Spot the difference between the two leaders' responses
Compare and contrast the following statements from the leaders of two Western democracies upon the election of Donald Trump as US president.
The first is from the British Prime Minister, Theresa May:
“I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign.
Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. We are, and we will remain, close partners on trade, security and defence.
I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on those ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.”
All very pleasant. Now read the statement released by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel:
“There’s no country we Germans have as close a relationship with as the United States of America. Whoever rules this vast country, with its enormous economic strength, its military potential, its cultural influence, carries a responsibility which is felt all over the world.
Americans have decided that the person to carry this responsibility for the next four years is Donald Trump.
Germany and America are connected by common values: democracy, freedom, respect for the law and for human dignity irrespective of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political conviction.
On the basis of these values, I offer the future president of America, Donald Trump, a close working relationship.
Partnership with the USA remains a basic pillar of German foreign policy in order for us to meet the great challenges of our time: striving for economic and social wellbeing and a forward-looking climate policy, the fight against terrorism, hunger and disease, engagement for peace and freedom, in Germany, Europe and all over the world.”
Spot the difference.
Yet another reminder we should drop the jokes about Germany and authoritarianism. Living in the past is the problem to begin with, and we’re increasingly on shaky ground to be pointing fingers.
Adam Barnett is staff writer for Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBarnett13
See: ‘Devastating’, ‘heartbreaking’, ‘clearly wrong’ – progressives respond to Trump’s election
21 Responses to “Trump: Angela Merkel shames Theresa May with message for next US president”
Mick
Oooooooooo! Rewriting history would be to deny the USA not issuing lend-lease to help us, deny Roosevelt’s concern for his own war-reluctant citizens, before denying the USA finally joined the war only when it was their cue and due to join it. They were still the Arsenal Of Democracy. And after 1943, they were big enough to lead the strength of the Western war.
I thought you lefties liked war-reluctant citizens! I thought lefties enjoyed America keeping a noble distance! The blatant anti-Americanism stinks today, regardless how many lefties dress it up. (They couldn’t get enough America when it voted Obama!)
John
America didn’t join the war until attacked; fair enough.
America supported the Allies with trade and funds, I believe we in the UK recently paid off our war debts to the USA, well and good.
Then things took a turn for the worse. The ‘bastion of democracy’ supported authoritarian uprises across the world so long as they paid lip-service to democracy and were against the USSR. Indeed, Al Qaeda was a CIA trained and funded project. Once the USSR imploded America, I suspect gratefully, abandoned such underhanded tactics for the most part.
Moving forward America has a choice, as do all countries essentially. Do you worry only about your own problems, or do you also act for the welfare of others? Traditionally ‘the left’ (as they are often identified) has favoured the latter, and ‘the right’ (as they are often identified), the former. Both have much to recommend them. However, too often, America and others criticise other countries of faults they are themselves guilty of. In this fashion, it is better to fix your own house before helping another build theirs.
Addressing a few points directly: Mick: the first country the Nazi’s invaded was Germany. Do not think all Germans supported them, and do not think such things cannot happen again. Today’s Germany DOES have much in common with America, and though should be celebrated, not denigrated. Trump is fighting to prevent the problems we in the EU have with refugees, so in that sense, he has the same problem we do, just not in the same proportion.
Finally, it is unwise to speak so specifically of ‘left’ and ‘right’. There are many on ‘the right’ who are war-reluctant (which is why Blair had a hard time getting us into Iraq) and plenty on ‘the left’ who are adamant about the benefits of US dominance, since their ideology has shaped most of the western world it provides a solid foundation for future endeavours.
Mick
“No one is condoning the acts of either side in WWII and I think it’s time we moved on as the article suggests……”
Whoa! An absolutely HUGE admission of moral equivalence. That’s the kind of thing leftists criticise David Irving for. It’s all playing up one side to play the other down.
Anyway, one by one, first past the post is a bastion of democracy. If you win, you rule. Losers are less the tail to wag the dog, as you get in the politically stagnant EU. Stagnation often only overturned by the kind of extremists – real or imagined – the left then fight against. Yeah, I’d rather have our more tranquil system. Your people just lose in it more, that’s all.
Second, we had no influence IN the EU! Cameron was embarrassed and humiliated when his desperate pleas for concession were rejected by our arrogant masters. So we rejected THEM. Get over it. Come on, Snowflake!
And yes, the world has changed. Brexit is coming, Trump has come and long-held policies like open-door immigration, blind eyes turned to illegal migration, infinite welfare and tolerance for religious whackjobs have reached expiry dates.
If your way is so beautiful, why are ADHD lefties rioting across America?
“To use your own words, I find you ‘disgusting, disgraceful, interfering and graceless.’ ”
Oooo! Get over yourselves.
Mick
“In this fashion, it is better to fix your own house before helping another build theirs.”
That’s just what happened last night. Sarah Palin used the term ‘sweep our porch’. Get America secure before telling other nations how to keep theirs.
“Mick: the first country the Nazi’s invaded was Germany. ”
What a bizarre statement. The Nazis began in Bavaria. They grew and became the biggest party in the Reichstag. Not all Germans wanted them but certainly by 1940, ‘Germany’ as an entity was as won over as it ever could be. Only final defeat pierced most dreams of old. The nation did not revolt as Italy did, until it was comprehensively crushed. Now that takes faith as much as a secret police.
Germany has changed since then but it is hardly Merkel’s place to dress herself AS a new, pure German spirit.
I’m not bashing Germany, nor do I subscribe to beliefs that Trump only wants stronger border controls and crackdowns on Islamic extremism because he is a ‘Nazi’.
Michael WALKER
>Guy
“we must treat people with the respect that they deserve regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion etc”
And that is the basic problem. You are effectively saying we should accept what other believe in regardless of how barbaric and disgusting it is.
I do NOT accept any religion which says that treating non members badly – or killing them is acceptable.
I do NOT accept people who believe is sex with children.
I do not accpt people who believe their race is superior and this justifies any action they take aginst others.
You clealry do.
No wonder Political Correctness is resulting in the rise of the Right.
You HAVE to have minimum standards of conduct which automatically mean certain people are unacceptable. period. NO debate.
Attitudes like your lead to child abuse at Rotherham being ignored. And innocent people hounded by allegations of abuse being followed by the police when they were clearly rubbish and the invention of a proven liar.
You are wrong. There are certain world wide acceptable standards of behaviour irrespective of race religion etc. Failure to accept that is why the population of the US and the UK are basically saying “enough is enough”.
Your beliefs are dangerous. Try going to Saudi and preaching Christianity. You would last 5 minutes.