add on:

in fact, don't just imagine that people judge you for your countries government, but also imagine that they do this even if you just originate genetically from that country, but did not grow up there, and in fact have been to other countries more than you have to 'your' country, and actually associate most with the country you grew up in.
Furthermore, imagine that people judge you like even though the said actions of your government took place before most people even remember.

oh yeah, and also whenever any reference to 'your' country comes up, your colleagues or classmates will joke "are you a nazi vashti?" - "gonna join the nazi party vash?" - "oh lace-up boots- vashti's got nazi boots!", and then imagine that every time this happens, you have to smile and laugh, because if you ever explained why all the above is silly and not fair, they'd accuse you of belittling the actions of your horrible country.

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Some people are too sensitive.

For a Jew to correlate a modern VW to Nazism is simply irrational.

Maybe once the last of them are dead Germany can end their ban on swastikas.

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Heil Frasbee

pftt, you try it for a while and see how you like it- at first it's funny and you shrug it off, but then it gets old and rude real quick.
It'll always be a mess.

though, if there is any pride germans are allowed to feel for their country anymore, it is for cars, beer and football.

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thankyou tiay, that's the most beautiful thing i've seen all day.

we had a foreign exchange student come from germany 2 years ago - really bright kid - when people found out he was from germany they started making fun of him. they'd say things like 'oh look, here comes the nazi again' and all the jocks would shove him in the halls and give him a hard time. he never did anything about it either, he just picked up his books and walked away. it continued for a few weeks until he left the US because of it. this kid loved america, spoke english better than half the people i know, and people still gave him a rough time for something he regretted that he never had any part of. some people are just that narrow-minded.

every german i know loves america. how disappointed do you think they would be if they came here only to be treated like that.

lilwing, I don't think you need to feel bad for that German kid, because in Germany they basically do the same thing to American students because of what Bush has done.


Vash - A lot of cars today have German parts in them, and I don't think BMW is 100% German anymore. And Korean cars, primary Hyundai, have improved a lot in quality. To the point that Hyundai is now a noticable threat to the car makers here in the US. As Hyundai is putting on luxury items on their cars for a lot cheaper price tag. I also drive a Korean made car, that has parts from all over the word. I only had three problems with it so far.



As far as the "mini" copycat. That is a stupid comparison. Because that car is more like the Suzuki Swift than the mini. And I don't see anything wrong with anyone buying such a car either.

Tiay - I think you are being too sensitive. No one is calling for an all-out ban of German products, and I don't think that the German economy would be crippled in any way even if Jews DID boycott their products since the Jewish population is so small (which by the way, they aren't boycotting, hence the reason you see so many German cars in synagogue parking lots). I am merely talking about a *personal* choice, not a movement, and I do not intend to hold the actions (or inactions) of the WWII generation against their children, whom I agree are largely ashamed of their grandparent's history.

About the financial reparations - yes, Germany has paid for what *can* be paid for, but not everything has a price.

If you think I can't imagine how Germans feel, you are SO wrong. In case you didn't know, Jews are STILL targeted for violence in some places, especially Israelis, and I would certainly rather be laughed at for my country's actions than be a target for violence.

BTW - my father was adopted as a child, and he went looking for his ancestry as an adult. He was able to trace his mother back to Germany. I think most white Americans have German blood in them.

jurupa - it is true that I am seeing a lot more hyundais on the road these days. I take that to mean they have improved the quality of the car, which I suppose also means the prices will be rising.

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thanks 'wing. I don't really get violently teased or anything, people think it's more of a 'friendly chiding' sort of thing, but it just gets really stupid after a while.

