THE ANAEROBES II.

In a country where breathing is a privilege.

The ongoing situation in Slovakian culture and politics makes us feel endangered. Two young people were killed in the streets of our capital city because of their sexual orientation. The killer was a teenager influenced by fascist ideology. Two years later, there was an attempt to assassinate our prime minister from a far-right party. The shooter was a voter of his. We got stuck in a never-ending argument for dead truth fighting with offensive questions and defensive answers. The truth that is still alive consists of the people around us. Yet the moment a weapon is used to defend an opinion, that truth dies. Slovakia has discovered that the feeling of being threatened does not discriminate.

How can we raise a child in the world that doesn't listen to itself? This stems from unfavourable economic conditions, commitments and responsibilities they have never faced before, as well as the ecological crisis and global warming. These concerns all have one thing in common: an unsuitable environment for raising a child in a world of childish adults. We must work together to create a safe environment where our identity is not a weakness. We must teach our children that it is safe to love, even if love makes us vulnerable.

Our dream for our country is to create a safe environment for everyone. We want to be able to address everyday, real human problems without fear – without the fear of condemnation, the fear of personal inadequacy, or the existential fear that we are somehow less human simply for being who we are. We do not want an environment in which the language of love and acceptance is used to mask the fear of abandonment, failure, or the exposure of lies. We want an environment in which we can learn to understand one another. An environment where there is time for kind and attentive listening. An environment where it is not necessary to change others’ beliefs just because ours are supposedly the only correct ones.