America You Just Don’t Get It…

(By Ray D.)

Despite Germany’s Fascist past, despite the fact that Germany wants to export weapons to Communist China, despite the fact that Germany has turned a blind eye to atrocities in Chechnya, despite the fact that Germany openly allows housing discrimination, despite the fact that German police openly and legally racially profile, despite the fact that Germany has virtually no minority representatives in its national government, despite the fact that Germany has been dependent on the US since World War II for its defense and reunification, despite the fact that Germany has a massive, chronic unemployment problem…over five million out of work and climbing, despite a hopelessly complicated tax system, a declining educational system, despite the fact that Germany has a national ID card and a national registration system far more intrusive on private rights than anything in the Patriot Act, despite the fact that German state television continues to present the situation in Iraq twice as negatively as it was under Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship and barely draws a distinction between democracy and dictatorship, despite the fact that Germany continues to trade with the world’s most vicious dictators…

Despite those facts…

Now this: Extreme right-wing parties have won election to two state parliaments and are growing in numbers by the day. Life has become so “wonderful” under the Socialist-Green German government that hundreds of Germans are turning to neo-Fascist, neo-Nazi parties for answers. Neo-Nazi and hard right parties are experiencing a rebirth and all that the “mainstream” parties can do about it is argue and hold symbolic marches. How about they put their brains together and do something real to solve Germany’s problems? How about the German media stop bashing America and the liberation of 50 million oppressed Muslims so much and focus a little bit more on Germany’s problems? That’s right, focus more on your own country, what a novel idea!

Carnival Float in Mainz, Germany Two Weeks Before the President's Visit There

CDU Opposition leader Angela Merkel is Shown Climbing a Ladder into Bush's (...) above which hangs a sign "Re-Opening." A Text Accompanies the Float:

"Angela is Glowing in the End / George Bush Remains President / She Feels Like in a Honeymoon / We Wish Her Good After-Noon."

What Profoundly Good German Taste...

Duesseldorfer Float: Anti-Americanism in Germany? What Anti-Americanism...?

Historic Note: Seventy years ago, a different group was often the target of German carnival "humor."

BUT guess WHAT America! It doesn’t matter how bad things get in Germany! It doesn’t matter if the neo-Nazis are on the march. Despite all of that, Germans and the German media are morally superior to the United States and the evil, religious fanatic cowboy George W. Bush. Never forget: Germany is a moderate, tolerant and open-minded society you cowboy morons! That is why George W. Bush’s approval ratings here are about as low as the Führer’s approval ratings were high! It is a proud German tradition, when we love you, we really love you and when we hate you, we really hate you…and your media image is always the key! So wake up! It’s not Germany that has the problem, it is America. Why can’t America just be more like Germany?…

UPDATE: HEY USA! This is what the city of Mainz, Germany (the city that will host President Bush in two weeks) thinks of you. CLICK HERE.

Should Bush Visit Mainz? Davids Medienkritik encourages all Americans to email, call and write their elected representatives with a link or reference to this article:  http://www.medienkritik.typepad.com/blog/2005/02/america_you_jus.html

Also be sure to check out our article: Welcome to Mainz Mr. President!

If you would like to contact the city of Mainz, Germany with your opinion, email the Mainz Office for Public Relations at: [email protected]

NEW UPDATE: It turns out that the Mayor of Mainz, Jens Beutel of the SPD (Gerhard Schroeder's party), approved the float despite numerous complaints in the city.  Mayor Beutel said of the float: "The President is certain to take it with humor."

Comments

[David Govett]

There are no anti-German floats in American parades. The sun does not follow the sunflowers.

[Ray D.]

@ David Govett,

Great point. When was the last time you saw a float in a US parade humiliating the foreign leader of a democratic nation like this (especially two weeks before that leader was scheduled to visit)? I think it is simply a tasteless attempt to feed on the anti-American sentiments that have been exacerbated over the past years by the German media and the English-speaking public ought to know about this.

---Ray D.

[Schakal]

@ Ray

This excellent (or should I say appalling?) article should be on "Medienkritik Online" as well. The German-speaking public also have the right to know about it.

[Sandy P]

Can someone explain something to me?

How can America being turning fascist?

I look at those "floats" and I just don't get it.

Or, if we really ARE turning fascist, then Germany's stance against us should moderate, hmmm? We should start agreeing on more political stances, shouldn't we?

