Sorry, Mr. Hinteler, I misunderstood your last question: what do I read often?
...and apparently the people of Dusseldorf are really annoyed by conservative opposition leader Angela Merkel's cozy relationship with Bush over the war as depicted in this float in their annual Rose Monday Carnival Parade.
I do not think, Ul, that there may be any negative sentiments toward Austrians in the USA. French are the main troublemakers in the recent developments.
It is very unpleasant to see such pictures as this that was presented by PDiddie. I always believed that Germans had excellent taste in their humor. Unfortunately, it appears that not all of them.
steissd,
I am not so sure. Austrians speak German and I had some weird experiences because of the language.
And in a situation like now- ???
Weird experiences? I know that German (and Austrian) tourists do not get problems with their language even in Israel where some of Holocaust survivors are still present and alive. As far as I understood from the U.S. media online, it was the French/Belgian and not German position that was responded with animosity. And there are reasons for this: thousands of GIs gave their lives for liberation of these two countries.
Whew. That's rude.
It does seem unfair to have all Americans be tarnished with the same Bush brush. Despite being a lifelong Independent who would never consider voting for either Bush, I have to admit, I'm beginning to reconsider a trip to Europe that we planned. Who needs the aggravation? We have wonderful places to visit around here... and as somebody said, why give good money to people who want to spit at you?
BTW, Rick Steves, who was mentioned at the beginning of the article astounded us a month or so ago when he was being interviewed on TV. He's a local guy (from N.Seattle) and has a good following for the fine services he provides. Anyway, when asked what he thought of the current administration, he looked straight into the camera and said "F*ck George Bush."
The interview said, "Wha-what?"
Steves repeated "F*ck George Bush."
He may be feeling the pinch of Bush policies on his business, but I know he's not a conservative. Anyway, I'm really sorry that even Rick Steves, who has long been a booster for Americans to travel to Europe and encounter "the real Europe" is now saying that he's seeing the worst attitudes he's ever seen. It is a shame. Maybe we should all just stay home and pout... that would really improve world relationships, wouldn't it?
Piffka
Maybe we should all just stay home and pout... that would really improve world relationships, wouldn't it?
No need to stay home and pout. There are many places to visit and things to see here in the US. As for improving relationships with the Europeans. If all the blood we have spilled in their defense and the money spent in helping to rebuild many of their countries and protecting them from each other doesn't warrant their support, friendship and appreciation nothing will. I say to hell with them.
Walter: regarding the brainwashing, do you germans get that done once a week and does that include a creame rinse? i also need a beard trim
Piffka
I agree with you & don't hold all US citizens personally responsible for what your government is doing right now. It seems that most of you didn't even vote for him!
As an Australian I would hate it to be assumed that I'm in total support of many of my government's current policies & actions. I'm not.
Thanks. Msolga. Less than 1/3 of the electorate DID vote for him. The breakdown was, in broad-brush terms... 60% of the electorate voted, and slightly less than half voted for Bush (that is, less than 30% of all the adults of the country). The election, as you know, was then decided by the Supreme Court. The last couple of years in the USA has been hard on people like me. First we had the embarassment of pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol... then Faith-Based Initiatives... then giving lots of money back to the wealthiest taxpayers... then... well , so it goes. We're in a world of hurt and the worst may be having the entire world think we're pigs.
Au -- I think you are right in some ways, but I think that bringing up who helped whom in WWII is not much more realistic than who helped whom in the American Revolutionary War. It is true that many Americans died fighting to help free a large portion of Europe then, but lots of people died... lots of Russians died, too. I feel good about the way that Americans helped others in the aftermath of WWII, but we can't stand on our laurels. Are we trying to be helpful now??? That's the crux for me and I don't think we are. We're being arrogant and pushy, acting as though only Americans are important, only American interests count. We're even concerned that our beautiful vacations are going to be ruined. What do we expect?
steissd
Actually this not the right place to explain German folklore, but the "Rose Monday" has a long tradition, and such is part of it in the Rhineland.
dys
Daily, we get that daily.
Going now ...
Piffka
It is one thing for the people of Europe or anywhere else to disagree with the policies of the US government. Hell even most or at least a good percentage of Americans feel the same way. However, that does not give leave for them to abuse US tourists visiting their countries.
