European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 12, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday september 12, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 11 letters note to an american hang in there1 i would like to respond to the writer of the letter note to germans we re still your j sincerely Hope that my first impression on Reading your letter was in error. It was that by publishing it in a paper that has precious few German readers your note to germans is in reality an exercise in american self pity. This impression was to some extent caused by my remembering similar feelings both published and expressed orally of about to Yean ago when the Exchange rate of our currencies was even More in Dis a Vor or the do liar. I have probably been aware that the americans arc our friends longer than you have been alive 1 even hive distinct memories of the time when they were our deadliest enemies. I have friends among americans of three generations. The oldest were born before the turn of the Century the youngest Are not yet in their teens i am Merit badge Counselor for the boy scouts of America. But even As a confirmed Friend of americans for close to 40 Yean i can not deny that it is a rather diff curl Pursuit. The reason for this As i see it is a defect in the american educational system. Friendship is Only possible Between people who understand each other. The Peoples of Europe and Asi have been taught to understand each other for thou Sands of Yean even though the Success rate has been deplorable Low. Americans Are spared this Effort no compulsory foreign language in High school and even College graduates Are not necessarily multilingual As their euro Pean counterparts routinely Are. Not to mention the fade of familiarization with non american sociology and history do nol misunderstand me i do not see this As your or any other Young american s personal fault. But i cannot get around the fact that Young americans com ing to Europe Are hopelessly unprepared for the environment they find Here. The situation is aggravated by the Success of mis guided attempts to copy the . School system in Germany. For about 10 Yean now German teen age shave bad the Opportunity to select courses in their 10th to 13th years of school including the right to drop such Boring subjects As history. There goes the present Young generation s Chance to learn Why the americans Are Here. What remains is the knowledge that they arc Here and that some of them at All limes and All of them a some limes arc King size nuisances. This by the Way started Long before americans and germans became friends. In 1943, the Public outcry against the Ameri cans in Britain was thai they were overpaid Over sexed and Over Here my personal experiences tie in with this very Well. Never were americans More receptive to european not necessarily German thinking than when the Dol Lar was close or even below two Marks. Could it be that american thinking is primarily if not solely Dollar oriented let me try to strike a More positive note. Americans and germans arc friends even if not All of them emphasize it All the Lime. Bui neither All americans Are friends with each other nor Are All germans. And the so called Young achievers in any nation in the world would not be seen dead with what they consider non achievers which in your country As Well As mine includes the military. This does not keep me from helping to defend my country and the rest of the free world and i Hope it will not keep you from doing your part even if it is Tough to do it outside the country that you understand and where you feel yourself understood. You show a Clear understanding of the alternatives even though you limit their application to american governments have warned the world of the Domino effect of letting nations Slacken their display of anti communism. I am certain that there would be a much More devastating Domino effect if nations of the Alliance reduce their determination to defend each other even if per Sonal feelings Between their individual citizens or sol Diers or military dependents Are not All peace Joy and egg pancakes As we germans say. Reverting to american parlance hey kid hang in a. Col. Gerhard k. Jantsch shape Belgium another note we Are not your enemies Nolc to americans we Are not your enemies after having read note to germans we re still tout friends i wish to offer an opposing viewpoint. Some of the Points the writer brought up Are Well taken but just As Many show the opinion of an Unin formed person. While it is True that germans Are not As open and Friendly with strangers As americans once befriended a German is a Friend for life. This is no Way implies that it is Normal for germans not to return greetings As you stated in your Teller there Are ignorant people in All countries. 1 have visited the United slates on sever Al occasions and have found that my previous statement is statement concerning germans with the a Fla shy cars and Modem fashionable clothes indicates nothing More than most americans already know thai germans Are extremely hard workers who for the most part take exceptional care of their personal be letter indicates that you feel Germany is de pendent on America for survival but we have come Trig Way since the Marshall plan. Our Large corporations such As Bow Mercedes and age to name afew As Well As our Small companies sell everything they can build with or without american patronage. As far As your comment about the Day when we Are no longer allowed to have those ultramodern care an Fine clothes we both better Hope that Day never comes. We in the free world depend on each other for survival and i Germany Falls can you be far behind when John f. Kennedy made his statement Ich bin Ein Berliner he was showing the camaraderie we Chare As Freedom Loving people not As clones of each other who act and think the same Way. While in Germany enjoy All that our Beautiful country has to offer because you Are our honoured closing thought if americans took a Little More interest in learning to speak German they would prob ably find us much More Gofen Woeber Germany pen pals hut Onui by Misamin. Mym of. Wonju u Tui pin Minot aant Tom wond. 40 jul i in Young Woran of 16 who h in mud to i a xxi of Ondong. Would i to Nav pen pall. Ann Landers dear Ann Landers there is one victim of suicide you be never dealt with in your column. The Friend. I Marie spoke of suicide whenever things went wrong. Learned that people who speak of suicide often attempt it and need y someone who will listen. So i listened to Marie. I also teamed that speaking of suicide is a cry for help. So i tried to help her. Writing is my Hobby so i wrote her Long tetters. 1 did everything in my Power to make Marie feel needed and important. To me she was both. I tried to get her to see a doctor but she would t go and i did t have the Power to make her. One evening after i had made my nightly Call Marie called me Back and told me she had just taken the pills and drank the alcohol that would end her life. It won t be Long now thank cod she said. I Felt As if i were in some strange Way responsible be cause 1 had failed to convince her that life was Worth living. I fell guilty for not staying close enough to prevent that awful deed. But the Story had a Happy ending. Marie survived and you figured in the Rescue. Had just finished an Ann Landers column and i kept my drugged Friend on the phone Reading it As slowly As possible while my dad called the Rescue squad and sent them to her Home. When i Hung up the phone prayed feverishly that they would eel there in time. They did. I am Happy to report that Marie is in therapy doing beautifully and there is every reason to be Lieve she will be of. From now , in Tucson Ariz. Dear Tucson Tianlu for letting me know. Your letter nukes some excellent Points not the least of which h Ibe guilt of friends because they did t recognize the symptoms and stay closer. Don t be too hard on yourself. Would be suicides can be very comr As Well As extremely deceptive. No one is responsible far anyone s life Bat he own. Dear Ann Landers i d greatly appreciate your opinion on a Dis agreement i had with my Boss. She s the nurse in the top t where 1 am a medical assistant. A Man about my age 35 came in Lor a physical which included an Eko. As usual i instructed him to undress above the Waist. At least that s what i thought i said. When i resumed he was on the table Stark naked. My lint impulse was to Tell him to put on his pants but i decided to go ahead and do the ital without saying anything for fear of him. During the egg the senior nurse came in. Her Eye widened and her jaw dropped but she said nothing until she got me alone. Then she let me have it. She accused me of needlessly embarrassing the patient and told me i was Lucky she did t report me tothe doctors and recommend my dismissal. She told me not to try thai . I believe 1 did the right thing under the Circum stance. My husband agrees. He says if he was a patient and understood he was supposed to undress he would feel like a fool if he was suddenly told to put hit pants on. He says 1 handled it in such a Way that spared the Man a lot of humiliation. Please , Dearry Yon did the right thing. Next time be More explicit in your instruction. 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