[Robert in Mexifornia]

Those floats are so provocative that even the old DDR couldn't have done a better job of anti-American propaganda.

[Sgt. Mom]

How... tasteful. And, no I don't ever remember seeing anything like this at the Rose Parade, or Mardi Gras that bashed foreigners in such a literate and witty manner.
You know, just about every American who has ever traveled to Europe has a story about being snubbed rudely by a waiter, or berated by some passing stranger just for being an American... but, tell me true--- any Europeans who have traveled to the States, have you any stories in kind, of experiencing Americans there being rude and abusive on account of your nationality?

[Hector]

I used to love Germany but the more I see and experience things like this, it does not seem like the same Germany anymore. How can I love a people who so full of scorn?

[Warren in OR]

The Left is politcally, spiritually and morally dead. The only real question is: "are they (the Left) going to take all of Europe with them to the grave?

With any form of nationalism verbooten, the door has been left wide open to the far-right.

The modern nation is still a valid and viable entity, and we dismiss it at our own peril!!

[Joe]

Any speculation on the state of Europe US relations if the American media and a proportional number of politicians were to take the same attitude toward france and germany that is taken by these nations toward the US?

What do you think the attitude of the American people would be? How would they demostrate that?

[Tina]

One of my best friends (who lives in Mainz) has been trying to get me to come back to Germany for a few years now, especially during Fastnacht.

Now that I have seen some of the floats, I am quite glad I decided not to go.

I am wondering if I will ever go back again.

[TH]

Nice. I have similar photos from Duesseldorf a few years ago.

This is a great post. I like the little rant at the start, but it would be better with some links to examples of those problems.

[SleepingInSeattle]

"it does not seem like the same Germany anymore. "

Sigh, I have the same impression.

[Schakal]

@ Hector, Tina

I am hoping these are exceptions. There must be some decent floats as well.
Please do not give up on Germany altogether. Come by and visit, it's still worth it!

@Schakal and SleepingInSeattle

please remember that there are Germans from the North who do not know carnival at all !

[mommydoc]

What same Germany? It's always been a mecca of Jew-hatred and smug delusions of moral superiority.

I've been literally knocked over and trampled by a fat German frau in the lift-line at Vail who decided that alternate feed didn't apply to her and been taken financial advantage of by 2 overly-entitled German medical exchange students who I ultimately had to throw out of my house while watching them steamroll over the other students on their rotation.

I can't wait to watch their economy collapse when we pull out our military bases and watch the irrevocable result of their welfare state and muslim-terrorist-immigrant-embracing society.

[Phil]

@ Ray D.
'How about the German media stop bashing America and the liberation of 50 million oppressed Muslims so much and focus a little bit more on Germany’s problems? That’s right, focus more on your own country, what a novel idea!'

As we live in an international world people tend to be interested in other countries. You are (I assume you are American) a very good example of someone who cares about another country. We are all thankful that you don't blog on America's problems but focus on Germany.

As for Karneval, I just returned from Düsseldorf and it was brilliant. I encourage everybody to go there once and you'll see that these 'satirical' statues do not form the main part of the celebrations. have fun

[rburns]

Sorry to hear about the decline of the left and that the right is getting stronger in Germany. It seems to be a phenomena in a number of countries. If the Liberals here(Canada) don't get things together soon, the right will become stronger here, too.
P.S. Great site.

[Joe]

I am confused!

I thought germany and the germans were squared away. That was the reason they had so much time to spend fixing America.

Am I wrong in assuming this?

[Hector]

@schakal,
I lived in Germany many years and now every time I return I get treated worse. I live in France and despite their reputation for anti-Americanism, I feel much more welcome.

[Pogue]

While there is no dispute that these floats are exceptions to the rule at this parade - the fact remains that A) they exist in this parade at all ( you won't see anything like this about any other country in any US parade ) and B) they are quite well made ( hardly the work of a few illiterates with cardboard and pens )

Someone went to a lot of trouble to make these things - and someone allowed them to be put in a parade ( don't think so - lets see if my "Kill all Muslims" float makes it into next years parade )

Saying this is not representative of such events is completely missing the point

The fact that such things are any part of such events, and not such minor parts, is what is important

I am sure that plenty of folks watching this noticed these floats above many others - so if there are 30 floats with paper mache beer stiens - and these 2 anti-US ones - which ones have the most impact

Didn't the Germans learn anything from the effect such public displays of hatred and xenophobia have on their children?

