Bashing America
In the elite salons of Western European political leadership there is at least one easy rule to live by: When you find yourself under pressure, you can blame everything on the United States. Politico Europe’s chief Europe correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig remarked on this propensity just over a week ago:
Pointing across the Atlantic has long been a favorite diversionary tactic for Europe’s political elites when things start to get dicey on the Continent.
Whether it’s the war in Ukraine (Washington shouldn’t have expanded NATO), natural disasters (too many American SUVs fueling climate change) or the demise of French as a lingua franca (cultureless Hollywood), America is inevitably the culprit.
In the latest instalment of this tedious tradition, European officials are trying to blame the greedy Americans for the Continent’s current funk, accusing them of placing the mighty dollar über alles, stooping so low as to even take advantage of the war in Ukraine.
The article goes on to detail how most of Europe’s weaknesses are self-inflicted in the realms of energy, the economy, and pan-national defense. Of course, no one in America made them take the route of self-diminution and self-harm. The problem as seen from this side of the Atlantic is that America has to try to make up for the weaknesses of the whining European slouchers as it drags them along.
As always eager to curate last week’s news today, I highly recommend the commentary.
Karnitschnig ends by pointing to a sign of the popular consensus in Germany: a book by the former Social Democratic finance minister under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, Oskar Lafontaine titled “Ami, It’s Time to Go Home!” (“Ami” being short for “American,” and the whimsical German insult word for “yanqui” or “gringo”). The book’s title is in English.
It’s worth mentioning the intellectual feat at work here: claiming Europe/Germany would be much better off if America would just go away and leave them all the hell alone—especially considering the complaint comes from a washed-up German politico who once worked under the chancellor most notable for having been happily bought and paid for by Russia’s autocrat V. Putin. Mr. Lafontaine left the government because he wasn’t getting his way, and then left the Social Democrats to join the new party “Die Linke” (“The Left”), a party founded by East Germany’s dispossessed communists.
Being German is hard. Having others to scapegoat for it is a cherry on top.
Finally, after weeks, I got my pastor to approve some of the plans the Hispanic Ministry has for this weekend.
"Excuse me, Father, Mary told me to ask you ..."
"No! No, no, no!"
"Yes, we knew you would agree to (organizational details and decorations, etc.). Adriana and Andrea said to ask you specifically about *holding up list* ..."
"Don't tell me. You're in charge. Do whatever you want!"
*Andrea says in Spanish, "Ask him about the statue."
"Andrea says, can we use the statue?"
"It's expensive. Be careful!"
"Mucho cuidado con el cuadro. Mucho!"
He's a dear old thing, but he gets nervous when older ladies show up with intimidating lists. As long as you ignore, "No," you can pretty much run with things. He'll be happy: he loves Mexican food and dancing and stuff.
I must say the overall tone of the comments is getting better, at least the ones on recent G-Files. (I'm still catching up.) Some new names I don't recognize from the past, saying things that show they get what this place is ll about.