that they do not become victims of manipulation and control. This problem is in our hands, and it is up to us to stand up and address it.

It is a crucial topic that invites strong reactions. But it is important to remember that hatred and intolerance are man-made. It is important that we as a society stand up against those who try to spread hatred and intolerance and punish these individuals. Excluding individuals from a community or society can lead to other problems, such as social isolation, increased crime or radicalization. Instead, various forms of punishment should be sought and applied that are proportionate and fair to the individual’s wrongdoing. Punishment should also be educational and aimed at correcting behavior, not just punishing.