Thankyou, Angela*

The election for the new German Bundestag is over. The outcome as far as the next government is concerned is still unclear. What however is clear is the end of Angela Merkel’s ruling. (I skip certain possibilities when the establishing of the future government will last very long.)

In fact she reigned over 16 years and many things about her government were remarkable:
• After the Fukushima event in 2011, she was ready to rethink and reorganize not less than the whole energy politics of our country. Driven by her scientific background she was willing to renounce on nuclear energy in comparable few years. This could be considered as the start of a green-black project.
• In 2015 she promoted to accept about 1 million refugees in Germany. The advantage of this human gesture was the help that this huge number of people got. The disadvantage of this was how this extraordinary deed was communicated. Many people especially when living in precarious conditions felt neglected. Moreover countries like Hungary, Poland and others were allowed to block nearly any refugee. This stirred up hostily and produced a huge lack of understanding for many Germans. Since then, we have this royal pain in the ass in our country called AfD
• Moreover she had a very pragmatic view on politics missing almost any vanity most men are famous for.
• The main advantage of Mrs Merkel’s government however is a new view on women in politics. This effect will remain even if Angela Merkel has left the political scene.

Some aspects of her being chancellor in Germany will fade out like this “alternativlos” word (being without alternative). That’s no loss. Generally speaking – I fear – we will remember her government as the few years of an all in all well-balanced and content greater Bundesrepublik.

*inspired by Alanis Morissette’s “Thank U”

Biden calls it «genocide»

File source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Den_armenske_leder_Papasian_ved_Der-ez-Zor_-_PA_0699_U_36_150.jpg

April 24th is an important date for every Armenian. This is the day when a whole nation – regardless of Armenian nationals at home or the Armenian people in the diaspora – commemorates the genocide. It happened during the 1915 and 1916 years in what was later called Turkey. It’s called Aghet by Armenians.

Therefore, Armenians were glad when Joe Biden acknowledged this historical fact on this Saturday. He clearly classified the violent breech of international law as genocide. Turkey in general denies this genocide against all facts.

Mayence & Blankenberg / March 2021

Jon Batiste – the black political wunderkind

Protests against police violence concerning foremost black people were perfectly right. But sometimes they changed to violence as well when shops were looted or cars burnt. Jon Batiste did probably suffer equally from this racial suppression. But he chose another strategy to bring his protest to the public: music.

Having a New Orleans origin and musical background from his family he accompanied street protests with very loud and energetic music. The new perspective of these marches is indicated by the motto We are [whatever]. This was quite effective when you consider the public feedback. Recently the Sueddeutsche, one of the two leading German newspapers, dedicated him the top report.

But Jon Batiste can make good music and funny performances as well. See the youtube video on top. And one more thing are the lyrics In a world with a lot of problems / all we need is a little lovin’. That’s it!

Mille gracie, Mr Draghi

Appeasement politics weren’t that successful in the past. Think of Hitler and Munich 1938 or Stalin in the thirties and fourties. Therefore I appreciate very much that Mr Draghi called Erdogan a “dictator” on Thursday. That’s clearly his main feature as you can see in his behaviour. Want some samples?

• Everyone who can menace his power is called “terrorist”, even if nice and peaceful people are concerned like Mr Kavala who is only fighting for human rights.
• Elections like that for the mayor of Istanbul are repeated if the outcome is unpleasant for Erdogan.
• To butter up the ultra nationalists Erdogan left the Istanbul Convention recently. This Convention was meant to blame violence against women. The need of protecting women rights can be clearly seen when you consider the hundreds of Turkish women murdered (470 in 2019) or hurt each year.
• Despite having a number of elected MPs the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is effectively detained from exercising its rights of participation.

That’s what sensible people call a dictatorship and Erdogan therefore a “dictator”. Well done, Mr Draghi.

A letter to pope Francis

Cologne, St. Patrick’s Day 2021 [3/17/2021]

Dear Holy Father, dear pope Francis,
I’m a 65 year old former teacher, married to my wife B. and father to our three adult children M., M. and M. I’m doing a minor course of study of Theology at the KHKT (Koelner Hochschule fuer katholische Theologie). At first, I want to express that I very much appreciated your recent visit in Iraq and your support and encouragement of the remaining Christians there. I moreover am very thankful that you showed for years a way for a humbler church close to the people instead of a vain and self-satisfied church.

I’m writing to you since the Catholic church in Germany and even more in the diocese Cologne is on a steep decline. Some severe problems make people leave the church by hundreds per week. The people exiting the Catholic church are not those who want to spare their taxation money, these people have been gone a long time ago. In most cases at present the people leaving were faithful believers or even engaged as servers or occupied honorary posts. But now they can’t stand the neglecting of some problems by the leading persons in this diocese any more.

Continue reading A letter to pope Francis

One more thing: Fungie is gone

For 37 years, Dingle had a renowned and reliable attraction: A dolphin named Fungie remained in the harbour area of this amiable town. Thousands of people could watch this very special animal from close distance. Dozens of boats made it possible to experience Fungie. This  source of income has vanished now as the dophin.

Even if the Fungie hype was sometimes annoying, it was nice to go to the lighthouse and have Fungie quite regularly near by. There were even people who swam together with this animal and reported exciting experiences.

Perhaps Fungie missed the action around him during the lockdown. The races with the boats weren’t possible any more. There is one relief for people who want to get in touch with dolphins: There is a group of several dolphins in the Moray Firth near Inverness. We could watch dolphins at the Ventry / Ceann Trá strand too. Even big media noticed the disappearing of the dophin like the New York Times, the BBC and the Irish Post.

Do something about the obstruction politics of Poland and Hungary, EU!

Since years Poland and Hungary try to block any attempt of the European Union to sanction politics adversary to the rule of law. It’s well known that Poland for example undermines the independence of its judges. Hungary in comparison is going straight in direction to an authoritarian state. Mr Orbán is supported by an entourage that receives much money in reverse, some of it being of EU origin. Other steps of Hungarian government look strange as well. So this year 16,000 ventilators were bought from China at fourfold the prices the EU pays. This number of ventilators, however, can’t be used by skilled operators in an adequate number of high care units. Actually Poland and Hungary together with Slovenia are blocking a Covid-19 relief fond of 750 billion Euros. Some parts of it are coupled with complying to rule of law standards.

It’s clear that the EU can’t be a super state controlling everything, but it can’t be fooled by authoritarian countries either. First step to comment on that: Throw out the Hungarian Fidesz party of Mr Orbán of the EPP / EVP (Europaeische Volkspartei). If all fails there could be a very radical remedy: dissolve the EU and reestablish it afterwards without those countries that don’t comply with certain standards of democracy and human rights.