HOW DARE YOU!!? **throws giant temper tantrum**

just kidding. I dramatatized it, yes.


oh, of course it wont be crippled. But your point was that you wouldn't buy a german car, in fact, you wouldn't even buy a british car (mini cooper) that happened to be manufactured in germany. .. how is that not holding the actions of the WWII generation against their children (especially those who happen to be working a factory that makes british cars)?
anyways, it is of course your choice and all, but I don't get that reasoning.
I also don't quite understand why a holocaust survivor would comment on the oddity of jews buying german cars. They were not jews in germany- they were german jews. They integrated, they called it their home, those who fled intended to return there afterwards, they knew the difference between 'the nazis' and 'the germans'.
I'd understand it if they just didn't want to be reminded of anything german, fair enough. but to bring the money stuff into it? seems strange to me.

this is true. that's why I said "money-wise"

no, I don't think you can really know. it isn't rightful violence, right? it's a different thing. The german psyche is messed up because of something their people did, and are supposed to feel shame for it. That's like your grandchildren being made to feel ashamed for Bush. And I don't just mean "oh, yeah, that guy was stupid" I mean having the word bush become a taboo, I mean shame being ingrained in them from day one. I don't think even I can really know because I don't fully associate myself as being german, just a weird mix, so i can kinda distance myself.

ah, vashtis a nazi after all, hahaha! (I'm kidding, but this is what happens to me)
Isn't it funny? I'd guess german and irish are two of the most common relations, even. It's nice that he found his mom, can't have been easy.


this is probably true. being called a bush supporter doesn't, however, have quite the same ring as being called a nazi. Unless you want to compare the two, which would probably not be that far off the mark. However, you guys don't get teased for what nixon, or whoever it was.. did. Bush is doing this stuff on "your watch", not before you were born. I'm not saying that makes teasing highschool kids (who probably can't even vote yet?) any more appropriate, but still, it's not the same thing.


oh jesus, I just thought it was a weird photo, sorry for sharing it. anyway, wasn't the swift also copying the mini? Anyway, I just wouldn't buy a cheapo car that so clearly rips off a famous design. I'd feel silly

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I guess for me, it's a matter of intent. I am not attempting to "punish" Germans (especially the young ones) so much as I am being sensitive to Jewish sensitivities.

Anyway, I didn't know mini-Coopers were British. All I know is that they are manufactured by BMW, and since my brother lived in Bavaria for 5 years (military), I know that is in Germany.

I really should make an effort to learn more about cars. I just can't seem to muster up enough interest. I mostly only care that they are reliable.

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i've never heard of such a thing and i have lots of friends from germany. well, they might tease me if i actually had liked bush but i make fun of bush with them. who the **** likes bush anyways?

what's your source? i'm interested.




and vashti, i think it's a bit silly how you won't buy a car from germany. i think it would be kind of funny if you came home one day and your husband said "pack your stuff! family trip to germany!"

my pimpmobile could beat your car in a race, and it's only got a v6. how do i know? i took it to a streetrace and i beat some spoiled girl with a 2005 mustang.

technically speaking, you're right, but you try explaining that^ to me.

heh, i guess i never realized this. my friends in germany never make any political wise-cracks against me, as neither do i to them. it's a mere respect thing, you know. i am sure there are germans who would though. and they're not friends of mine.

it has a customized hand brake, but nothing that boosts speed. yea your car would probably accelerate more quickly. that girl had bad reaction time, that's probably how i left her in the dust. but she never caught up.

I'll let you know when I start to care.

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well, that does make sense.

well, the original mini was british, but I guess BMW bought it up? no idea. Oh hey, what part of Bavaria? My family is from there.

yeah, I'm not really a car person, but I used to watch this show called Top Gear... they made it really funny and entertaining, and they did just the craziest stuff with cars, ie setting the world record for the number of consecutive rolls a car has made (with a driver), driving cars into brick walls or other cars at 30 mph (with a driver), sticking cars onto giant hydraulic catapult things and throwing them over the edge of a cliff (er.. without a driver), with a dart board painted on the ground below... it was really mindless but just so funny.
I'm going to have to learn to actually *drive* one of these days

is the toyota aygo out in the states? it's like a small city car, fuel efficient and affordable.

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Well, it's been about a thousand years, and I don't remember exactly... he was in Germany when the wall came down (I have a piece of it somewhere). He mostly lived on base, but for a while he had a girlfriend in Munich he lived with. He actually married her so she could come to America, but things didn't last between them.

I haven't heard of the Toyota Aygo, but the Yaris is becoming more popular where I live for high school and college kids. Speaking of which, we don't have Skoda, either.

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