A/HRC/4/19 page 6 From the prohibition of religious signs or symbols to restrictions on and obstacles to the construction of places of worship or culture, this rejection of diversity is one of the main manifestations of the defamation of religions, particularly Islamophobia. Ideologically legitimized by the dominant concept of integration-assimilation, implemented through legal restrictions and exaggerated in the media, which have reduced spiritual traditions and religions to these external signs, the rejection of diversity fosters a culture of intolerance and defence of identity, which are fertile breeding grounds for xenophobia and racism. The globalization of such practices by their use in the media and politics creates a dangerous dynamic of conflicts between civilizations, cultures and religions. 4. The legal instrumentalization of the rejection of diversity is reflected, inter alia, by a hierarchical and political interpretation of human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is also reflected in the ideological pre-eminence of freedom of expression over the other freedoms and restrictions and limitations contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This has serious consequences: the legitimization, under the pretext of freedom of expression, of overt incitement to racial and religious hatred and the promotion of rhetoric about an inevitable clash of civilizations and religions, which sets “the West and other civilizations” against each other solely in the interest of defending freedom of expression. 5. The trivialization of racist and xenophobic speech and rhetoric - owing to its intellectual legitimization, democratic acceptability and tolerance - is a serious and worrying trend in contemporary racism and xenophobia. On the one hand, intellectual legitimization is reflected by a growing number of so-called “scientific” or “literary” publications or editorials in the media which, under the pretext of defending national identity and security, expound explanatory theories and concepts based on an ethnic or racial interpretation of social, economic and political problems. On the other, democratic acceptability is reflected by the increasing role of the rhetoric of racist and xenophobic platforms in the political programmes of democratic parties, particularly in dealing with questions relating to immigration, asylum and terrorism. Lastly, political, intellectual, media and popular tolerance of overtly racist and xenophobic rhetoric is a manifestation of the cultural trivialization of racism. The trivialization and democratic legitimization of racist and xenophobic platforms also result in the trivialization of the political parties and movements that promote them. The electoral success of these platforms gradually results in the presence of their elected representatives in democratic, particularly regional, institutions, as was recently the case in Germany. This development confirms the Special Rapporteur’s opinion that racism is on its way to becoming the greatest threat to democratic progress. 6. The growing expression of elitist racism and xenophobia is also a serious and worrying trend in the rise of racism and xenophobia. The extent of the political use and intellectual legitimization of racism and xenophobia can be seen among the ruling classes of many countries. The manifestations of this elitist racism are based on an ethnic and racial interpretation of social, economic and political events and violent and polemic verbal responses to any expression of ethnic or religious multiculturalism in elitist societies. Two aspects of the historical and cultural roots of racism are thus revealed: by its current resurgence, elitist racism confirms the essential role of identity constructs both in the origin and the development of all forms of racism, both new and old, and the crucial challenge of mounting a real intellectual front against racism.