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Your remarks above are not only well written but are absolutely on the bulls-eye. I fear for the sentas of the worlds who hold firmly to their incorrect and revisionist history (e.g. Germany did not start the two World Wars). They are surely doomed to repeat the mistakes of their forefathers. I also fear all attempts to either deny or downplay the Holocaust by pointing to more modern atrocities as some kind of example that the Germans who murdered the countless millions of Jews, gypsies, clergy, homosexuals and political activists were really not such bad fellows after all. I can not tell you the literally dozens of times I had to listen to my German neighbors tell me the wonderful things Hitler had accomplished for Germany (building the autobahns, etc.) as if that somehow ameliorated even one iota the horror of the Holocaust. Yes, I am for getting along with all my brothers and sisters on this planet but not at the expense of clear thinking and a healthy sense of history. Thanks for pointing this out to all of us.
senta: You are quite simply mistaken. You are revisionist in both your history and your response.
I stated that Germany started World War I and World War II.
That statement is absolutely correct and I stand by it.Respected and accepted accounts of history of that period clearly state that World War II started when Germany invaded Poland and subsequently declared war. Any other version of what happened is erroneous. I will be glad to provide a list of historical references to support my claim if you really need such data.
You say I “seem to know a lot about nothing.” You seem to know nothing about a lot!
Lotus: (Sigh) I thought we were done with this. Guess you just can’t leave it alone, eh? Too bad.
First of all, to clarify: my comments about Germany were not and could not be racist. Being German is not a race, just a nationality. Sorry, I know there was a lot of loose talk in the 1940’s about Germany and the master race but, gosh, you German folks never made it to the race category. You lost. Guess you will just have to settle for being a nationality like the rest of us; how sad!
Secondly, concerning my qualifications to even have an opinion about Germany: You may have traveled in Germany; good for you. On the other hand, during the period 1971 to 2003, I lived there for a total of 19 years as an adult. Additionally, I lived in multiple locations: Giessen, Stuttgart, Kirchheim/Teck and Heidelberg; a good sampling of German geography. While living and working there, I traveled extensively both in- and out-side of Germany. No, I was not the typical American in Europe. I spoke German before I arrived there. I started my career teaching German and was fully equipped both to understand the German media as well as my German neighbors. I never lived on a military installation but rather within the local German community. I have lectured in German to German doctoral students at German universities. I would suggest that there are few Americans who have had the intensive German experience I have had.
Thirdly, I too have had the German oom-pah experience you describe. It’s real and it’s fun; end of story. It does not define who they are as a people or a culture any more than Mardi Gras defines American culture. You have to get past that. I enjoyed my time in Germany as best as I could. As one might expect, I had some good times and some not so good times. How could it be otherwise; it’s just part of life.
Fourthly, I never made any claim that the U.S. was the model of perfection for all others to emulate and that all that has happened here has been right or just. So, please, could you just let it go? I note with interest, however, that even today, no country receives or grants more requests for immigration than the U.S. Even today with all the bad world press of Iraq, Afghanistan, Gitmo, Cheney, Bush, Enron, fixed elections, etc., in most any mid- to large-size city in the U.S., you will find a monthly ceremony where hundreds of people from around the world hold an American flag in their hands and with tears of gratitude pledge allegiance to the United States, their chosen new home. I have seen such ceremonies. I believe it would be good for all Americans to see such a ceremony, just my opinion. (Hope it does not seem to narrow and racist.)
Fifthly, a course in sociology might prove useful to you after all. Sociology teaches (among many other things) the use of generalizations is not inappropriate except when applied to individual persons. We all must generalize to make our way through life. We get burned touching one hot stove and generalize that it would hurt to touch any hot stove. There are valid generalizations to be made about culture and specific cultures. Sorry, but there is significant evidence to support the idea that most people in China think, feel, talk differently about certain things than do people in Sicily. It’s a fact. You write that negative generalizations are always in bad taste and serves no real usefulness. I disagree. For example, I have been to Egypt several times on business. I generalize that the public areas in Cairo are dirty. It’s a simple fact. Such a generalization is not in bad taste and does, in fact, serve a real usefulness as it might help to prepare a first-time traveler to Cairo concerning what to expect.
Finally, while I basically agree that when I travel to other countries, I should behave as a guest and try to learn. Those are good principles. For the record, however, I was not in Germany as a guest. I had no visa from the German government to be there; I did not need their permission to be there. I was there as part of the United States Armed Forces. We were there quite simply because we had to be. I hate to generalize, but it was Germany (and the German people) who started not one but two world wars in the last century. I know that may be embarassing to some, but alas, it is true.
I meant to offend nobody, however, I stand by my original statements. As I wrote previously to Senta, we may have differing opinions. Fine with me; I have no compulsion to make everyone else share my opinion, but it will not stop me from expressing mine when I wish to do so. If your worldview will not accommodate differing opinions, that is your concern and not mine. I say, Hooray for Diversity! mikeSenta, obviously you and I are going to disagree about my comments concerning Germany and Christianity. That is the wonderful thing about freedom, don’t you think? We are free to disagree. However, I stand by my original statements.
I agree with the comments made by GringoTico. The intent here is not to offend anybody or to become offended. I think most of us would agree it is better to seek common ground than to emphasize differences, better to seek harmony than discord, better to seek goodness in each other than be quick to point out what is wrong. I am certain there are significant cultural differences between Ticos and U.S. Gringos. How could it be otherwise? An open exchange of ideas and theories in our discussions of these differences and their potential root causes will hopefully help us who are not native to Costa Rica better understand how we can fit in better and make positive contributions wherever fate has brought us. mike
Annelise is right on the target. Catholics are Christians and always have been. Secondly, after living in Germany for 19 years, I can assure you that Germany is NOT a Christian country. Martin Luther may have founden Protestantism there, but you can be sure there are no genuine vestiges of Christianity left in that sad country. Oh yes, there are beautiful churches. Nobody goes to them on Sundays to worship (except tourists). There is certainly no evidence of any of the guiding principles of Christianity in daily German life. They treat each other coldly and treat outsiders (all non-Germans) even worse. Remember the 5,000,000? Not very Christian behavior, I think?
mike
