One of my daughter's friends is in her second year in an East Coast Liberal Arts College. She has been preparing all year to transfer to a German university. She is at the point where she is terrified for her friends who are from other countries, and she cannot wait to get out of the US. She is terrified for herself too.
One of my adult friends who is Jewish and gay is looking to activate citizenship to Europe that she can have from her grandfather who left before the Holocaust. She is not feeling safe in the US under Trump as a Jew or as a Lesbian and her children have brown skin and are female. They do not feel safe.
She should be careful going to Germany right now, if she has any humanity towards Palestinians in her, because, unfortunately, the German government does not.
Joy, please read the articles I have linked below on this. She is not going to Germany, she already lives in Germany for 2 years as a student. She feels safe, but she is not the one going out and protesting. She does not like crowds. My husband is that way too. She has gone on demonstrations her whole life with me, but would not go on her own.
I have my own crowd to demonstrate with and we live in different cities. I am not going to be saying the slogans that are forbidden though.
Every demonstration I have been to the past 2 years in Germany has had a Palestinian contingent, and I was in Berlin a couple of weekends ago for a Hands Off rally, and there was a huge Palestinian rally. So, it is not clear cut. If there is no vandalism I think you can do it. In fact, there have been marches with Palestinian and Israeli flags and no clashes.
I have brown skin and live in Germany. I am a dual citizen and I have not generally had problems, but anywhere I live I choose where I am going to be, and who I am going to be with. I live in a city that is welcoming of immigrants, and did not vote for the CDU or the AfD in the majority.
That's great to know. Seeing what has happened, including to Francesca Albanese recently, the situation looks quite worrying. I visited Berlin last year over Easter. That's a great time to be there. I'm probably not going back anytime soon. I am glad I went last year., even thought The Ring production was dreadful, but, at least I finally got to see the remodelled Unter den Linden theatre. I have dear friends I spent a lot of quality time with on non-Ring Days. Gosh, this has gotten quite chatty, and off-topic. Sorry.
Yes. I read about Francesca Albanese not being allowed to speak even though she had diplomatic immunity. I also know that my Chicago neighbor was not allowed into Switzerland even though he had been invited to give two speeches because he writes for the Electronic Intifada. So, I see this happening in Europe in general as the speaker here is saying that a lot of western countries right now are doing this and points out that White Supremacy can rear its ugly head.
I have chosen Europe despite the White Supremacy I am used to it from the US. I can have sexism, racism, homophobia and global climate catastrophe regularly, but would like to reduce them, and so these factors were all considered. I also knew that I did not want to live in the US with a second Trump term.
I have to think about health insurance, long term care, other quality of life issues that the US is not there yet to have or do. Republicans have hit the peak of how horrible they are, but even the Dems do not elevate the quality of life enough in the US. This is my story of how I ended up mostly in Europe, and now maybe only in Europe.
Here, our daughter will come out of Uni debt free, which is hardly true for many Americans. I don't live in Berlin, and my cost of living is much less than the US, as well as living in a city that is still welcoming to immigrants, as Chicago is. However, Chicago does not have clean air, has too many guns, and other problems. I miss my friends and family but I talk to them regularly. I also go back and visit. I will need to pack up in Chicago and sell my home and that is that. Here is do go to demonstrations all the time. I support democracy and am working on organizing some regular creative gatherings for democracy in my new home.
That's great, I will check out your post. I wonder if you are involved with DiEM25? I am a member but I don't quite know how to connect with it, although I support what they are trying to do.
My recommendations are again,
For US students go abroad.
https://lindaweide.substack.com/p/study-abroad?r=f0qfn
For foreign Students leave the US now! Do not wait to have a problem. Move elsewhere and apply and try to get financial aid.
https://lindaweide.substack.com/p/foreign-students-at-a-us-university?r=f0qfn
One of my daughter's friends is in her second year in an East Coast Liberal Arts College. She has been preparing all year to transfer to a German university. She is at the point where she is terrified for her friends who are from other countries, and she cannot wait to get out of the US. She is terrified for herself too.
One of my adult friends who is Jewish and gay is looking to activate citizenship to Europe that she can have from her grandfather who left before the Holocaust. She is not feeling safe in the US under Trump as a Jew or as a Lesbian and her children have brown skin and are female. They do not feel safe.
She should be careful going to Germany right now, if she has any humanity towards Palestinians in her, because, unfortunately, the German government does not.
Joy, please read the articles I have linked below on this. She is not going to Germany, she already lives in Germany for 2 years as a student. She feels safe, but she is not the one going out and protesting. She does not like crowds. My husband is that way too. She has gone on demonstrations her whole life with me, but would not go on her own.
I have my own crowd to demonstrate with and we live in different cities. I am not going to be saying the slogans that are forbidden though.
Every demonstration I have been to the past 2 years in Germany has had a Palestinian contingent, and I was in Berlin a couple of weekends ago for a Hands Off rally, and there was a huge Palestinian rally. So, it is not clear cut. If there is no vandalism I think you can do it. In fact, there have been marches with Palestinian and Israeli flags and no clashes.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/germany-israel-bends-international-law-continue-selling-arms
Germany is not more strict than the US under Trump. Also, there are people suing them for selling Arms to Israel.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/germany-israel-bends-international-law-continue-selling-arms
I have brown skin and live in Germany. I am a dual citizen and I have not generally had problems, but anywhere I live I choose where I am going to be, and who I am going to be with. I live in a city that is welcoming of immigrants, and did not vote for the CDU or the AfD in the majority.
That's great to know. Seeing what has happened, including to Francesca Albanese recently, the situation looks quite worrying. I visited Berlin last year over Easter. That's a great time to be there. I'm probably not going back anytime soon. I am glad I went last year., even thought The Ring production was dreadful, but, at least I finally got to see the remodelled Unter den Linden theatre. I have dear friends I spent a lot of quality time with on non-Ring Days. Gosh, this has gotten quite chatty, and off-topic. Sorry.
Yes. I read about Francesca Albanese not being allowed to speak even though she had diplomatic immunity. I also know that my Chicago neighbor was not allowed into Switzerland even though he had been invited to give two speeches because he writes for the Electronic Intifada. So, I see this happening in Europe in general as the speaker here is saying that a lot of western countries right now are doing this and points out that White Supremacy can rear its ugly head.
https://youtu.be/yPxN79zeTms?si=SMJmnHKwYeEo6BLM
I have chosen Europe despite the White Supremacy I am used to it from the US. I can have sexism, racism, homophobia and global climate catastrophe regularly, but would like to reduce them, and so these factors were all considered. I also knew that I did not want to live in the US with a second Trump term.
I have to think about health insurance, long term care, other quality of life issues that the US is not there yet to have or do. Republicans have hit the peak of how horrible they are, but even the Dems do not elevate the quality of life enough in the US. This is my story of how I ended up mostly in Europe, and now maybe only in Europe.
https://open.substack.com/pub/lindaweide/p/coming-soon?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Here, our daughter will come out of Uni debt free, which is hardly true for many Americans. I don't live in Berlin, and my cost of living is much less than the US, as well as living in a city that is still welcoming to immigrants, as Chicago is. However, Chicago does not have clean air, has too many guns, and other problems. I miss my friends and family but I talk to them regularly. I also go back and visit. I will need to pack up in Chicago and sell my home and that is that. Here is do go to demonstrations all the time. I support democracy and am working on organizing some regular creative gatherings for democracy in my new home.
That's great, I will check out your post. I wonder if you are involved with DiEM25? I am a member but I don't quite know how to connect with it, although I support what they are trying to do.