Allianz Stadium? Simon Wiesenthal would not approve

Phil Fulmer? The NCAA?

 

Hitler wanted to make the quality of life good for Germans -- part of his goal (keep the locals happy, use the Jews as a scapegoat for the problems caused by Versailles, and then take Jews/Slavs' land for German "living space"). To the Germans, they were the superior, prevailing country in Europe, and Hitler told them they were a superior race of people. So they should live like it.

Nazi propaganda poster, circa 1939:

Text: "Save 5 marks a week and you will drive your own car." Note the car.

 

To add:
A lot of companies from the past have sordied histories IN THE PAST.

Germany is very embarrassed about 1933-45 and its role in the world from those years.

The Germans are a different people than they were in that era (they were a desperate people that got duped by a maniacal dictator who promised them national greatness during a time of weakness), and they have repented of their sins time and time and time and time again.

Many of those companies the Nazis took control of have no more ties to the National Socialist Party than you or I today. It's been 62 years. Nearly all of the Nazis (save a few Hitler Youth, many of whom had no choice but to join) are dead and gone. VW has a Nazi past, but it is not a Nazi company today. Same with AG Farben and other companies. When a totalitarian government takes over, it can take over all of the local industry and use it for its purpose -- whether that company wants to be used in that way or not. When the totalitarian government is overthrown, the company may stay in existence, but its totalitarian past is gone.

For the record, I go out of my way to avoid Citgo gas because of Chavez, but that's because of *right now.* I don't go out of my way to avoid VW (although I've never driven one) because of its ties to Hitler. Nobody running VW has any ties to Hitler nowdays anyway.

 

No one should let the Holocaust or genocide go, but when the company you're railing against has absolutely no ties in the present to what you're railing against from the past, it's borderline ridiculous to protest it.

It's akin to walking up to a murderer's grandchildren and accusing them of being murderers themselves. It makes no sense at all.

 

No, Bubs, you shouldn't accuse them of being murderers. But if you want me to believe that you shouldn't accuse them of murder = there's no reason not to do business with them, I really need you to show your work.

 

Allianz Stadium: See what all the fuhrer is about!

 

So seriously, you believe that it's wrong for me to drive a VW (which I don't) and to take Bayer aspirin (which I do.)

 

The guy in my avatar says, "Do bissniss viss da Chermans? Ya, vy not!"

Point of fact, some of Hitler's re-named descendants lived on Long Island.

I second Elliotte, though, there are many Holocaust survivors in the NYC metro area. Allianz Stadium will be a non-starter.

 

Show my work? Why? To me, it's simple. The people in charge of Allianz now are not the people who helped Nazi Germany in the 30s and 40s. So you're deciding not to do business with people who had nothing to do with what you're protesting.

I get the symbolism of it, and for those who lived in those times as Elliotte's grandmother did, I know it goes beyond symbolism and is very real. But for the vast majority, that symbolism has no basis in the current reality. If the Giants/Jets want to go for Allianz Stadium, it isn't a nod-and-a-wink to the Nazi era. It's a nod-and-a-wink to pure capitalism.

And let's not pretend that we're a bunch of angels here in America either.

Based on the Allianz construct posed by some here, I am going to picket my way all the way home because every business, road, railroad, house, etc., including my own, was built by people, companies and religious organizations who can trace their histories back to when native Americans were systematically marginalized, and many times, killed, so we could fulfill our Manifest Destiny.

 

No, that's not what I believe at all.

While something truly evil is happening, it should affect everyone. For example, if we knew that Bayer was integral to what's going on in Darfur *now*, I would think you shouldn't take it. And for the record, I don't know jack about the details of what's going on there, and that's all on me.

When the evil is over, people should resume their normal habits. Except some people won't, because the evil touched them on some intimate level, either theoretical or actual. Those people have no right to expect everyone else to share their ongoing reactions.

But everyone else has no right to require the ones still affected to "get over it" because it doesn't matter to them anymore.

More directly, I would never tell you not to drive a VW. It's none of my business. And if you drove one, it would have no effect on what I thought of you. But I don't think you get to tell me that I'm not allowed to have qualms about owning one myself.

Does that help?

 

Elliotte, I ask this out of genuine curiosity, not trying to stir things up, honest.

I won't buy a Volkswagon, a BMW, or a Benz as long as she's alive, out of respect.

Does this mean you don't think it's that big a deal and would consider it after she's gone?


That said, this is a dumb deal. I get the feeling the Giants or Jets really didn't check into things before considering this.