American Views Abroad

 
POTUS comes to north-eastern Germany next week, to the gorgeous town of Stralsund.
In today's Fankurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS) there is a tongue-in-cheek article in English on page 12 Welcome to McPom, Mr. President! Betram Eisenhauer has written up a State Department memo to the President. Subject: POTUS Visit to Germany, July 12-14, 2006: Here a few excerpts:

Sir,

As requested, with your visit to Germany just a few days away, here's an overview of German facts and customs, with an eye on potential 'sticky points' (your phrase). ........

What They Think About You

We have good news and bad news for you. The good news is, Germans love many things about our country: Angelina Jolie, the Museum of Modern Art, Miami Beach, ketchup, democracy.

The bad news is, most of what Germans do NOT like about America they see in YOU: power (they call it 'Imperialismus'), faith in God ('Bigotterie'), and success ('Raubtierkapitalismus,' pronounce 'ROWB-tier-KAH-pi-ta-LIZ-mooz').

How bad is it? Many Germans think Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' is a documentary.

On the other hand, it could be much worse. You could be going to France.

The entire article can be read for 1,50 euro at www.faz.net. Other topics covered include Where You Are Going, How German Politics Works, How to Impress People, What NOT to Say, What to Do There. Here Eisenhauer writes:

In Stralsund, you will meet some (your phrase) 'people like Angela' who can tell you about life behind the Iron Curtain. It will be a very intimate setting: a dozen of them plus you, the chancellor and 12,000 policemen.

Meanwhile, in a part of Stralsund NOT sealed off to the public German and American Peace Activists will be demonstrating. American Voices Abroad in Berlin is setting up a 'welcoming committee' and US citizens who would like to participate can get details at www.americanvoicesabroad.net/cgi-bin/berlin.pl#bush. They call it Give Bush the Push.

Note: Raubtier - predator, beast of prey / Kapitalismus - Capitalism / Imperialismus - Imperialism / Bigotterie - bigotry, piousness
- posted by Gloria @ 11:39 AM