Germany different now (From York Press)
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Germany different now
10:01am Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in Letters By Reader's letter
DAVID CAMERON has said that he intends to spend £50 million in 2014 on celebrations to mark the beginning of the First World War, and that his aim is to send all secondary school children to visit the battlefields and trenches in France and Belgium.
This entire project needs to be handled and presented very carefully. Our country is in dire straits and many worthwhile things are desperately short of funds, so wise spending is essential.
I do not doubt for one minute the bravery and sacrifices of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, coal miners, fire, police and ambulance staff, factory workers and ordinary families during 1914 to 1918. However, the war was a failure in many ways.
There is a very real danger that these “celebrations” will unleash a host of old myths, prejudices, stereotypes and virulent anti-German expressions.
World wars should not be forgotten, but it is time more people accepted that today’s Germany is nothing like that of the two wars.
Germany has much to be proud of and her folk are similar to the English.
We were a great nation during and before the wars, and it is right that our youngsters recognise that, but it needs to be done tastefully, fairly, and accurately.
David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.
Comments(12)
George Appleby
says...
1:07pm Tue 23 Oct 12
George Appleby
says...
1:12pm Tue 23 Oct 12
kirchheim
says...
3:18pm Tue 23 Oct 12
CynicaloldGit
says...
6:27pm Tue 23 Oct 12
WW2, was caused by the Nazis, another rightwing political organisation.
Why do I mention all this? Because, it seems that it is always right wing or oppresive regimes who have to remember and glorify war and the killing of people who would rather be doing something else than killing others.
It's always.........."ans
wer the call, go and fight for YOUR country" till you do, win, and then come home to find that it never was your country and it isn't now.
CynicaloldGit
says...
6:31pm Tue 23 Oct 12
No to Trident, No to a regular army...simply a home malitia.
No to spending fortunes on arms or buildthing them and selling to others.
And no to supporting the American war machine.
PinzaC55
says...
8:24pm Tue 23 Oct 12
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PinzaC55
says...
8:29pm Tue 23 Oct 12
CynicaloldGit wrote:Fascinating fact ; America spends as much on "defence" as the next 25 nations.
Do you know who I'd vote for? Aarty that had in it's manifesto.........
No to Trident, No to a regular army...simply a home malitia.
No to spending fortunes on arms or buildthing them and selling to others.
And no to supporting the American war machine.
CynicaloldGit
says...
8:46pm Tue 23 Oct 12
PinzaC55 wrote:we used have a minister for war................t
CynicaloldGit wrote:Fascinating fact ; America spends as much on "defence" as the next 25 nations.
Do you know who I'd vote for? Aarty that had in it's manifesto.........
No to Trident, No to a regular army...simply a home malitia.
No to spending fortunes on arms or buildthing them and selling to others.
And no to supporting the American war machine.
hen it was the defense minister...........d
ifference?
PinzaC55
says...
9:07pm Tue 23 Oct 12
ifference?"
"Defense" is an American bastardisation of the English word "Defence".
YSTClinguist
says...
9:18pm Tue 23 Oct 12
PinzaC55 wrote:This is the idea that I think should be placed in every voters head as we enter the campaigning for the 2015 General Election. Did Cameron do this for the votes or for our nations benefit?
I'm sure this will sit well with older voters in 2015 but I am sure Cameron hasn't done it for that reason..............
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PinzaC55
says...
9:31pm Tue 23 Oct 12
YSTClinguist wrote:The late great Christopher Hitchens, when asked what he thought of Cameron, said "People ask: 'What do you think of him?' and my answer is: 'He doesn't make me think.'"
PinzaC55 wrote:This is the idea that I think should be placed in every voters head as we enter the campaigning for the 2015 General Election. Did Cameron do this for the votes or for our nations benefit?
I'm sure this will sit well with older voters in 2015 but I am sure Cameron hasn't done it for that reason..............
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Mr Happy says...
12:36pm Tue 23 Oct 12
The youth of today are much more integrated, in various ways, with their counterparts in other countries and are unlikely to share the prejudices of some people in past generations.