A blog post on the importance of the European Union. For more, please check the link at the end of the file.

1. On why we should care about the European
Union (a slightly oversimplified civilian
perspective)
By: Joana Felício
I love my country. I feel like I always have to start with that. I really do. But
saying I only love my country would be both a lie and narrow-minded.
I love to travel, I love getting to know other cultures first hand. I study
languages, so the possibility to do it freely is invaluable to me. That's not all,
though. I also like feeling safe in my country and in my house. I like not having to
wake up in fear every day, wondering if today is the day I'm going to be shot in the
street or obliterated by a missile directed at civilians, passive pawns in some kind
of war. I like being able to say what I want and defend my beliefs without being
violently silenced by a totalitarian tyrant. I like going outside and being exposed to
all different kinds of people, opinions and points of view, in the street, in school, in
books, in the press. And I love having the privilege of choosing my representatives
in a democratic system regulated by the rule of law.
This may sound slightly obvious and a dull thing to point out. But I was born
in 1998. I've always taken these things for granted, and in many ways, I still do.
But they are not. They are relatively new concepts in many of our societies, and in
some others they are still a distant hope.
The European Union is a project born out of the desire for close cooperation
between European nations. It started as an economic project and it grew from the
realisation that economic cooperation carries with it political and social
implications, like a general interest in international peace and in the promotion of
long-lasting democratisation. The European Union as it is today is the result of
many ups and downs, and it is a lot bigger and more complex than it was at its
inception. It is certainly not perfect. But it has largely succeeded in its mission, and
that is undeniable without reaching so hard you pull a muscle.
There have been no wars between European countries since the beginning of
the European Union as such and current Member States are more liberal, free,
culturally diverse and prosperous than they were before, despite some insurgent
forces from specific nations. When used correctly, the funds provided by the
central institutions of the EU have been invaluable to economic, social, cultural,
political and just overall evolution and improvement of every Member State. The

2. transition to a democracy in countries like Portugal, for example, which included a
crucial road to social and political transformation, could not have been possible as
it was without the monetary contributions and institutional support of the then
European Economic Community.
We have much to thank the European Union for. We owe it our current
lifestyle, our commodities, and many of our most important rights. Many don't
agree, and they are completely entitled to (under the legal protection of freedom of
speech guaranteed by the European Union), but it is hard, if not downright
impossible, to argue that we were better before it, and even more so that we would
be better without it now. If nothing else, the Brexit upheaval is a fantastic
argument for this.
So, this is my love letter to the European Union. It still has a very long way to
go, but an artificial and completely unprecedented construction that has to peaceful
coexist alongside deeply rooted feelings of nationalism, patriotism, intolerance and
pride is bound to have a hard path ahead of it.
We should be rooting for its success. It is simply in our best interest.1
1
Blog post: https://joanafelicio.wixsite.com/lowpolitics/post/on-why-we-should-care-about-the-european-
union-a-slightly-oversimplified-civilian-perspective (May 5th, 2019)