Posted on 07/04/2010 8:34:40 PM PDT by Palter
German flags have sprouted like red, black and gold wildflowers across Berlin this summer. They're appearing on balconies, cars, bicycles, storefront windows, even painted on children's cheeks. Few can match Youssef Bassal's.
Eager to show his enthusiasm for Germany's soccer team during the World Cup, Mr. Bassal, a 38-year old Lebanese immigrant, unfurled a 60-by-15-foot German flag a few weeks ago, on the facade of the building that houses his cell-phone store.
Mr. Bassal knew his Fahne, as the Germans call it, would draw onlookers. What he didn't anticipate was the reaction—outrage.
During the flag's first night on exhibit, Mr. Bassal says, two youths tore it down and tried to set it on fire. Mr. Bassal ordered a new flag, and this time hung it so that it was harder to reach from the sidewalk. Shortly thereafter, a masked group of nighttime marauders showed up, and the second flag disappeared, he says.
Police suspect the culprits are members of Berlin's radical leftist scene. For them, the enormous flag is nothing less than a provocation, a repugnant display of German nationalism.
Across Germany, the story of Youssef Bassal's flag has become a sensation. Since the vandalism began, a steady stream of television crews and reporters have shown up at his little store, here on a street nicknamed "Arab Alley" in Berlin's Neukölln neighborhood, known for its large population of Arab and Turkish immigrants.
That a man from Lebanon named Youssef has gone to such lengths to display and defend Germany's flag—a symbol many Germans themselves are ambivalent about—has forced many here to question the stereotypes they harbor about the country's immigrant population. Immigrants are generally referred to in Germany collectively, often derisively, as Ausländer, foreigners.
None of that worries Mr. Bassal.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Sure beats illegal Brazilians and Mexicans flying their flags in the USA as their teams went down in flames.
One such German immigrant (Served US Air Force) and received her citizenship papers this past month.
Please welcome Axenia Shade to our ranks - axinia.shade@gmail.com
“That a man from Lebanon named Youssef has gone to such lengths to display and defend Germany’s flag—a symbol many Germans themselves are ambivalent about...”
Gee, just like America.
“Immigrants are generally referred to in Germany collectively, often derisively, as Ausländer, foreigners”
Perhaps they do say it with a sneer, but “Auslander” simply means “out-lander” - foreigner. If that’s offensive, well, I guess we better drop any such word from our own language.
Wonder if our current President will receive his papers at the end of his term.
Hear hear for Mr. Bassal. That’s the kind of immigrant that I want in America.
Don’t let the scumbag leftists get you down, Mr. Bassal. Fly your flag with pride and spit in their eyes.
Good for Mr. Bassal.
It does seem very odd, doesn’t it? Immigrants who became Germans are more patriotic than some of the German born?
Chewbacca once again shows her “love” of the USA.
BTW — I caught the Germany/Argentina match and was blown away by the precision of their game.
As always, Argentina (like Brazil) depends on individual talent to get the job done.
But what amazed me was when Germany came out in the 2nd time and started in traditional European “play not to lose” but then shifted to an aggressive plan. That is, IMHO, a new approach and one that will be examined, frame by frame, by Futball coaches and strategists for quite some time.
And I am only applying what I know from my close look every 4 years. I am sure there are nuances I haven’t even come close to seeing.
I am 3rd generation German (+Irish on the other side) — gotta love the new Germany! Telling the Euro-folk to get lost is a great action!
>>It does seem very odd, doesn’t it? Immigrants who became Germans are more patriotic than some of the German born?<<
As the OP noted, it follows the US pattern.
Ever talk to a Russian immigrant to the US? They feel exactly the same as Mr. Bassal does. Some of the most patriotic people I've met are folks who've escaped brutal regimes and have become US citizens.
We've apparently got the same trouble with left-wing traitors that other countries do. Communism knows no borders.
German Leftists - Anarchists, communists, Democrats. All the same.
Good to see an immigrant feel good about his adopted country. Too many of our own economic refugees in America hate the country and would rather be back in their own country. That is if it wasn’t such a rat hole.
Sounds like the immigrants of many decades ago here. My dad still says, ‘God Bless America’ a lot. They know how good they have it.
Did you take a walk through your neighborhood this Independence Day, and notice how many people were flying the Stars and Stripes?
I could count three houses with flag displays, within a radius of about half a mile.
Good point.
I think that is the way it is supposed to work. When My Irish ancestors came here they competed with the Italians and the Pols to be "more American." The "old" English simply smiled. Each wave if immigrants are supposed to breath new life into a country. In the case of Latinos in The U.S., liberals have perverted the process by not requiring them to become Americanized. In fact, they have incentivized ethnicity in order to grow their political base.
I could count three houses with flag displays, within a radius of about half a mile.
Well, my "neighborhood" is gravel roads and old asphalt two-lanes for the most part, so no, I didn't walk around to see how many flags were out.
But, I'm in North Texas, so it's not quite fair to compare the patriotic displays in my area with those in other parts of the country. Patriotism is on display around here year round.
The World Cup brings about a lot of nationalism.
Here’s the thing: Although they seem to want to blame “leftists”, the use of the word “youths” makes me think the leftists were actually auslanders themselves.
I just checked your profile and see that you're in California. That explains the lack of patriotic displays right there.
I'm a native Californio, so I know the blase' attitude toward all things Americana there, very well. In my 50 years of living in that state, I rarely saw anyone flying the state flag on their own property, but here in Texas, it's quite common. American flags abound, as well.
"Texas ~ it's like a whole 'nother country."
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