Comments on: Rambling

By: Shannon

Shannon — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:44:43 +0000

Well, there’s “equivalent” and there’s “exactly the same”. Gook and kraut have very strong parallels.

By: divisionbyzer0

divisionbyzer0 — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:27:51 +0000

Words are equivalently not inherently offensive or not offensive. Again these are evaluations. Here we have some germans saying kraut is no problem and other people saying that because kraut is linked to war it is absolutely offensive. And kraut is only equivalent to nigger if whatever it is that the genemans experienced in relation to this term was as systemic as whatever it is that black experienced under slavery in the U$A.

By: divisionbyzer0

divisionbyzer0 — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:25:08 +0000

Jackassery is neither emergent nor innate — it is simply an evaluation.

By: Jess

Jess — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 06:10:12 +0000

I feel as if, in the U.S., I have never had the chance to be proud of my heritage even if in during WWII my family was already over in the U.S.

I just tend to keep quiet about it unless someone asks where my last name comes from.

I can’t explain people or their reactions, I can only deal with it.

By: Nygaard

Nygaard — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:55:31 +0000

Rolf, of course you can drive to Germany.. Doesn’t take more than a couple hours! ;)

And maybe you’re right about the difference regarding humour. I don’t find typical American fart-humour/very obvious humour particularly funny, so I can imagine that many americans feel the same way about the very black humour of northern europe.
But in Scandinavia I actually think the shared view on humour, and the fact that we love to make (sometimes quite personal, borderine cruel) jokes about each other and ourselves is what keeps us so close together. But I can definatley see why others who doesn’t appreciate black humour and self irony would get offended by it.

By: Rolf

Rolf — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:31:29 +0000

Shannon,
I guess it must have been hard to grow up in an anglosaxon evironment as a german, but honestly I think it is not worthwile to be bothered by terms like Krautrock. Real british who invented the term have a certain black humour and if you understand that a little better you won’t be angy about them as they actually don’t take themselves too seriously. I also left Germany and lived in places all over the world (currently in Hong Kong). British humour never bothered me. What bothers me are stupid countryside people who make jokes about you but do even not know where Germany is located (Can you drive there by car? (this question you here frequently in corn field regions of America.)).
Rolf

By: craspy

craspy — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:12:09 +0000

A remake of They Live? Good god, when will hollywood quit raping my childhood?

By: peteD3

peteD3 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:35:14 +0000

gotcha, thanks for the explaination. i honestly had no idea ‘kraut’ was used in connection to WW2, and i hate nazis!! but obviously not all Germans are that.
the comparision to ‘gook’ makes alot of sense.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 02:37:01 +0000

Ive got that VHS tape in my room! Great vampire movie! Good history too!

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 02:03:19 +0000

This entry made me think of Picnicface

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVjGsW0zXJw&feature=player_embedded

By: glendyn

glendyn — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:07:10 +0000

Speaking of great Vampire films that are being remade…

The recent swedish film Let The Right One In is arguably one of the greatest Vampire films ever. Every frame is a masterpiece.

Scarily though its rumored for a Hollywood remake.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:39:45 +0000

I think the experience of a German living in Germany is very different than the experience of a German living in anglo culture… Just as it’s different to be an African American from being an African in Africa.

By: Mona

Mona — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:37:08 +0000

I don’t find it that offensive (I’m German) – but maybe that is because we Germans are pretty used to be bashed and to bash ourselves because of our past.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:31:05 +0000

“Kraut” is the equivalent of “gook” — it’s an ethnic slur linked to war. Kraut absolutely is offensive.

By: peteD3

peteD3 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:02:59 +0000

HEY! thats the pic my GF used for her tattoo!

‘kikemarch’ i can see…but ‘krautrock’ is offensive?
so whats so wrong with ‘kraut’? i wasnt aware that was a slur, or maybe one as bad as calling someone Irish. i mean, KMFDM uses it all the time.
so what is the hidden meaning behind the word that is so problematic?

also, i can see ‘jewed’ being offensive to some, but being offended by ‘gypped’ seems incredibly oversensitive. i also dont think ‘kraut’ come anywhere close to ‘nigger’ in offensiveness… but, im not German.

i do think some minor slurs dont need much reaction as new generations forget thier negative intent. but then there are some that are so heavy or connect to unresolved wrongs that should be handled carefully.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:44:39 +0000

I also find it humorous that “niger” was moderated but “kraut” was not. Albeit, in this society they may not weigh the same, but it’s no less hypocritical.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:42:19 +0000

It’s more about the slang being used and not being looked at as offensive because its being directed toward Germans-

If more than one, lesbian/jewish band were released and people dubbed it Kyke March, I tend to think some people would be a little bent out of shape.

swords do have two sides.

By: Enochrewt

Enochrewt — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:05:54 +0000

Ehh, maybe I should have read this before I emailed you and I would have seen your tie in with the BB article. And yes I completely agree with you, and their moderating policy is more than a little wonky.

I love the BB stories and such, but hypocrisy runs amok when it comes to their moderating policy. We’re all only human though.

By: MissJanet

MissJanet — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:55:51 +0000

Mh, “Krautrock” is widely used to discribe some sort of german music in the late 70s and early 80s. I’ve never heard a german complain about that term, and I am german, living in germany.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:09:50 +0000

whole heartedly agreed upon.