Over the weekend....Germany's publication Bild (the German version of USA Today and National Enquirer).....put out an interesting commentary by one of it's chief editors.
Basically....the commentary went that Islam was an obstacle to integration into German society. Between physical threats, vocal threats, violence, and intimidation....all hindered a new Muslim trying to integrate into German society.
This commentary quickly drew various upset Muslims and various political players of Germany.
On the other side of this.....a great number of Germans came to read the words and agree with the basic commentary.....there is an obstacle in existence, whether people want to admit it or not.
Years ago, I came to make some observations about immigrants coming into Germany.
First, most came because of crappy lifestyles, corrupt politics, miserable chances at getting ahead, unsafe neighborhoods for their families, and screwed-up priorities by the public-at-large in their native lands. They left....coming to Germany....to find a better place.
Most people in search of this new land strategy.....come with no anchors. They refuse to drag all the problems of their old homeland into the new "paradise". When you look at Chinese nationals who've come to Germany....they carried no anchors. Neither did the White-Russians. Neither are the Africans dragging their anchors into Germany.
Curiously.....Muslims found the need for the anchor....never questioning themselves months later or years later.....why they left the old country, and why things got so bad or miserable in the old country. It's a mystery why they left. It's a mystery why they started to get back into old habits in the new country. It's a mystery why they question the new country....even through they won't dare think about going back to the old country.
Second, generally if you walk up to a hundred folks on the street of some town and ask about their "status"....they usually answer they are a Hessen (their state) or a German. You'd have to go through about ten thousand Germans to get one to answer he's a Catholic or a Mormon or a Scientology individual.
If you go up to a hundred individuals from Middle Eastern states....the answer gets complicated in probably eighty percent of the answers. The answer might be a Turk-German, German-Turk, a Turk, a Muslim, etc. Some will openly admit that since Dad immigrated here in 1983....they've only been back to Turkey on two occasions....speak almost no Turkish whatsoever....can't even name the President of Turkey....yet they will refer to themselves as Turk-German.
Third and final....it's an odd thing that I've come to notice off German forum shows....there just aren't that many intellectual Muslims. Maybe it's the fault of the TV show producers. Maybe there's just a limited number and they are fairly busy with real work to answer. But you get the impression that it's a mighty small group.
Turkish comedians? Well.....that's a totally different story. Over the past five years, I've come to note several dozen Turkish or Middle-Eastern comedians who've made it big in Germany. Their chief topic of humor? Well....they will trash Germans, Turks, Egyptians, dimwits, intellectuals, etc.
The problem here is fairly identifiable. There's some groups of Muslims who came into Germany....looking for the "American-dream" type environment.
They found it....but they never asked themselves why things got so screwed up in the old country....forcing themselves to leave.
If you look at Germans who left Germany.....they will list out the dozen reasons for leaving. Usually taxes are high on the list. More opportunity usually makes it. More open land (the Montana mentality) is on the list. Less regulation is always on the list. They know why they left. I don't get the same impression from the Muslim crowd.
Me? I'm a guest in Germany....pure and simple. I don't intend to take work away from a German....cause chaos or trouble.....trigger trouble with the cops.....violate German law intentionally, or insult Germans in a bold fashion. If I do poke fun at Germans.....if you look a step deeper.....I tend to poke fun at Americans just as much.
In the south....guests are usually treated politely....offered a fine seat on the front porch.....offered fresh-made ice-tea with some ice....and they offer simple conversation on various topics of interest. They might insult the local Baptist minister a bit. There might be some harsh words over Democrats or Republicans. Some ugly talk might come up about NCAA football and bowl committee choices. But, a guest is kinda bound to act within reason....while visiting.
I've always taken this guest-mentality as far as possible. Muslims in Germany? My general advice is that it might be worth looking into the guest-mentality. Germans might appreciate it.
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