As for the help received from France during the revolutionary war. It was given not to help us gain freedom but to tweak the nose of the British who they were in constant conflict with. That debt if it was a debt was repaid many times over. As for arrogance, If you want to see what real arrogance is like visit France.
Geez Margo, I hope you don't want 'mericans there just to make your own costs less and not because you don't like us either!
Au -- You are so cynical! Surely the motivations of the US in their (gasp ... our) current mode are no better than what the French may have thought way back when. Besides, I've always thought Lafayette was an honorable man.
I have been to France. It was a while ago, but I had a wonderful time EVEN THOUGH I speak no French. Maybe it is because I can be at least as arrogant as anyone else. I'm polite, but quite arrogant. Anyway, if I can't understand what someone is saying... maybe that is a good thing!
And now, some music for this thread, courtesy of The Kinks.
Brainwashed
You look like a real human being
But you don't have a mind of your own
Yeah, you can talk, you can breathe
You can work, you can stitch, you can sew
But you're brainwashed
Yes you are, yes you are
Get down on your knees
You've got a job and a house
And a wife, and your kids and a car
Yeah, you're conditioned to be
What they want you to be
And be happy to be where you are
Yes you are
Get down on your knees
Get down on your knees
The aristocrats and bureaucrats
Are dirty rats
For making you what you are
They're up there and you re down here
You're on the ground and they're up with the stars
All your life they've kicked you around and pushed you around
Till you can't take any more
To them you're just a speck of dirt
But you don't want to get up off the floor
Mister you're just brainwashed
They give you social security
Tax saving benefits that grow at maturity
Yeah, you're conditioned to be
What they want you to be
And to do what they want you to
Yes you are, yes you are
Get down on your knees
Piffka
Someone once in describing the difference between Americans and Europeans told me this.
If an American see someone in distress and lying on the floor the tendency is to try to help and pick them up. On the other hand if a European see someone in the same situation the tendency is to rush over and kick them in the head to make sure they stay down. Not to be taken literally but you can see what is being inferred. I should say that the same tendencies can be noted in recent immigrants from some European countries.
Gee, that makes me glad I'm not in NYC. The immigrants we have here in the west seem much better behaved!
I think that making a blanket statement about anybody, based on the country they hail from is liable to be a gross misjudgement, whether we're talking about Americans, French or whomever. There are just too many kinds of people. Within a single family you'll find a wide range of behaviors. Within a country there's bound to be an every greater range.
I also think that a lot of the attitude that people receive can be redirected and reflected back. If we run into a bad attitude, we can either try to make friends anyway or turn our backs. Which is the best thing to do? That seems pretty clear to me. I'm not willing to write off the rest of the world because of this.
fbaezer -- what an old song! The KINKS!
I thought that brain-washing is not really real -- psychologically speaking, as soon as someone gets away from the brain-washing, they begin to start to think for themselves again.
How about this Kinks' song:
Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues
I'm too terrified to walk out of my own front door,
They're demonstrating outside I think they're gonna start the third world war,
I've been to my local head shrinker,
To help classify my disease,
He said it's one of the cases of acute schizophrenia he sees.
Well the milkman's a spy, and the grocer keeps on following me,
And the woman next door's an undercover for the K.G.B.,
And the man from the Social Security
Keeps on invading my privacy,
Oh there ain't no cure for acute schizophrenia disease.
I've got acute schizophrenia paranoia too,
Schizophrenia, schizophrenia,
I've got it, you've got it, we can't lose,
Acute schizophrenia blues.
I'm lost on the river, the river of no return,
I can't make decisions, I don't know which way I'm gonna turn,
Even my old dad, lost some of the best friends he ever had,
Apparently, his was a case of acute schizophrenia too.
I got acute schizophrenia paranoia too,
Schizophrenia, schizophrenia,
I've got it, you've got it, we can't lose,
Acute schizophrenia blues,
They're watching my house and they're tapping my telephone,
I can't trust nobody, but I'm much too scared to be on my own
And the income tax collector's got his beady eye on me,
Oh there ain't no cure for acute schizophrenia disease.
No there ain't no cure for
Schizophrenia disease.
Now we're gettin' somewhere, Piffka!
Amazing how apt it sounds, isn't it, for being 30 years old?? Maybe more!
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