On camera, AfD crowd praises murder of German CDU politician by a Nazi

[Velasco]

None of these horrible things - this horrible murder case, all the other horrible murder and rape cases - would have happened if Merkel had just kept the border closed.

I understand you oppose that Merkel opened the borders for Syrian refugees, although I admire her for doing so (while oppose many of her policies). However, your claim is unacceptable as you are justifying the murder of the CDU politician, charging Merkel for the moral responsibility and trying to relativize the horrible crime by diluting it in an alleged wave of rapes and murders. This is a good example of moral relativism and slander.  

[Velasco]

You are justifying the crime with your allegations. Hatred for immigrants may lead to moral relativism and eventually (in extreme cases) to hate crimes. It's a wrong direction.

[Velasco]

None of these horrible things - this horrible murder case, all the other horrible murder and rape cases - would have happened if Merkel had just kept the border closed.

I understand you oppose that Merkel opened the borders for Syrian refugees, although I admire her for doing so (while oppose many of her policies).

While you may admire her for doing so, I think it is hard to look objectively look at where that decision has taken us and not characterize it as a failure, with the ripples threatening to tear the West apart.

I wouldn't say Merkel's decision was a failure, among other things because it's too early to evaluate its impact. I think her decision was brave and humanitarian. Also, it was a difficult decision that entailed a high political cost including the rise of the AfD. However, it was the correct decision from a moral point of view and I admire her because of that.

[Velasco]

If a foreigner rapes a woman, why should I view this as being any worse than a native-born citizen raping a woman? (...)

Exactly, there's no difference between one offender and another. Focusing on outsiders alone is a symptom that reveals a certain bias against them. Some peoole call that racism or xenophobia. Condemning these attitudes is by no means equivalent to justify crimes perpetrated by outsiders. That would be moral relativism. Crime is always crime, regardless the tribe of the offender.

[Velasco]

If a foreigner rapes a woman, why should I view this as being any worse than a native-born citizen raping a woman?

Because all crime committed by foreigners is preventable with policy.

Your claim sounds incredibly absurd and stupid, as the only way to accomplish that is closing all countries to all kind of foreigners. However, assuming that all crime committed by foreigners is preventable, does this circumstance make the crimes committed by natives better? Is there an actual difference? Do you prefer "native rape", or something?

[Velasco]

So, would you lock the doors of your country to all foreigners? Do you think it's possible? When I say "all foreigners" I mean all kinds of people coming from outside, including tourists and business travellers. Crime is not only a matter of poor immigrants, affluent and well-being foreigners commit crimes too.

Countries are not families and not all my fellow countrymen are my relatives, even though I share a common language and culture with them. If they commit a crime, our common heritage won't make them better to my eyes. It's not possible to lock down a country in the same manner you lock your door at night. Only North Korea comes close to your concept. Countries  are made of open spaces and there is always movement and exchange, except in the house of Kim Jong Un. Would you ban commerce, tourism and all activities implying contact with foreigners?

[Velasco]

Countries are not families and not all my fellow countrymen are my relatives, even though I share a common language and culture with them.

If your country doesn't mean anything to you on a deep level, I think this is a miserable way to get through life. Cosmopolitanism is a very unfortunate disposition.

Thank you very much. Of course I didn't mean that my country is meaningless for me. Furthermore, I believe the rich diversity of languages and cultures that exist in the world are common assets of the human beings living on this planet. It's usual that human beings share a feeling of belonging, an emotional connection to their land or their culture. These are essential elements of our human condition and cannot be ignored. Said this, my love for my country or my feeling of belonging don't lead me to despise outsiders and don't make me feel the desire to build a wall to protect me from their pollution.

Do you notice how this tread, which was about the murder of a democratic Politician by a neo-nazi, has been turned by the right into a debate about whether asylum seekers are all guilty or not?
They manage to pervert the Agenda towards their personal narrative, even when it is the far-right killing on our streets.

We should be talking how them calling democratic politicians "traitors" and "enemies of the people", has allowed this to happen.

Exactly. This kind of hate speech appeals directly to the lowest passions and the deepest fears. Its subliminal violence can incite the more extremist elements to commit despicable crimes like the murder of this CDU politician. This is one of the main reasons why parties and organizations resorting to this kind of xenophobic and hateful speech must be condemned and fought back, preferably through persuasion and education. Hate speech and political extremism thrive in times of fear and confusion. The concerns of the people that far right populists like AfD use to their advantage must be addressed by our democratic politicians, without resorting to opportunism and demagoguery