I received a very nice pm on the central launch-page, of a fellow american-aa?er and want to share my reply with you: (sorry for a long read in advance)
I?m sorry, if my reply caused anyone to think, that I?d be anti-american in any way. I am not, though I naturally don?t agree with many things from the US- american policies, especially foreign policies. I am just anti-ignorance, anti-arrogance and anti-racism. Therefore, I?m also somewhat frightened about the views some of your fellow U.S. aa?ers expressing on the forums.
It is way too easy, to point at my person as a german, whoms father was a child during the 2nd world war and whoms grandfather was a mounted police-man in the german ?alps? and surely had as much to do with war-crimes as I am ------>nothing. At least this is what I got told and tend to belive, since I never met any of my grand-dads. The other one was an ordinary soldier (G.I.) in the german Wehrmacht and died during the cold winter in Russia 1942, suffering hunger and without warm clothes, due to the cutted supply. Of course, it is always an argument, when discussing or quarreling with a german about racism, war-crimes and policies. If my fore-fathers were involved in wars, they surely were there to serve their country, without a clue about the wheres and why?s and in their best sense. Just in the same way, like your sons and fathers fighting and dying in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. The awakening of these fellow soldiers came much too late. They died and got hurt and crippled for their believes to do good for their country. They got lied to by their governments false propaganda and it was a time- quality, in which ?believing?was oh so easy, since Hitler not only brang war to Germany. At the beginning of his political career he brang work for the workless and pushed Germanys economy. He brang bread on the table of the germans. It is easy to believe in the words of such ?heroes? and they happily gone to war for their believes without any doubt. Additionally I think the humanity of 60 years ago was somewhat more naive and not so enlightened. I see similar dangerous tendencies in the unites states of the 21st century and am so frightened, I can?t tell.
I got used to the argument of being a german and have to look at the history of my own country, especially at those of over 60 years ago. We as well as all others will never forget and are not allowed to forget because it is our responsibility to remember the horrible things happened back in that time, so that they never can happen again.
It is tiresome at times to discuss with some US-americans about such important topics. I am a pacifist, am highly tolerant and a supporter of globality (though not in regard to economy because I fear China. Their cheap products lowering our wages).
Actually I see myself as a world-citizen, rather than a german citizen. Though my appearance is as german as it only could be.
This was off-topic but I felt the need to explain it anyway because of Hawks post.
We are not talking about the 2nd world-war, not about Germany of 60 years ago. We are talking about the united states of today.
It?s not easy. Germany is multi-cultural as well and there are shades of racism and hate against foreigners and we even have neo- nazis, as you can find them all over in the world, especially in the U.S. allthough they?re forbidden by law in Germany. We aren?t even allowed to show Nazi-signs and emblems such as the swastika in games like ?Call of duty?or ?Medal of honour?. We can play these games but we always getting the ?censored?edition only because they fear the gamers could glamorize them again.
Living in a country, which suffers very similar problems with foreigners as the U.S. (they steal our work ? :0 They?re living from our welfare ? :0 They don?t pay taxes ?:0 etc. pp.) makes it hard for me to discuss the ?opposite point of view? with some of your fellow countrymen.
At least I can say, that the majority of german citizens are in the same way tolerant and anti-racism as I am. We have learned from our bad history and don?t want it to repeat. Not in Germany, not in Europe and not elsewhere. Especially not in the country of our friends, who brang democracy to our country and teached us to respect and protect every single life on earth. A country which was (and still is, for many) the leading culture and a precursor of Germanys life today. We?re appaled to see, hear and read what the no.1 fighter for freedom and democracy is doing to its own democracy and freedom.
In Germany at the year of 1933 it started all with exorbitant patriotism, racism, burning and banning of foreign flags, books, music, culture at all..........it ended in war, with mass-murdering jews in the very first place, other foreigners, homo-sexuals, members of other parties than the national-socialistc party and many other minorities.
To read a post like the one of Inferno, who I think is fair- and large- minded otherwise, scares the crap out of me because I?ve read such ?narrow-minded? posts for years on forums, almost always from US - citizens only.
No, I don?t think all americans are like that and yes, I still like Inferno. I just think, he and many other U.S. americans are on the wrong way and fighting for the wrong believes. I post because I want to change minds and not because I want to attack or to insult you.
Regards
