America As Seen Through The Eyes Of A German Woman

I was reading the bet.com newsletter today (dtd April 20, 2010), and one line caught my attention. Former President Bill Clinton was concerned about how the world perceive the United States with our "in-fighting". All the political unrest, basically a nation not so united.

Reading this short article, it reminded me of my first marriage while I stationed in Germany.She was German with a teenaged daughter, and we lived on the economy or off-post. She watched the news on German television every day, almost. To cut to the chase.

Whenever something happened in the United States, it made the German news. Hell, the President could sneeze, you turn on your television and whoop there it is. My wife heard so much about gangs, believe it or not, gas pricing, earthquakes and almost everything in D.C., she was scared to come here. I'd come home and she would tell me about things going on here that I could not confirm with my family in the States.Sometimes it would show up in the military newspaper, the Stars and Stripes.  Everything they showed on the news would be no big deal to us, that's because these type things go on daily here, but it is of major interest to the Germans. This was about twenty years ago.

I tried for months to talk her into coming State-side to live when I am reassigned. First thing out of her mouth was her fear for her daughter's safety from all the gangs she heard about on the news. I can not remember most of what else was on the news. this was when I left Germany almost twenty years ago.

From reading the short article on the bet.com website, I am assuming that Mr. Clinton is talking about the "little civil war" going on in Washington and bleeding across the nation into the states. It is a sad day to read in our newspapers, or on our television that citizens of our country are talking about taking up arms over such things as health reform, or the bailing out of some major economy players. It is all about the "benjamins".  Hopefully, it will never get to this point, but you can bet your bottom dollar, the world is watching us closely.

Remember, I am just an observer and these are the thoughts of one man views, the Last Partner.