[g-punkt]

What's anti-American in that float? It's anti-Angela Merkel. It's a visualization of the German expression "Arschkriechen" ("to crawl up sb's ass" which means to suck, to act as a spineless opportunist). It criticizes the way in which Angela Merkel went to the states a few days before election to assure Mr.Bush that with a CDU government Germany would join the "coalition of the willing" while in Germany and the rest of Europe a big majority of the people were against the war. Imagine what would have been the reaction of many Americans if John Kerry had visited Jaques Chirac shortly after the outbreak of the war and apologized for the American People. I think many of you would have found him a traitor. Nobody here called Angela Merkel a traitor but some still make fun of her because of her behaviour. It's not meant as an insult to the American people. Come on, it's just one of 100 floats in the Mainz parade. They are traditionally respectless and provocative but it's just fun. Believe me, many German politicians are fooled on such floats in an obscene way. Relax and don't take things like this too seriously. I would not feel offended personally if you showed Schröders naked ass on Mardi Grass and I'm sure not many Germans would even if they liked Schröder. Feel free to do so! :-)

[WhatDoIKnow]

As we live in an international world people tend to be interested in other countries

Phil, good try! It didn't work, but next one might be better. Ahh, we are not talking here about "interest in other countries". We are talking about a genuine obsession with another country(note the singular), while mostly ignoring the crisis in the own backyard.

Thanks for offering an insight into the inner workings of a relativistic mind. It's like watching an autopsy on TV, you're glued to the tube and at the same time you are revulsed.

[scum of the univ]

I may actually be posted to Germany some time in the near future (6-12 months). My pre-school level german should prove amusing, and my positively antediluvian geopolitical stance even more so. My impression is europe never really stopped playing the Great Game, but merely put it on hold somewhat during the Cold War.

The far right extremists strike me as at least more honest about their motivations. I might just shave my head instead of wearing a Canadian t-shirt. I can always claim it's for reasons of personal hygene if questioned: "There's something about my head that is prone to contagion, so I keep it shaved to reduce that possibility."

It would even be true, although about ideas, not microbes.

[g-punkt]

@mommydoc: I wonder where you got the great "knowledge" about Germany that you showed with your posting. Have fun waiting for Germany's economic collapse after the withdrawal of U.S.troops (which are fundamentally important for the agricultural state of Germany). ha,ha

[g-punkt]

@mommydoc: For the case that my posting confused you: It was ironic.

[g-punkt]

@WhatDoIKnow:
"We are talking about a genuine obsession with another country(note the singular), while mostly ignoring the crisis in the own backyard."

Let me ask you one question: Why are you visiting and posting on a site that deals with bad German Media??? Got me?

[fuchur]

"There are no anti-German floats in American parades."

American parades and German Karneval are something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!!!
American parades on July 4th or the Rose Festival have no room for criticism, they are meant to be celebrations of joy and unity. So the purpose of the floats is to praise the town (or the country) or to simply look pretty. Imagine a Clinton-Lewinsky-float in such a parade! Unthinkable.
German Karneval is something like Halloween: it is the time of blunt jokes and mischief. The floats are meant to be unfair and provocative. And, rest assured, te main focus was on Schröder and the German problems.
RAY, YOU SHOULD HAVE POINTED THIS OUT!!!

Note from David: No need for Ray to point "THIS" out. There is no such thing as a uniform "German Carnival". Carnival in Germany has very different tastes and flavors, depending on the region.
The Bush topic is in fact extremely bad taste even by the admittedly low standards of Fastnacht in Mainz. It's to be understood before the background of the rampant and fashionable anti-Americanism in Germany.
Oh, and did we mention that the "author" of the anti-Bush float in question is member of Attac?

[g-punkt]

@ Sgt.Mom:
"How... tasteful. And, no I don't ever remember seeing anything like this at the Rose Parade, or Mardi Gras that bashed foreigners in such a literate and witty manner."
I've never seen Mardi Gras but I can remember the boycott of french ("cheese eating surrender-monkeys") goods just because they didn't want to join war.Just think of "Freedom Fries".

