M A I N P A G E


Friday, February 24, 2012

Joachim on the Spot 

posted by Joe @ 14:25

The man who I feel should have been Germany’s president has been nominated to the position. While the position is that of a state funeral attending figurehead, the position permits commentary on the state of the culture and the of its’ big pieces and parts, namely freedom and the role of the state.

Theologian and former East German dissident Joachim Gauck is just the man for the job, and is at the right place at the right time in European history. A man well aware of the nature of an overbearing state is needed right now in a position where a bully pulpit can be used from time to time.

The nomination is not without its’ distractions though:
The FDP, her beleaguered junior coalition partner, put Ms. Merkel's grip on power to the test on Sunday by backing Mr. Gauck. She was furious, according to a person familiar with the weekend talks, but realized she couldn't persuade the FDP to support any other candidate. Fearing an irreparable split in the coalition, Ms. Merkel grudgingly accepted Mr. Gauck.
Her position on this is strange, given that Merkel is herself a former East German, and the daughter of a pastor who opposed the state, one familiar with the role the Lutheran Church played in the downfall of the repressive Socialist regime.

There must be something unheimlich going on with one or the other of them that isn’t obvious to the rest of us.

|

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been pre-authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of political, economic, scientific, social, art, media, and cultural issues. The 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material that may exist on this site is provided for under U.S. Copyright Law. In accordance with U.S. Code Title 17, Section 107, material on this site is distributed without profit to persons interested in such information for research and educational purposes. If you want to use any copyrighted material that may exist on this site for purposes that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. // AVIS : En vertu de l'article L. 122-5 du Code de Propriété Intellectuelle, ce site Internet peut contenir des citations dont l'usage n'aura pas reçu l'autorisation du détenteur ou de la détentrice du droit d'auteur. La présentation de ces citations se fait dans le but de faciliter la découverte de divers sujets politiques, économiques, scientifiques, sociaux, artistiques, médiatiques ou encore culturels. L'article L. 122-5 du Code de la Propriété Intellectuelle dispose et autorise « les analyses et courtes citations justifiées par le caractère critique, polémique, pédagogique, scientifique ou d'information de l'oeuvre à laquelle elles sont incorporées ». A contrario, les emprunts qui excéderont les dispositions du « droit de citation », devront obtenir l'autorisation du détenteur ou de la détentrice du droit d'auteur.