(February 9, 2015 at 1:09 pm)Norman Humann Wrote: I agree with you, being proud of something you have no control over doesn't make sense to me either.
But saying "Germany is a great nation" with no ill intentions whatsoever will still make some people cringe. It's like a beaten dog. If you raise your hand, it will yelp, even if you have food in it. There's nothing wrong with being proud of Germany. There's many great thing about it, no doubt. I'm just saying the memories are still too fresh. It's not the average German's fault, by no means, it's just how things are. "Proud of Germany" just sounds too familiar. I don't think you can get it from an outsider's perspective, not if you haven't been to Auschwitz or if you don't have some dinnerware with swastikas on it in the basement.
I love your analogy. You know why? Because I have adopted dogs that were abused. You know how you get them to stop flinching? You raise your hand to them slowly with treats and smiles and smooth talking. They'll flinch and whine, at first, but given time, they will come to realize that you mean them no harm. The flinching will fade and you can form a loving bond with them.
I also wonder if it's less cringeworthy coming from a non- German? I think Germany is awesome. I wish they'd catch up with the rest of the world when it comes to women's roles, but other than that, I can't wait to raise my children in a country where I feel safe to let them walk to school and know none of their friends' parents will have guns lying around the house.
