Thursday, August 29, 2024

29 August 2024: Four German News Stories

 1.  A reminder came up yesterday....that when talking about particular Germans and there are certain words acceptable to  use (like she is right-wing extremist, or he is radicalized), then there are phrases/words that you can't utter via social media or in public (like he is f*t, or she is a d*mwit).  

I'll just say that some German wrote the f*t word description of a certain politician, and the police came to visit the person....likely to be a court appearance/fine required in the end.

2.  Last night via ZDF (public TV, Channel 2)....very late...ran the Markus Lanz show.  It's live and typically a low key public forum (I'd rank it down like #5 on significance).  Topic last night?  Solingen knife attack.  

They had the SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert to be interviewed.  I will say this about Kühnert....he has some wit and is sharp on occasions.  

So the moderator finally got to his 'beef'....speaking of the “helplessness of the constitutional state”....implying how the SPD-led coalition is not able resolve this problem.

Kühnert went on the offensive....saying the coalition could fix this mess.  

If you asked me on the feelings of the bulk of Germans....they agree with Lanz's analysis.....the state is pretty helpless.

3.  Another knife attack....this one in Recklinghausen (NW Germany).  Cops got called to some apartment building....guy acting nuts and threatening people with a knife.  Cops told him to drop the knife....he refused.  They shot him after a warning....dead.

No ethnic status given, and it appears this guy was a resident of the apartment building. 

The one obvious note I will say here....once the German police give you the 'warning'....that could be it, and they've been trained to fire with a limited number of shots.....meaning?  It won't be like an American setting where the cop fires 11 rounds....the German cop might only fire one single round (that's  all that was required).

4.  One possible change to what the German gov't provides for refugees is being discussed....a harsh cut in the 'allowance'.

What the SPD-coalition is talking about.....'bread, bed, soap' option.  If you came in from a EU country originally and trying to claim asylum status in Germany (they have the best benefits of  any EU country).....you would get just marginal help from German society.

The problem I see here....almost ALL of refugees in Germany have this situation.  If they were to do this....it'd become a major shock to the 'system'.  Guessing this passing? I'd give it only a 30-percent  chance.

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