Here, I discuss my position on the undeniable reality that my heritage and my US citizenship have a certain amount of political and social baggage.
On the heritage side, Germany initiated two World Wars. And, of course, boldly exercised a genocidal campaign against Jews, homosexuals, and many other groups.
With my United States citizenship, I have to come to terms with a genocidal slaughter of Native Americans and the enslavement of African citizens. Oh, less I forget, the war against Mexico where we won Texas.
[EDITORIAL COMMENT] Personally, I feel we lost that one. What benefit is a state full of hyper-conservatives (almost KKK material), that can send a failure govenor to be president. [Please forgive this rant, I have not the funds to have KEXEL.ORG running that would normally run this rant!]
And, I cannot forget the annexation of Panama Canal, which we rightly gave back, though many would prefer we had not!
Whew! It hurts to have to admit that the civilizations that have lead to my existance have such a poor track record. However, no matter what their crimes, the crimes are common. The fractional parts of former Yugoslavia, the middle east, India and Pakistan, and undoubtedly countless other racial (or general US and THEM ideologies) based political quagmires seem to persist indefinitely. The United States and Germany have both offered great positives into humanity. The toughest part of forgiveness seems to be forgiving yourself. And the toughest part of that is admitting your past actions. Most of the hate in this world is in reference to a past wrong done unto us. Yet, the wrongs we have done unto others seem invisible to us.
This human failing in itself makes me feel grateful we have not successfully conquered space. We very well may deserve to go extinct, and I would not be surprised if it were by our own hands or minds.
I feel that all people are free, regardless of their past social or political positions. The first nations that can get beyond the concept of race are surely most likely to succeed in the third millenium. I wish both Germany and the United States will be those nations and reap the rewards having truly open societies. Success will be the result of innovation, and innovation will require the ideas of a well diversified social system. Just like a well diversified stock portfolio, society will need diversification to succeed.
I feel that modern German and American ideologies tend to promote freedom and opportunity for all. The West Germans seem to be having a problem assimilating the East Germans and vice versa. Please, from an external vantage point, you are all Germans, forget the small seperation you experienced due to the Cold War. You are all German and don't let Cold War scar you. I beg you all to get beyond it.
And the United States needs to desperately remove themselves from all racism. We have the most diversifed society that has ever been, yet we all seem to hate each other. Here we sit with the best diversified stock portfolio ever created laying before us, but noone dares invest in it.
Wake up everyone! A unified world is coming. The sooner you learn to work with your neighbor, the sooner you will be able to profit with him. To put is simply, we as a species, must stop focusing on minor differences. We must determine the true goal we share, survival, and work together to secure that goal.
My brother, while serving in the US Army, was stationed in Germany and was taught the language. I forget the term he mentioned to me, but he told me of a word in German which describes a World Citizen. Its an idea which time has come.
Joy and prosperity to all!
Joseph Kexel