Why should the Germans not show their flag at Global Village?
German delegation, V6 Germany is awash in a sea of black, red and gold these last weeks. Small banners flutter from cars, others are draped from windows. Some fans even carry a flag with them or have opted for face paint. For a country with such a conflicted relationship to its undisputedly unfortunate history, this is difficult for a lot of people. Of course, supporting the national soccer team has long been the most innocent way for Germans to feel good about their country. Six decades after the horrors of World War II and 16 years after reunification, it’s okay to be German again. As a real Falcon, I can attest that’s a positive thing. There’s absolutely no reason why Germans shouldn’t be able to feel good about their modern and tolerant country. Germany is still far from perfect, but the best way to keep out neo-Nazis and others is to avoid abandoning love of country and patriotism to right-wing extremists. Some German readers might recoil at this, thinking I’m urging them to take
