Where are we now?

[der Berliner 3,891]

A few things in reply, dB. First, it being Hogmanay I won't be able to lay my hands on the books I'm after for a day or so but claiming the Stasi's behaviour has been blown out of proportion is, from my reading, not correct & I'll be happy to bring examples of why I believe that in days ahead. I do think, though, that you are defending the indefensible when you portray the DDR as anything less than a totalitarian state which didn't hesitate to use all methods, up to an including execution, to control its citizens. I have severe reservations about the UK as a political entity but they don't go that far, not even MI6, so your comparison is inaccurate.

 

Second, clearly Scotland is not like East Germany under Honecker, or even the lamentable Egon Krentz - what happened to him, I wonder? However, a popular complaint amongst those who oppose the SNP is that Scotland is a one party state, and although it is plainly moronic the term 'stasi-like' is in frequent use here to describe some of their policies. Hence the mild piss take.

 

Like you said, it is the wrong day to debate this. Likewise, the wrong place and essentially also the wrong time, as I have not much of it on my hands now. But just to let you know, I was 20 when East Germany waved good-bye to history. 3 of the last years I spent with the East German navy, essentially as a marine sergeant guarding the navy's HQ. Which had its very own secret service department. I would claim I was even at 20 a rather bright guy who noted what was happening about in the country. I'm far from saying that it was great and there weren't naughty events happening in certain places, with certain people, at certain times. But neither was it modern day North Korea, nor the Soviet Union, or "something" that is being portrayed in documentaries made usually by people who hardly ever experienced "real life" in East Germany, nor people willing to do portray it. Far worse, it is more often than not done by folk with an agenda. It would take hours to explain this in greater detail. And whether it would change the opinion of those who have indeed "suffered" at the hands of the Stasi or some mean party man is up for debate. It is hard to get balanced books over here in German these days, I doubt that there are many in English. As I said, for anything that is being held against the Stasi, check out the history of the CIA or the like and how they "worked" over the years. Or ask Snowden.

Edited December 31, 2015 by der Berliner

[BEARGER 1,836]

Oh for Heaven's sake, it wasn't meant to be taken as my personal opinion. Hopefully this may ease your mind a bit:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]602[/ATTACH]

 

Ok have read through it again. Happy New Year.

[RANGERRAB 3,884]

Going back to the OP - where are we now?

 

In a damn sight better position than we were this time last year.

 

HNY to all when it comes

[JohnMc 2,882]

Lena Martell, REM, The Monkees and Neil Diamond, that's four musical references not ever seen in the same article before, well played.

 

I love that you're getting pulled for your 'SNP Stasi' line, that's hysterical. I'm tweeting a link to The Federal Commissioner of the SNP Records, Renfrewshire Branch. You, my friend, have just become Zersetzung!