[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsmTt3_D4rM[/youtube]

I went with my wife to the public viewing of the Germany-Turkey game in Kreuzberg. Naturally, we were following every move and the reaction to every move of Mesot Ozil, the German middle fielder of Turkish descent.

Some how and without ever wanting it, Ozil became the face (if not the hero) of something much bigger. Maybe it was just a football game, but it was played with the air still not clear from Thilo Zarrazin poisonous remarks, and with the newspapers reporting that his book is still high on the best sellers list. I will write about Sarrazin later this week, but I will say this: his crazy ideas and his many followers occupied a vacuum. If the German society had the courage to make an in-depth, national debate about immigration and integration, it might avoid this vacuum.

(The taxi driver on the way back told us: “We came here 40 years ago and no one told us we would stay. Now, for two years they ask me to integrate. What is integration anyway? Us giving up our religion? It is a nice word, integration”)

Europe 2010 is a confused continent. Paralyzed by its past, scared shit of its future, wondering if its liberal values are essential for its existence or should it sacrifice its existence for its liberal values. It is not very clear, it asks many questions about identity, not sure what is good or bad, if it should laugh or cry.

It is the face of Mesut Ozil after scoring a goal for and against his nation.