After the Eurovision Song Contest we are all relieved.
Firstly that Denmark did not win so we avoid having to arrange it again next year. Secondly because it turned out to be what it should be: a harmless game of music and show of national pride.
The songs were basically about loving one another and nature and what have you, while the supporters were happy-go-lucky and didn’t display any nationalistic extremes. On top of that, Miss Wurst came out on top – not least because of the song and not in spite of her beard.
Decades back at the entertainment park Bakken one could pay a fee and enter to see the bearded lady among other peculiarities.
Whether that beard was false or not remains in the dark, but last Saturday the beard was genuine and the prize went to Miss Wurst without any serious voices raised about her, notwithstanding attitudes – from the Russians or other dark forces.
That is indeed a tribute – not only to Miss Wurst, but to tolerance across borders and generations.
So the winners are the 160 million who watched it, engaged themselves in it and overcame any residual antagonistic attitude about how people should be, look and act.
Across the world, we see forces propagating against homosexuality and transgender groups.
Hopefully this event demonstrates that the majority are not just tolerant but basically respectful of other people, no matter what their race, colour, nationality, sexual orientation or political denomination is.
That is a good omen for the upcoming EU election.
Scepticism has taken hold in minds and hearts – especially among the younger electorate. Hopefully they will eventually realise that the EU is a safeguard against the kinds of political tension we see within the populations of Ukraine and Syria right now.
Even Northern Ireland is not totally out of the tunnel yet.
People cannot learn to be respectful of each other by being told to be so. They must experience each other face-to-face, not restricting the co-operation in the EU to goods and services, but to minds and hearts.
So go to the ballots, here or in your homeland, and show who the real winner is. (ES)
