I lol'ed at the last sentence of this article, too. Nothing better than some good old stereotyped thinking. But I still think Germany is blessed with its 'conservative' politicians. In Israel we have ultra-orthodox Jewish parties, like Agudat Yisrael, that consider women's rights (or even worse feminism) altogether abominable. (Un)fortunately we can't prohibit people expressing their opinions.
Some opinions are misinformed and potentially damaging, and, coming from the federal minister of family affairs, senior citizens, women and youth, plain worry me, because Schröder's opinions may have a somewhat larger impact than any old forum troll's would have. I expect someone in her position to know better than to reduce the 70s feminist movement to Alice Schwarzer and political lesbianism (if that's the word), and to know better than to explain the pay gap by saying women go for the "softer" professions (even the federal statistical office disagrees! And they only care about numbers!).
Definitely agree that our conservatives could be worse (though some of them appear evil), but then, Germany could do so much better.
I'm quite anxious that certain "idées reçues", certain "überkommene Vorstellungen" will gain an increased fellowship and will find their expression in Evangelical Christianity in the States, radicalized Muslim communities, ultra-Orthodox Judaism in Israel... These are, in my opinion, the reactions of our unleashed capitalism and the way it makes people notoriously unhappy. Hopefully we don't lose the advancements of the last, say, 70 years in this regression (peace, emancipation and ecological movement etc.).
I have met an astonishingly large number of right-wing German conservatives at the Israel-Kongress in Frankfurt. They're no Jews, mark you, but believe that in supporting Israel they can be openly anti-Muslim. I talked to some and said: "Hey guys, those Muslims are seeking a better life here in Germany! They won't try to invade you!" - "Exactly that's what they're up to." was the answer :-(
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Definitely agree that our conservatives could be worse (though some of them appear evil), but then, Germany could do so much better.
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I have met an astonishingly large number of right-wing German conservatives at the Israel-Kongress in Frankfurt. They're no Jews, mark you, but believe that in supporting Israel they can be openly anti-Muslim. I talked to some and said: "Hey guys, those Muslims are seeking a better life here in Germany! They won't try to invade you!" - "Exactly that's what they're up to." was the answer :-(
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