March 23, 2005

Not All Germans Despise the US

To celebrate his 50th birthday, Manfred Petri took out an add in his local leftwing newspaper extolling the virtues of German-American friendship.

In taking out the full-page ad, Petri was giving himself the most expensive birthday present he's ever had. It cost him a little over Û6,000. He did it to express the feelings of those who, like himself, still believe in German-American friendship. He also did it to provoke those who don't share his opinion, particularly the liberal paper's core readers. In all, considered it quite successful and was extremely pleased.

Petri spent a year in Ohio as a young man, and retained a warm spot in his heart for America. And while the article in Spiegel Online indicates that Petri is not a fan of President Bush ("I wanted to thank America and the Americans," says Petri, "not their president"), it's obvious Petri believes in the value of what America continues to offer to the world -- freedom and peace.

It's nice to know there are still people like Petri in Germany.

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