Mühltal, September 4th 2003

Dear Debbie,

these days anti-American articles in newspapers and magazines are not the exception but the rule. People do not identify with the United States as the most powerful representative of democracy in the world. If they did, they would feel attacked when the United States are attacked, they would feel threatened when the United States are threatened, but as far as I can see, the opposite is the case. People pretend showing civil courage in opposing the States. Just as if it was dangerous criticising the United States of America.

Darmstadt unfortunately is no exception and I am really shocked about what is going on here: The American soldiers who are stationed in Darmstadt are called "occupiers" just because they are building a fence around their own territory. People say that they are angry and upset as if something terrible had happened. They are comparing Darmstadt to Baghdad, etc.

I wrote two letters to the editor which were published in our local newspaper "Darmstädter Echo":

Letter to the editor concerning the report in "Darmstädter Echo", August 5th 2003, page 9: "US-Army blocking off another village" published on August 16th 2003:

I am very grateful to the Americans that I got the chance to grow up in freedom and democracy. If the Americans are now building a fence around their villages, we should not insult them but understand looking at the terrible attacks of September 11th. For what is a little roundabout on your way to school or to work compared to the protection of human lives?

Answer to the letter to the editor of Prof. Lutz Michael Büchner, "Is Darmstadt like Baghdad?", Darmstädter Echo, August 12th 2003, page 29, published on August 23rd 2003:

The writer of this letter to the editor is calling the Americans living in Darmstadt an "occupying power". In fact: At some time in German history, the Americans have been an occupying power in Germany, an occupying power that liberated us from a brutal dictatorship and brought democracy and prosperity to us. I am very grateful for that. I hope that something similar is going to happen in Iraq. Comparing today´s Darmstadt to Baghdad, is absurd and minimizing the dangers in Iraq in an unbearable way.

I had the feeling of having written something absolutely normal and would have expected everybody to agree upon, but instead of unanimous approval, I got one anonymous letter, one anonymous postcard and one letter including the sender´s name and address. I really do not feel like repeating all of it, but the tendency was to say that I should stop "glorifying" the Americans.

I ´d wish I had better news.

Love, Karin

© Karin Quade, September 4th 2003