again...

well 1st: thanks to Carmencita & Claudia.
Carmencita, I agree with you. But that's just the problem with the kind of medias we have today. They always seem to show only one (mostly very strong, extreme shown) side of a story. If they would just show the whole dimensions of a certain problem, I believe, that many conflicts and especially many prejudices wouldn't even exist. But that's how it is, and all we can do, is trying to make up our own opinions about things and try to find things out for ourselves. Usually the truth isn't the easiest thing to find.
I find it right, that the people that have been harmed trough WW2 by the Germans, got those reimbursement payments, at least as a sign for realization. You can't take away the pain with money.
I really think that it's time for a new beginning. We can't change what happened. But we can decide what will happen in the future. I feel like that Germany has changed. And that has, mostly happened thanks to the Allies. They built up this country again. Especially Americans. They helped us a lot, there's no doubt. And don't think, that this help is forgotten. But... I guess in this point I have to agree with k-nitrate. Sometimes, Germans, in general tend to block out things, that may be uncomfortable for them. They're ashamed. I'm not talking for everyone, and it's not just like that in Germany, I believe.
Some people are trying to make the politics of other countries seem "bad", because they still feel uncomfortable about their own past. You should know, that the things that happened in the war never really were discussed inside the families. My grandfathers were all very traumatized, after they came back. But they never talked about it with their children. They never explained what happened. Of course, you can see everything on television, or read it in books. But it makes everything much more understandable, if someone who has been trough all this explains it to you personally. After the war was over, people just totally suppressed what has happened. It was a taboo. Don't ask what happened. Especially the males. That's confusing.
But me personally, I never had problems to talk to another German objectively about politics. And I don't mind talking about it. Maybe you've just been around the wrong people for this kind of topics
but k-nitrate you're right, the whole attitude towards America has generally changed into the negative. I don't know why, but I realize that the once very positive, nearly idolizing thankfulness has changed to some kind of... bitterness.
As I said, I don't know why this happened, but we all shouldn't forget, that on the long, it isn't enough to earn your respect once. America has earned it's respect back then, but just as Germany has changed, America has too. America has to earn it's place, as well as Germany has. Glory doesn't last forever.

@ Frank:
It is good that the Allies won. There's not even a discussion about that yet.
Who are you talking to when you say "They"? Do you mean the Germans? They haven't forgot it. But it's nothing glorious to look back at.
As far as i can say, nobody has the ambition to "pull that shit again". Despite some brainless idiots maybe, that are a clear minority. Those kind of hate sermon doesn't bring anything helpful.

ps: @ k-nitrate.
It was the same with Germany, concerning the participation of Germans. Not everybody was okay with what happened. The majority seemed to be, but there always were some people that fought against the regime. Not to compare the situation in the US now with then in Germany...
My own great-grandfather hid Jewish people in his basement. They all survived, but he was killed as the Nazis found out that he hid them.

one of this sad, boring, racist and ignorant Germans 08 Aug 2008, 12:45 - Verstoß melden