[James]

@mommydoc

"I've been literally knocked over and trampled by a fat German frau in the lift-line at Vail who decided that alternate feed didn't apply to her"

I know exactly what you mean, I get the same thing every weekend when I go skiing in St. Anton, Austria. I don't know why Germans don't understand what a queue means. I think they do, and they just ignore it - they're more important. Often, I feel that my Anglo courtesies are wasted on them: they just don't get it. One only need re-read g-punkt's post telling us not to get offended, you see, he just doesn't get that also being dressed as uncle sam is a symbol of our country.

Of course, being anti-Bush is not also being anti-American...

[Liam]

"just because they didn't want to join war."

What a warped and delusional sense of history. The French actively interfered with American diplomatic efforts at the UN and elsewhere, They actively supported Saddam's oppressive and murderous regime. They profited from arms sales and the corrupt misuse of the UN's oil for food program. Chirac should be in the cell next to Saddam.

[Carnaval]

In case you fools haven't noticed, the link with the pictures contains a lot more than anti-american floats. Even (gasp!) anti-schroder, anti-old-Europe, anti-EU floats! Even one depicting Schroder with a silly face. You wouldn't see a silly float of Bush in the US either, but that's no surprise...

Really, instead of hopping on the bandwagon David's Medienkritik built for you, check out some other sources too.

[WhatDoIKnow]

g-punkt: Why are you visiting and posting on a site that deals with bad German Media???

Weil ich Bock darauf habe, kleiner.

[Ray D.]

@ Carnaval:

Wow, a float showing Schroeder with a silly face...now that just trumps the Bush float...man I am convinced. And, oh yeah, you never see any anti-Bush stuff in the USA. Thanks for your insights Carnaval, you are clearly one of those enlightened, lucid Europeans who knows better than the simple-brained Americans here at Davids Medienkritik.

---Ray D.

[Pogue]

G wrote "What's anti-American in that float? It's anti-Angela Merkel"

Didn't you notice the other float? What was anti-american about that one?

Right - its just anti-Bush

Keep deluding yourself

[g-punkt]

@Liam: OK, from your point of view bashing Chirac was the right thing. Did you notice that besides Chirac there are over 50 million other French people. Thats the core of the problem. You just don't get the difference between criticizing a government and insulting a nation. That's why you feel offended as an American if sb speaks out against Bush but on the other side you made propaganda against the french in general not against Chirac in particular. In France or Germany nobody would get the idea to re-name cheeseburgers.

[Pogue]

Were there any floats showing Saddam? Or any Arab leader - like Mubarek or the Saudi's? Or Bin-Laden perhaps?

Right - too dangerous to poke fun at those folks

Just keep "stickin it to Uncle Sam"

[g-punkt]

Warum löschst du meine postings?

Notiz von David: Weil Sie albern werden. Dies ist kein Chat-Room für Pubertierende.
Schauen Sie sich im übrigen unsere Kommentierungsregeln an. Es gibt kein Selbstpublizierungsrecht Dritter in diesem Blog.

[Joe Katzman]

You don't understand, David. Everything you talk about in this post is part of the same phenomenon. They focus on America BECAUSE of the problems you mentioned, not in spite of them. It's an escape, and a way of feeling good about themselves despite their situation.

Then again, so is heroin.

Hence the turn to extremist parties on one hand who promise simple solutions, and the creation of an external bogeyman against which one can level any slur or hateful utterance with impunity.

Now, where have we seen this pattern before...?

Note from David: Joe, you are right. Here is an example from Germany's more distant past....

[S1IG]

@g-punkt:
Get over it! Die Freedom-fries waren ein Gag und die deutsche Presse hat es aufgesaugt. Jeder Ami macht über Typen wie Dich Witze und bestellt für Dich eine Extra-Portion. Und das beim Frühstück, Mittag und auch am Abend!

[James]

@g-punkt

"You just don't get the difference between criticizing a government and insulting a nation."

No. I guess that no one gets the German sense of humour...

Schröder can't even take it if Bild Zeitung claims that he dyes his hair. "Americans are just too sensitive..."

[fuchur]

@Pogue
"Were there any floats showing Saddam?"

Great idea, so what would you suggest:
How about a float showing Saddam torturing someone? Or a Saudi beheading? Bin Laden blowing up the Twin Towers? A Palestinian bomber?

You would end up poking fun at the victims. You can´t make fun of the really horrible things.

After looking at these photos and reading the posting, I have this to say. Just when I think that the German people can't go any lower than they already have, more evidence of a depraved and amoral society show up.

