EMPIRE STATE OF MIND
Problem of Minorities and Policy of the Liberals

When one is a minority at voting, this means that the majority of votes is against him because they do not share his point of view. Therefore, minorities are subordinate elements of complex state communities.

Social comparison is of vital importance for the development of one’s comprehension of one’s self. The minorities are characterized by specific physical or cultural properties that the dominating segments of the society consider inferior and this creates a certain social disadvantage. This disadvantage is mainly conveyed from generation to generation based on sheer origin. The imposed common destiny gradually leads to the awareness of a specific position and treatment, namely, discrimination of specific common interests and thus develops the feeling of belonging to a minority group. The minority identity, namely, feeling of belonging to a minority can only be created when the fact that someone is considered – or considers himself a member of a specific category – is related to noticing some social consequences arising from this, namely, specific treatment by others, which applies to members of such category. These consequences include also discrimination by others and negative attitude with respect to some of the criteria of belonging to that category.
All the most horrific persecutions in history had occurred because the majority could not stand a certain minority. In order to prevent this from repeating it is necessary to prevent the flourishing of a policy that enables such persecution. Whoever doubts this, should visit a Jewish documentary center, or remember the genesis of recent tragic conflicts in the Balkans. I do not even want to mention what kind of role the nationalism is playing in that tragic theatre.

For this very reason two years ago LDP motioned in the Serbian Parliament the urgent passing of a set of anti-discrimination acts and promoted efficient implementation of existing laws and international instruments. After all the misfortunes and disasters Serbia must be ready for all changes that provide equal rights to each individual, regardless of the differences. Majority of LDP’s amendments to this set of acts was accepted and ratified by the Parliament, and LDP played a distinct role when the Church tried to prevent passing of these acts.

The question is why, in their Memo for Progressive Policy, unafraid of the universal human rights, the Liberals devoted one of the central places to the rights of the minorities, i.e. those inferior in numbers, but in nothing else; why do we position ourselves the way we do towards those that are different, and that for this very reason make our environment richer for their difference?

I would say that, among others, the reason is that we, the Liberals, are almost always a minority. That is why we have a better understanding for those that are in a situation that is so akin to ours.

The human soul is still wild;
All of us that celebrate plurality and reject fear of freedom and irrationality;
All of us that support ideas that have inspired great mottos of democratic revolutions;
All of us that consider antiracism an axiom, that unconditionally accept the general policy of equality;
All of us that believe that the basic human rights are general and binding for all countries and political movements, as well as for everyone in general;
All of us that believe that violation of these rights must be equally condemned regardless of who is responsible for them;
All of us that discard the position of cultural relativism, according to which the basic human rights are not intended for some countries and peoples;
All of us that find no justification for reactionary regimes and movements that consider democracy a hated enemy;

All of us that do not uphold the views of nationalist movements, for none of them is over one hundred years old and are typically created among groups of people bound by a common erroneous view of the past and hate for the neighbors and those that are different from them;

And all of us that respect pluralistic traditions – in short, the liberals of our civilization – we wish to encourage those that, just like us, are devoted to democratic standards, processes and structures, freedom of thought and practice in the struggle for progress of mankind.

The main human right is quest for happiness. Thoughtful judgment and opposition to any totalitarian truth that must not be provoked are unavoidable within this quest. Particularly the clash with the totalitarian truth that jeopardizes the rights of those that are not the majority, as this is usually the first sure forewarning of bleak times in any society. If the society fails in this, it is almost certain that it will fail one time or another in other aspects of social life.

On this path of social staggering, xenophobia and discrimination, the liberals have always been the ones that pulled in the opposite direction and provided resistance. When nobody else wanted to, dared not or would not, when all others, as cowards and conformists gave wind to majority’s back, the liberals were always the ones that courageously crossed the local thresholds and always overpowered their own fears.

The liberals must always be the ones that will shield the smaller and the weaker. There are no closed door for an open mind. And that is an Empire State of Mind.

And that is why I am a liberal. And that is why I am so proud of all of you, and understand you and look forward with joy to each meeting with you in the creative universe. That’ s right.