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s/ungrateful/unappreciative/. You could say that some don't appreciate the changes that the region has gone through. Gratitude is a term you would use for thing

s/ungrateful/unappreciative/. You could say that some don't appreciate the changes that the region has gone through. Gratitude is a term you would use for things like gifts. You can, however, appreciate a good business relationship. The colonies bit you wrote was out of place. It sounds like you're saying "either be a colony, or get out". Calling the refusal to take in so-called refugees racist is inappropriate. I think you should do yourself the favor and delve into that subject a bit more instead of passively accepting certain ignorant narratives. The migrant crisis is a huge stain on Merkel's record, a demonstration of massive incompetence and blindness. Most migrants weren't even from Syria or affected areas. Also, note that no one seemed to notice how countries like Poland took in more than 1 million refugees from Ukraine following Russia's invasion of the country. Germany took in practically no one. W.r.t. solidarity, Germany has a spotty record where solidarity is concerned. Consider how Germany has refused the building of Nordstream gas pipelines through central/eastern Europe from Russia, instead opting to have them run through the Baltic at greater expense. This allows Russia to cut gas supplies to central/eastern Europe without affecting Germany. Russia, as we have seen time and again, does not hesitate to use energy supplies as a tool of political pressure. I think that while central/eastern Europe should recognize the massive changes their markets have undergone, it does not negate the other realities that are at play.

bgarbiak 9y ago
Poland took in not million but 183 refugees from Ukraine. (data from april 2017) The million people you're talking about are no refugees, they are cheap labour. They're allowed to stay only as long as they keep their jobs. And they're free to go to any other country in EU. To say that Poland's (and other central European countries) refusal to take in refugees from the Middle East is not driven by racism is to delude yourself. Some politics bluntly only agree to take in Christians. Not to mention that those countries are even willing to pay fines, just to keep these people away. Refusal to take in refugees is not an act of non-solidarity with Germany. It's mainly a not-solidarity with Greece, Italy, Spain - countries who deal with this issue for years, and for years pledged for help.
- bbv-if 9y ago
  Don't confuse migrant workers and refugees. Poland has profited greatly from the ukrainian workers.
lispm 9y ago
> a huge stain The decision to help a few hundred thousand people in a specific situation was the right decision. Merkel did the right thing and many people are grateful for that. The solidarity goes both ways. Transit countries had been milking the pipelines without contributing much. Poland simply has a different energy policy and different goals than Germany. The Nordstream pipeline was built and financed not by and not for the Polish energy market.
toyg 9y ago
> It sounds like you're saying "either be a colony, or get out". Sorry, what I meant is that if they really are so bothered about a "feel", despite the overwhelming evidence surrounding them that the feel is misplaced, then they are free to leave, so that they will find out how wrong that "feel" was. > Most migrants weren't even from Syria or affected areas. And? I'm originally from Italy, where massive economic migrations have been observed for a long time (mostly in transient terms - people would use Italy as a port to Northern Europe). Syria or not Syria it was already a crisis for more than 20 years, it just became more visible. The causes are long-understood, we just kept refusing to deal with them or with the outcomes. Merkel did the right thing as far as I'm concerned - regardless of Syria.

bgarbiak 9y ago

Poland took in not million but 183 refugees from Ukraine. (data from april 2017) The million people you're talking about are no refugees, they are cheap labour. They're allowed to stay only as long as they keep their jobs. And they're free to go to any other country in EU. To say that Poland's (and other central European countries) refusal to take in refugees from the Middle East is not driven by racism is to delude yourself. Some politics bluntly only agree to take in Christians. Not to mention that those countries are even willing to pay fines, just to keep these people away. Refusal to take in refugees is not an act of non-solidarity with Germany. It's mainly a not-solidarity with Greece, Italy, Spain - countries who deal with this issue for years, and for years pledged for help.

bbv-if 9y ago
Don't confuse migrant workers and refugees. Poland has profited greatly from the ukrainian workers.

lispm 9y ago

> a huge stain The decision to help a few hundred thousand people in a specific situation was the right decision. Merkel did the right thing and many people are grateful for that. The solidarity goes both ways. Transit countries had been milking the pipelines without contributing much. Poland simply has a different energy policy and different goals than Germany. The Nordstream pipeline was built and financed not by and not for the Polish energy market.

toyg 9y ago

> It sounds like you're saying "either be a colony, or get out". Sorry, what I meant is that if they really are so bothered about a "feel", despite the overwhelming evidence surrounding them that the feel is misplaced, then they are free to leave, so that they will find out how wrong that "feel" was. > Most migrants weren't even from Syria or affected areas. And? I'm originally from Italy, where massive economic migrations have been observed for a long time (mostly in transient terms - people would use Italy as a port to Northern Europe). Syria or not Syria it was already a crisis for more than 20 years, it just became more visible. The causes are long-understood, we just kept refusing to deal with them or with the outcomes. Merkel did the right thing as far as I'm concerned - regardless of Syria.