Text 17528, 89 rader
Skriven 2005-12-02 17:02:00 av FRANK SCHEIDT (1:123/140)
Ärende: European Losers
=======================
The other day I was asked a question which I considered a strange 
one -- until I gave it more thought.  Here's the question:  
"Frank, why are Europeans, in general, such losers?"

I assured the boy that not *all* Europeans are losers though I 
had to admit, *most* of them are.  So why *are* Europeans such 
losers?  One must consider the history of that weary continent 
to find out.

When Julius Caesar was at his peak of power part of Europe was 
*powerful*; that, of course, was Rome.  He had conquered Gaul, 
Britain, even North Africa.  However the Romans became careless 
and slowly sank into oblivion.  Then came *centuries* of 
stagnation during which European nations, principalities and 
city-states fought endless wars among themselves -- solving 
*nothing*.  France and England, for example fought each other for 
centuries, doing nothing but killing their bravest young men.

Because of those bloody conflicts the more intelligent Europeans 
gradually fled to the New World beginning in the Sixteenth 
Century.  The depth of the European death struggle probably took 
place during WWI when trench warfare destroyed 
hundreds-of-thousands of young Europeans which tended to leave 
the gene pool crying for replacements.  The European military 
also needed many replacements.  America filled the gap, for 
we had more than enough intelligent, brave, ambitious men.  

American soldiers entered the war by April 1918, entered the 
battle by June 1918 and by November had beaten the previously 
almost victorious Germans to a pulp.  The Americans then returned 
to their homeland in the Western Hemisphere.

The Europeans, dazed by this whirlwind victory, tried to have a 
victory of their own by crushing Germany by a harsh treaty (the 
infamous Versailles Treaty).  This resulted in destroying Germany 
economically and in creating a determination for revenge.  That, 
of course led to Adolf Hitler's leadership.  Germany *again* 
fought France, beating her (easily of course since the France are 
skilled more in retreating and surrendering than in fighting to 
defend themselves) as Germany had in the previous two wars with 
France.

*Again* it was a sorrowful plea to America to help.  Again, 
millions of young American men travelled to Europe, beat the 
Germans, and returned to America.

So what effect does this have on Europe?  Humiliation, for one 
thing.  They were humiliated by having to beg their "colony" to 
get them out of yet *another* mess they've created themselves.

But, wait!  There's more.  After the U.S. won WWII, the Soviets 
decided to take over Europe.  They'd have done this easily except 
for -- guess who, the *Americans* again.  When Joe Stalin 
blockaded Berlin trying to starve the people into submission, the 
U.S. Air Force supplied the Berliners with the essentials.  After 
a few months Stalin caved -- he might have been insane but he 
wasn't stupid.  He *knew* no European or Soviet Army could defeat 
the Americans!

BTW, even a decade-and-a-half later when President Kennedy 
visited Berlin and told the citizens he was a jelly doughnut he 
was greeted enthusiastically by the Berliners.  (JFK didn't 
speak German though he tried.  His wife spoke French, the 
language of SUPER-losers!)

However the cold war continued with America and the Soviets 
threatening each other.  Meanwhile the Europeans sat on their 
backsides, shivering in fear that Stalin would move on them.  
They felt confident, however, that America would save them once 
again.

As we all know, the GREAT Ronald Reagan built up a war machine 
and an expanding economy which caused the Soviets to give up.  We 
had won the Cold War and saved the Europeans one more time.

So were they grateful?  Of *course* not.  It is not in the 
European psyche to be grateful -- only to be selfish.  After all 
how would *you* feel if some powerful neighbor had saved you 
time-after-time after *you* had made cowardly blunders?  You'd 
*resent* him for exposing your weakness.  Hence the Europeans 
resent and hate the United States.

I think this satisfied my young questioner and he left ...

... "ONE WAY ONLY":  Don't you *dare* try any other way!

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