America, like all other countries, has a wealth of problems, many of which its citizens are well aware of. However, Americans seem to gloss over the similar problems in Europe and Canada, focusing more on countries comprised mostly of non-whites.

Many Europeans and Americans alike believe that Europe is free of discrimination, and that such issues are limited to America and third world countries. On the contrary, Europe has a discrimination problem just as big as America’s.

On Feb. 28, 2015 pbs.com released a video on their website, featuring correspondent Martin Himel and a local Jew, Alain Ben Simone. In the video, Himel and Simone discus a multitude of antisemitic attacks that local Jews face on a daily basis.

“Jews at the synagogue told us they typically summon the police a few times a week. And when the police come, they document the new graffiti: swastikas, ‘sale Juif’ which means dirty Jew,” Himel reported.
It has also been reported that rocks are thrown at the same synagogue from an apartment complex directly across the street.

On Jul. 1, 2012, the French government banned the Burqa (a loose garment the covers most of the body, except for the eyes, that is worn for religious reasons in the Islamic faith) and headscarves.
The ban “Has nothing to do with gender equality and everything to do with rising racism in Western Europe…How do you liberate women by criminalizing their clothing? If you suspect bruises under a burqa, why punish the victim, and if you disapprove of the wearer’s choices, how does banishing her from public engagement promote liberal attitudes?” Director of the UK human rights pressure group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti told The Guardian.

When asked about Canada, many think of polite syrup loving people who end all their sentences with “Eh?” However, this is not the case. As of Oct. 16, 2015 1,200 indigenous/aboriginal women in Canada have gone missing or been murdered.

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) “Aboriginal women face considerably higher risks of violence and homicide… Aboriginal women are three times more likely to experience violent victimization than non-Aboriginal women. In addition, they are significantly over-represented as victims of homicide.”

Despite the alarming numbers, Prime Minister Stephen Harper refuses to launch an inquiry into the missing and murdered women.

When the government actively antagonizes its marginalized citizens, they are creating an environment of hostility and “us vs them” mentality. This can lead to more hate crimes and restrictive laws, as well as damaging the mental health of the minorities.

A government’s job is to protect its citizens, and unless the law affords all citizens the same privileges, protect them adequately, they are failing as governments.