The photos speak for themselves. They are tasteless examples of childish, vindictive hate.

The "approving authorities" for these floats in Mainz and Düsseldorf have made it crystal clear that they are mindless, nasty people. This is truly a shameful display hidden under the guise "humor".

I am, and so should the American people along with President Bush, deeply shocked and offended. Every American should write to their Congressmen and Senators (except for B. Boxer, T. Kennedy and J. Kerry who will no doubt find these floats humorous).

For those of you who write that this is only humor, you are a sick, dememented and totally childish person. All Germans should be ashamed and outraged by this display of idiocy. For those Germans who don't speak out against this, then you surely must support it.

[P.K.]

As a German not „in line“ with the MSM I have to agree with the fact, that it is difficult to get any lower. As much as I would like to say „I’m sorry“ I’m well aware, that this phrase just won‘t do it anymore. Germany has disqualified itself so much, that my honest words can’t keep up with the shame I feel for those childish behaviors. As it has been said before on other blogs. President Bush could read the Pope’s Easter message and he would be „taken apart“ for what he says.

[Carl Densing]

@ Niko

I think you forgot to read the memo about Bush-bashing. Let me forward it to you.

[Joe]

g-punkt,

Chirca was overwhelmingly elected by the french people as their President. Rightfully or wrongly Americans tend to see him as speaking for the french people at the international level.

Liam is correct in his analysis. A recent Rasmussen Report, an organization who by the way nailed the US election, finds that more than a third of Americans view france as an enemy of the US. Note this word, not just not being an ally but an enemy.

If you have been following the media in the US, then you know this feeling is one that individual Americans have arrived at on their own. There has been no media campaign to create this and only a very few politicians have spoken on this.

Americans have this funny idea about leaders. We think they should lead. Sometimes they have to take a position even when it is not popular. I suggest some time you look up the word leader. It would be interesting to see how you define it.

The good news about the french is there are about 58 million of them today. With each passing year there are going to be less of them. There will be less of them because of their low birthrate and the ever-increasing Muslim segment of their population. As you know the vast majority of these Muslims do not consider themselves to be french.

Unfortunately there are also going to be fewer germans too. I, however, have greater faith in the german medical system than I do the french one to provide a long and lengthy life for most germans. Therefore with luck, there will only be fewer younger germans.

[Carl Densing]

The German Left uses Bush to criticize America. (The same applies for the French and British Left.) I think it's called reading between the line.

[Vän av Amerika]

Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Greece (by the way extremely anti-American)... As a European myself (Scandinavia) I can tell my American friends here that this hatred has little to do with you -- and everything to do with the decline of our own European continent. The path of Socialism (Marxist or Nationalist) has ruined Western civilization root and branch. We're now witnessing the Dark Ages II in progress (including the same Arab raiders as during 8th century and the Battle of Tours). Sure if I was able I would kick this candy colored Storm-troopers to Pyongyang / Mecca / Hell or whatever right now (including their insidious masters in the EU parliament). Unfortunately I'm just a single dissident fighting a desperate war... However, God bless president George W. Bush. I really hope that he will invade Europe to -- although I suspect that such a glorious liberation never will come true.

[Phil]

@ Joe

'A recent Rasmussen Report, an organization who by the way nailed the US election, finds that more than a third of Americans view france as an enemy of the US.'

Obviously these American people ignore Franco-American cooperations in Haiti or Kosovo. Whatever you think about the French behaviour before the war, the French are not an enemy. If more than 33% of Americans hold that belief, then it should be about time for a blog like 'Medienkritik' on the American media. Maybe with a focus on anti-French bias.

here is a quote:
Bilateral trade between France and the United States increased 150 percent during this period (1992-2002), reaching $47 billion in 2002; this increase corresponded to a similar growth in imports and exports'

http://www.info-france-usa.org/franceus/trade.asp

[Jabba the Tutt]

It turns out that the Mayor of Mainz, Jens Beutel of the SPD (Gerhard Schroeder's party), approved the float despite numerous complaints in the city.

I'm surprised. Someone complained? Who complained?

@Warren in OR: With any form of nationalism verbooten, the door has been left wide open to the far-right.

Bingo. When I lived in Germany in '75, I thought the self-hating, anti-German attitude I found everywhere was sick and would produce sick offspring. I just surprised it took so long.