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Actions against racism: which ones make sense?

A man protests against anti-Asian prejudice at a demonstration in Seattle in March. "Racism is a virus" is written on the sign.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Jason Redmond)

There are many campaigns against racism and have been for some time. Just recently, there was once again a rumble on the Internet when Bob Geldof and his Band Aid campaign were accused of racism. One wonders: is the uproar justified and what actions against racism make sense?

For almost 40 years, the radio has been playing "Do They Know It's Christmas" to coincide with the festive season. The most renowned representatives of the music industry came together to collect donations for people suffering from hunger in Africa. What started out as a good idea and continued quite successfully is now said to be racist. There is now talk of "white saviorism" and that a negative image of Africa is being painted.

Fear of uprooting
Other recent examples include the renaming of streets that are still reminiscent of the Nazi era. In some cases, people feel "uprooted" by these actions by politicians. While the city of Salzburg decided in this case to hang additional plaques on streets with Nazi-infested names in order to educate people, this still doesn't go far enough for some.

What do you think after the furor over associations such as "Band-Aid" and their popular Christmas song? Do you think it's justified or do you possibly see it differently? What is your opinion on the renaming of streets or squares with a bad reputation? What do you generally think of campaigns against racism and hatred? Which ones do you think make sense and which ones are unnecessary? We look forward to hearing your opinion in the comments!