Trevor and I worked together on the supply of antennae for keyless go automobiles including Chrysler, Mercedes, BMW, Skoda, etc. I had met him while working in Germany as the Purchasing Manager for North America. He was representing a German/Czech company.
I spent time traveling around Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. Partook of Czech Budweiser beer which is many steps up from the American version. We have been exchanging words on the situations and conditions in England, Europe, and the US. It sounds as bad as the US; although, I would like to think we are far worse than what Europe is experiencing. This exchange was started with a short comment I made on Facebook:
A few racist remarks by the Pres and suddenly the imprisonment of immigrants seeking asylum from violence in their homelands is forgotten along with the poor conditions under which they are being held.
The squad of four is tough enough to take the abuse. They have heard worse. We should be angry at Republicans and Trump’s purposeful comments in an attempt to deflect our attention from the crisis on the southern border and his continued abuse of people.
Bill,
We live in scary times, some comments by your President and our possible new Prime Minister seem to echo the 1930’s in Europe!
Trevor,
My English associate, I am sure you and your country men and women will rid yourselves of Boris as soon as you can do so. For us, it is a bit more difficult as we have actors of democracy placing party and politics above country and the general welfare of this country. We do not make much of a safe or dependable ally in the world today either.
Bill,
I sincerely hope so, I see too many parallels with the rise of Hitler in our current European political environment, calling for sovereignty and blaming immigrants for the ills of a nation are not the way forward. But this kind of rhetoric appeals to the less thoughtful amongst us. I listen to people telling us that the UK must leave the European Community because of their control over us, but 95% of the legislation put before the European Parliament during the last 5 years was voted through with very close to total support of the UK MEP’s. I am watching the most divisive split of the UK driven by the media and a few MP’s who appear to be stupid. It is just unbelievable, you could not make it up. Then we have Trump who appears capable of gross stupidity, and has crowds cheering him and chanting for democratically elected senators to be sent home! It is all very scary!
I trust you are well!
Trevor,
I have been reading and watching. This is highly unusual for Europe in this age. Hungary appears to be off the rails also with Orbán as is Poland too. Radicals have also reappeared in Germany, And the US has its blood and soil marchers who are further radicalized by the stupid remarks of our President. Politicians of his party are condoning his racist hatred which empowers and mobilizes others to do stupid things. It has gone beyond verbalization.
Yes, yes, blame the poor and the weak, the different culture and color, who come to America having other languages and looking for safe haven amongst us. Instead they are portrayed as a class level lower than the poorest of the white American, taking advantage of our economy. This has kept the population from concentrating on the disproportionate, and growing, distribution of wealth and income in the US. For the lower white class, an allowed luxury, a place in the hierarchy and a sure form of self esteem insurance.
The political economics of it have certainly led to bad and violent reactions towards immigrants. We are not a small country. At the most only 10% of our land mass is occupied. New people keeps our median age lower, which is good for labor, and most have assimilated into society over the generations.
I am hoping with “a little patience, we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles (Jefferson).”
This bastard occupying our presidency must go.
Perhaps a couple of more Budweisers in Prachatice to dull our thought on the current events????
Bill,
I wrote this to a Brexiteer friend who I just cannot believe fails to see the reality.
Yes a difficult area as the public are not fully informed, however, there is already far too much anti immigration feeling in this country, it is clear that without immigrants our NHS would not function. The media has a great deal to answer for, during the last 20 plus years they have printed distortions and blatantly biased articles against immigrants, and indeed against the EU.
The rise of the likes of Farage and Trump with their, in my view distorted views of the world, claiming they only want to reclaim their countries for the people is dangerous rhetoric, I thought that with the end of the Second World War we had moved on from demonizing and blaming particular races of people for damaging a country.
Indeed there is the moral dilemma of ensuring that we do not create poverty, but our current crop of politicians has spent and is indeed spending multiple millions of our tax money on foolhardy adventures, HS2, PFI and yes Brexit. These same politicians, whilst cosseted in their parliamentary roles have made costly decision after costly decision without a care for those in genuine need.
Universal Credit is an absolute fiasco, it is causing immense levels of poverty for both indigenous British people and immigrant alike, just look at the rise in food bank use, also consider the absolutely appalling numbers of children living in poverty. The claims of children unable to go to school as they have no shoes are true, just ask my daughter who works for a charity.
I am no socialist or indeed liberal, I believe in freedom for the individual to make the best of their lives, I also believe in the free market. But, and this is a big but, I also believe in helping those in genuine need, the low paid workers who contribute much to society for little reward. For example those earning the UK minimum wage who are trying to feed and house themselves.
So I do not believe in squandering tax £’s on vanity projects, or things like PFI, or as I said earlier Brexit, the bill to date on this alone is in excess of £900 million in the last financial year, with 5,000 civil servants diverted from their real jobs and numerous fat cat consultants from the big four consultancy practices creaming £ millions of Tax £’s. All whilst the self-serving egotistical politicians argue amongst themselves about a deal that needs to be agreed by 27 other countries.
You can tell that I feel very strongly about the situation to which the media has misled us, I am ashamed of my country when I see homeless people on the streets, and when I see the use of food banks increasing on a daily basis, and when I hear that we have staggering numbers of children living in poverty. This is supposed to be the 5th largest economy in the World, but our politicians are squandering our Tax pounds without a care for their country.
Me: I do not believe in mislaying the people I get to know while traveling. We have issues globally and similar concerns by the sane.
