3-26-11

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MY FREE RAMBLING THOUGHTS

Tonight our discussion group meets so this will be a shortened entry.

One thing I have discovered about Germany—the united Germany--is that since the war they have to deal with their role in the war. School curriculum has included the Nazi role in everything and why it happened. Their country has had to deal with the problems they created. It reminds me of the changes in South Africa.  It is not easy to openly admit that your country took the wrong path and then to go forth and try to repair the social, economic, and cultural damage. It is so difficult that the American government and American population still have never grown from the mistakes we have made with our Manifest Destiny Policy or our slave trade. The wounds from both are still just under the surface for many people. Sadly, so many Americans just believe that ‘what happened just happened, so get over it’ or ‘it was so long ago, it wasn’t me’. The vast majority of minorities do not see it that way. I am beginning to wonder if our lack of understanding the importance of admitting our country made mistakes allows us to continue to make the same mistakes. Many in my parent’s generation feared the Japanese and continued to believe that the bombing of Japan with the atomic bomb was OK. Now many of the current generations believe that Muslims and illegals are our enemy and whatever happens to them is probably deserved. Whenever one of the leaders suggests that we apologize, there is a huge outcry that it is not necessary.

Germany and South Africa and probably many other countries do not take this path. Maybe it has something to do winning or losing the conflict. I need to do some more learning about countries that have won their conflict and then apologized. From my point of view, it is more about human rights than winning or losing. But then, I’m not a politician or a diplomat.

I did watch some March Madness today…UofA had looked so good to make the final four, but alas, not this year. Still it was a very good set of games.

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DAYBOOK INFORMATION

►THIS WEEK◄

21-27► Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Week  ♣  Week of Solidarity with People's Struggling Against Racism & Discrimination  ♣   World Folk Tales & Fables Week  ♣  ‘Wellderly’ Week   (for elderly who don’t act their age)  ♣  Yo-Yo and Skill Toys Week  ♣
►TODAY IS◄

National "Joe" Day

Education and Sharing Day

Quirky Country Music Song Titles

World Theatre Day 

♣ ♣ ♣ ♣

Burma (Miramar): Resistance Day, Armed Forces Day or Tatmadaw nei

Europe & UK: Summer Daylight Savings Time Day