SAVE THE HUN.

[Vin]

Cam is right. At first I took Ginger’s insulting comments about the Germans (and the French) to be a parody of the caricature of the English as disliking the Germans and the French. If it was that, then the joke has been done to death. If it offends, why keep it up ? Why not knock it off, eh, Ginger ?


Vin

[Volker_Nemsch]

First of all: thank you Cam!

I´m a German and while standing on a number of French, American and German war-cemeteries in the area of Verdun (on 18. Nov. at Lt. Luke memorial at Murvaux) I decided to avoid all those prejudices. I my mind this will insult the dead soldiers, because up to now we have not learned out of the war they had to fight.

Somebody told me a brillint definition for the word peace: Peace is, when a child, when asked, knows not how to describe the meaning of `enemy´ with his own words.

I will look upon the term ´hun´ in the future as follows:

1.) The person using it has no knowlege of history.

2.) The person using it is simply impolite.

3.) The person using it used it accidentilly.

I will have to decide!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND PEACE TO ALL FORUMITES!

Volker Nemsch

[Ginger.]

Come on chaps it's time to stop snivelling,this time tomorrow you will be cooking Christmas dinner.While your Popsy can go to the Officers Mess,with the real men.

All,
We really need to grow some thicker skins around here!

There is entirely too much PC'ism and that is becoming onerous!

Me?! I'm a caveman ...

Know whut ah mean Vern!

[stephen]

Hi Volker!

I have a serious question that I think only you can answer... If the English don't mind being called "Lords" and the Americans don't mind being called "Yanks," why are Germans offended at the term "Hun?"

"Yank" is based on a old play character named "Yankee doodle," who was a complete idiot. The term grew into a label for anyone in society who was incredibly stupid, then was adopted by the British in the American War for Independence as a name for all American patriots. When somebody uses the term "Yank" I never consider it personal, but a term for Americans in general. To me its just not important enough to be insulted over. And from a historical standpoint, it was a common name for Americans by our enemies. Since then it has grown into a worldwide label that everyone in the world uses on us.

Just like the term "Hun," most of the people who use it now don't even mean it as an insult. I would never, ever use it intentionally as an insult to you... and I cannot possibly understand how it would be received that way.

[Volker_Nemsch]

Hi, Stephen!

I´ll dig in my bookshelves for some wisdom and tell you as soon as possible what I´ve found there. I hope you had a good trip back to the States.

Up to then: MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Volker Nemsch

[Richard_Schrader]

HUN= HIGHLY UNDEFEATABLE NOBLE

Richard

[Graeme]

According to the Collins English Dictionary, the word Hun derives from the Old English word Hunas, which came from the Late Latin Huni which itself came from the Turkish word Hun-ya. Whatever did the Germans do to annoy the Turks?

Merry Christmas gents

Graeme

[stephen]

Merry Christmas to you, Volker! I had a good trip back to the States and it was just great meeting you there. I was delighted that Germany was represented at the ceremony - I thought it was a wonderful gesture and greatly appreciated.

I don't know about the origin of the term Hun, but even if it WAS a derogatory term, I still don't understand how it could be offensive centuries later to another generation. Sooner or later it looks like we just wouldn't worry about it anymore. I certainly don't lose any sleep over being called a Yank. Maybe 200 years ago I'd have fussed over it, but for Pete's sake... I have a lot better things to do with my time. (No offense to anyone named Pete!)

I had the honor of being a guest of the folks down-under in 1969 while on R&R from the SEAsia War Games. People in Sydney treated me like royalty. Everyone called me "Yank" the moment I opened my mouth, and when they found out that I was a Marine, it was hard to pay for my own drinks.

Even though the guys of 1stMarDiv were less than civil sometimes down in Melbourne during the Second Big Show, the Aussies forgot nothing that we did in 1942/43, when the wolf was at the door. They were still paying off more than 25 years later, and being called "Yank" by these folks was like being called "m'lord" to me.

I'm a Yank--as opposed to being a "Yankee." And I am proud of it.

Until I was in Austrailia, I had no idea how much the title meant. Over thirty years, but I will never forget it.


Shooter sends

PS: G'day, mates!