America sleep well, we can handle that.

Image(s): Title image was taken from pixabay.de. Image by chickenonline.

Election year in the US. Like in Germany (or any other country) the politicians and their supporters do what ever they can to put themselves in a good light and that they can provide a proper solution for todays problems and issues. So it happens currently in the US. One topic seems to be so interesting that esp. Donald Trump puts it on his prio list: immigrants.
As he often announces on his ralley, he would like to stop immigration the way it is currently. And to draw a dark picture of what might happen, he points out to Germany, like in this Tweet:

or this one, written by one of his supporters:
Bildschirmfoto 2016-01-11 um 11.37.16
Well, let me tell you some things about “the Germans”. In the past 80 years (after WW II) Germany showed some of their best sides in centuries. The will to raise from the ashes, the will to face any challenge and the will to improve. Esp. 1989 when the 2 Germany´s became one again after years of separation, the nation stands before it´s greatest challenge since WW II. Building up a country where half of it was simply ruins. 45 years of DDR left an area that was inefficient, polluted and badly organized. Facts that let into high unemployment and billions and billions of Deutsche Mark of debts. Taxes were raised to build things up again….and believe me, nobody was happy to pay them. But they did….my Dad did like I did when I started to work. And piece by piece, step by step things got better. It took years to turn eastern Germany to the countryside that it s today. We managed that. The industry managed that…but mostly the people did it. Today Germany is again one of the leading industry nations…with a low unemployment rate….with health insurance for everybody…and a school system that can be improved but still one of the best in the world (for free). Yes, there are still things that can and need to be improved, but compared to other countries we look pretty good and specialists from Germany are mostly welcomed and hired all over the world (by the way…in the US as well 😉 ).
I red a couple of articles from english and US blogs why it´s good thing to take a close look on how we Germans “getting things done”. Nearly all those articles and documentaries have one thing in common:
They all say, us Germans are well balanced between efficiency and innovative spirit. And that´s the key how challenges are solved over here. There is a challenge….we face it…we manage it.
So now we face a new challenge: the thousands of refugees from Syria that came here, barely alive with mostly nothing then the clothes they wear. No one says, it s gonna be easy…and there are tons of questions and uncertainty among some minority (and if you say the 10k of demonstrators in Leipzig or Dresden are many….don t forget, we are 80 million people over here). Never the less, these people need to be heard as well, because some radicals try to create an environment of fear like a certain candidate of the republican party in the US does as well. The difference is: Things will calm down over here, once a plan was set and those people will find their place in our society. Those who come in case of need and are willing to integrate into this society will be welcomed. Because this is Germany. We learned from the past….may be not everyone, but the very large majority….and we benefit from this multi-cultural environment since the days.
And just because now Mr. Trump things he can point with the finger on Germany and says: Look what happens in Germany, it will happen here as well if we don t built a wall and don t let any muslim into our country until “we found out what´s going on”…and the thousands of Americans that cheer up for such ideas.
Honestly, this concerns me much more than 1 million refugees here in Germany. Because that´s something in the minds of thousands of Americans. An idea that America needs to be “great again”.”Great again”? Why great again? America is a great country. It doesn t need to be great again…because it is. Land of the free….home of the brave. That the line in the national anthem. I really like to listen to the US anthem. It s a song full of hope and pride. It s a pride that came from a great history…a history that is based on the days, when immigrants from various countries stood up against the english tyranny and say: No, stop it right here! Where immigrants from many countries rounded up and led by George Washington into the war of independence back in 1776.
So, if you today think that immigration is a “bad thing” that you need to protect yourself with walls…never forget your ancestors were immigrants and may be refugees as well some generations ago….may be your ancestor where leaving Europe back in the days because they had no food to eat or because of the war´s those days.
Sounds familiar…doesn t it? What would have happened if the people those days said: “Erm, no we don t like refugees over here in the “New colonies”. Go back to Germany or Italy or where ever u came from…war, starvation or the little chance to get a chance to live a lil bit better then back home are no reasons to come here.” …Well, may be some of those people cheering up for such a candidate would not call themselves Americans today.

Forget about that this is a Bernie Sandars ad. Skip that fact…just watch the pictures in this Ad and think about those words “All come to look for America”. This is actually my picture of America. I look over to the US (like Sunday when I watched the Superbowl L). Lady Gaga sang national anthem….the Joined Forces Choir sang “America the beautiful”….the Jet s flew over the arena….and a pretty good game for the Denver Broncos and Pet Manning. That s a good America! Like that!
You might have some problems over there as well (like we have them over here in Germany). Some problems America needs to focus on yourself (like health insurance and some social benefit stuff like paid holidays and free education for everybody), but I m quiet sure those problems can be handled and solved by the government you vote for. Don´t expect miracles and that it might happen overnight. Some things take time.
Other problems you (might) have are a thing where all of us need to work on no matter you live in the US, in France, Germany, Iran, Morocco, China, Japan or anywhere else. Because those are global problems. Poverty is a global problem….war is a global problem….pollution is a global problem. Do you really think such problems can be solved if you build up walls and close boarders? Pollution doesn´t stop at the US boarders…refugees will come to the US because they think it s the risk worth dyeing, because at home there s nothing to live. And hate and war will for sure not stop because somebody says “You shall not pass our boarders until we found out what s going on.”
Such things will find the way in…and what will be the answer then? Building higher walls…close the boarders for everybody until you find out what s going on?
Is that how you like that us people from other countries should “Come and look for America” ?
Seriously? No, this is not a right and good way. The solution can only be: Ok, let s talk about it….and if that doesn t work out…we group up as a world community and kick some butts. Only Rambo and can win a war alone in the movies. In real life u would be killed instantly. But image you have nations of Rambos…well, the chance might rise to succeed.
Now, I go to sleep….it s 1am. And you America…sleep well too. 😉

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