The dynamics that contributed to the war and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina is more and more present in the USA, which is becoming a divided society, said the Denver University Professor Ann Therese Petrila, addressing the session of the Association of Independent Intellectuals Krug 99 in Sarajevo on Sunday.

Petrila was a keynote speaker at the Krug 99 session discussing the topic “Nationalism: A dangerous global and local game”.

Speaking on the topic, Petrila warned of some ongoing developments in the USA.

“We are becoming a divided society as the tensions, prejudices and the hatred smouldering for a long time has now become the official voice of the White House and parts of the US Congress,” she stressed.

Petrila referred to the FBI's data, according to which, 954 groups in the USA advocate hatred, adding that the number of hate crimes in that country since the presidential election has reached the five-year maximum.

“People in the USA and elsewhere in the world must be very aware that propaganda, attempts to control media and the rhetoric based on hatred, which has become common in the USA now, represent a dangerous game already leaving very bad consequences and which can take to the roads towards even more dangerous things worldwide,” said the professor.

She emphasized that the main resistance focal points have already moved and that they must be encouraged and supported if there is interest in stopping current social and political trends.