> Obviously I'm not trying to imply that you're trying to justify any 
> of this
> Russell (just in case it came across that way in my post)

No - I had no problem with anything you said - or anything anyone else 
has sais so far on and off list. Most people agree more or less on 
such things - it's just agreeing that we agree that is the problem 
:-).

re

>> > I feel that the Germans are if anything too keen to enforce
>> > this - but I can certainly understand why they would be.

>> Is it not better to nip it in the bud &
>> educate people as the Germans are trying to do? ...

The Germans are, entirely understandably, very very sensitive to such 
things and go the forty second mile to stamp it out. The risk is much 
the same as the risk in attempting to stop terrorists - by over 
reacting you play into their hands. Excessive zeal in attempting to 
stop neo-Nazi activities can end up looking uncomfortably Nazi like. 
Damned if they do, damned if they don't. I'm glad I don't have to work 
out how to handle such things - they have my sympathy. Note that the 
youngest German who could realistically be deemed to have any 
responsibility for anything that was done in Nazi Germany is now 73 
years old (12 in 1945), and people in any sort of position of power 
would be at least 83 and probably older. That generation has 
effectively gone. We now have the children and the children's children 
dealing with the sins of their fathers.


        Russell McMahon



-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist