As a German, I say this: Do not repeat Germany's De-Nazification mistakes.

[Sparkly]

97. Thank you, DetlefK!

I agree with you completely.

I am partly German by ancestry (the one heritage not celebrated when I was a school girl).

Lawrence O'Donnell showed images tonight, from yesterday's attack on the Capitol -- men wearing t-shirts with slogans translating "Arbeit Macht Frei" (it sounded rather innocuous in English) and some code for '6 million wasn't enough' (regarding the holocaust) -- horrifying. How do you perceive the American adoption of such phrases? Where does it trace to?

Our own problem, of course, is uniquely our own, stemming from the original sin of enslaving African people. In my view, we're still mired in the Civil War, which southerners would call 'the war of northern aggression.' Wherever they live now, people of that mindset still want to 'take their country back.' They're still certain Black people are the problem, because they are not working hard enough for the generous 'free government services' they believe they are providing.

Thus, those of the Civil War south (racist) mind-set are angry. More whipping needed! How dare you take away our way of life! You're the cause of all my problems! Get off my land! Don't tread on me!

It's weird though, because they don't know what they want. They fly the confederate flag next to the American flag. They desecrate the United States Capitol and threaten the halls of government while chanting "USA! USA! USA!" As white men, they're the most enfranchised, privileged demographic in our country, and yet they're woefully aggrieved.

I grew up being told we're a wonderful "melting pot," and I imagined we'd be like crayons and end up warm beiges and browns, but it seems we don't melt. Can Germany or Europe in general teach us anything, or is it just us?